cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Management of Brain Metastases in ALK-Positive Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Abstract The Oncology Grand Rounds series is designed to place original reports published in the Journal into clinical context. A case presentation is followed by a description of diagnostic and management challenges, a review of the relevant literature, and a summary of the authors' suggested management approaches. The goal of this series is to help readers better understand how to apply the results of key studies, including those published in Journal of Clinical Oncology, to patients seen in their own clinical practice.A 54-year-old man with a former 15-pack-year smoking history presents with cough and dyspnea. Initial work-up with imaging demonstrates a right suprahilar mass measuring 4.7 cm as well as several enlarged hilar and ipsilateral mediastinal lymph nodes. Bronchoscopy with biopsy reveals adenocarcinoma consistent with a lung primary. Staging with positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) reidentifies the primary mass and lymph nodes and shows several PET-avid bone metastases. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrates a 1.6-cm right parietal mass with mild vasogenic edema and four additional brain metastases measuring 4 to 9 mm in size. Molecular testing is positive for an anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene rearrangement using fluorescence in situ hybridization and negative for EGFR, ROS1, RET, BRAF, KRAS, and other oncogenes. The patient denies any neurologic symptoms and has no significant findings on neurologic exam. He is referred to you for management options for newly diagnosed stage IV (T2aN2M1b) lung adenocarcinoma.
Impact of Land‐Use History and Forest Trees on Soil Organic Carbon and Nitrogen Stocks

Reforestation and afforestation of agricultural land can lead to increased storage of C and N. Few studies have determined the effect of reforestation on N compared with C accumulation or the impact of forest community structure on soil organic C (SOC) and N stocks. We selected a chronosequence of six forested study sites to investigate whether SOC and N were affected by land-use history or forest community structure. We took soil cores at depths of 15 to 35 cm from eight plots at each study site, measured SOC and N concentrations, SOC/N ratios, the minimum time since partial and full reforestation, and tree composition and structure. The SOC and N concentrations increased with time since partial and full reforestation in shallow soils (top 10 cm; p 0.05; rocky soil limited analyses below 20 cm). The SOC and N concentrations were more closely linked to the onset of reforestation. The SOC/N ratio increased with time since partial and full reforestation in deeper soils (p 0.05). There was no relationship between either SOC or N and forest composition or structure (p > 0.05). Our results demonstrate that the onset of reforestation is a key factor controlling SOC and N concentrations, which increased from partial to full reforestation, particularly in shallow soils. The more pronounced increase in the SOC/N ratio in deeper soils reflected an accumulation of SOC with time in these soils, while N content remained comparatively stable.
Competitive Equilibrium: Aumann's model

In most models with a finite number of consumers the core is larger than the set of Walrasian equilibria. What is this telling us? Perhaps that the core is a flabby concept, Walrasian equilibrium precise. But, more likely, this discrepancy signals a problem with the Walrasian hypothesis of price-taking behavior. In most situations where the Walrasian model has been applied, consumers can influence price. The core recognizes the associated opportunities to haggle and bargain. Walrasian equilibrium assumes them away. Of course, economists have an answer to this criticism. We are not that naive! Although we illustrate the competitive model with an Edgeworth box, the typical applications we have in mind involve not two consumers but many, so many that each consumer has a negligible influence on price. In 1964 the game theorist Robert Aumann made a bold suggestion: if economists intend their models of competition to apply in situations where consumers have negligible influence on price, why not reformulate the model to be consistent with this tacit assumption? The opening two paragraphs of his paper state the case with great force and clarity: The notion of perfect competition is fundamental in the treatment of economic equilibrium. The essential idea of this notion is that the economy under consideration has a “very large” number of participants, and that the influence of each participant is “negligible.” Of course, in real life no competition is perfect; but, in economics, as in the physical sciences, the study of the ideal state has proved very fruitful, though in practice it is, at best, only approximately achieved. […]
Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone for Cerebellar Ataxia

A nine year old girl with cerebel lar ataxia that responded to thyrotropin-releasing hormone is reported from the Department of Pediatrics, Kyoto Prefectero University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
Theory of harmonic radiation using a single-electron source model

Abstract Significant progress has recently been made toward the understanding of the various mechanisms that generate harmonic radiation in plane-polarized free electron lasers. Within the context of a single-frequency coherent-spontaneous-emission model, a distributed transverse source function for a single electron has been derived. This source is multiply peaked, with the number of peaks being equal to the harmonic number. The peaks and nulls in the radiation source are analogous to the radiation peaks seen in the spontaneous-radiation pattern of a single electron. When the distributed source function is averaged over transverse space, the simplified one-dimensional results are recovered. The distributed-source-function model predicts the generation of even harmonic radiation with odd symmetry in the electron wiggle plane (for electrons traveling along the wiggler axis) and odd harmonic-radiation patterns with even transverse symmetry. A method for modeling the multipole nature of the harmonic radiation on a discrete grid is described. When the transverse electon-beam distribution is slowly varying, all the harmonics can be adequately modeled with multipoles having only a few peaks. This model has been incorporated into the 3D FEL simulation code FELEX. Simulations of the Los Alamos and Stanford FEL oscillators have been performed. How the harmonic transverse spatial electric-field profiles change for different operating conditions is examined.
Object identification in Vision Systems for expert learning platforms

This Vision System would be able to identify the objects in the digital imagery by reducing the current limitations by increasing accuracy.
Book Review: Renewing Moral Theology: Christian Ethics as Action, Character and Grace:

Renewing Moral Theology: Christian Ethics as Action, Character and Grace. By Daniel A. Westberg. Downers Grove, 111.: IVP Academic, 2015. 281 pp. $25.00 (paper).Daniel Westbergs most recent offering is intended for the general reader interested in the discipline of Christian moral theology. It stands apart from other works in the field, however, not least because it combines two distinctive elements: it is at once Thomistic and Anglican. This may strike some readers as an odd pairing, but in fact it reflects a prominent stream of twentieth-century Anglican theology. The author deftly situates his project within this stream while also taking it in a slightly new direction. While he relies on Thomas Aquinas's moral theology as a starting point, he gracefully draws upon Anglican divines and numerous contemporary authors to weave an updated tapestry for Christian moral reflection. One of the many merits of this book is that it rises above the level of a popular introduction without becoming overly technical. It displays deep familiarity with centurieslong debates in moral theology without assuming that the reader shares this familiarity.The text is neatly divided into two parts. Part 1 is comprised of chapters that touch on some of the more theoretical and foundational aspects of Christian ethical reasoning (action, character, sin, grace, conversion, and law). Chapters 2 through 5 draw upon Westberg's earlier, more technical work and provide a clear and accessible analysis of practical reason and how we ought to understand human actions. Part 2 is devoted to analyses of the virtues, with each of the seven classical virtues receiving its own chapter. Each of these succinct treatments contains helpful everyday examples and concludes with suggestions for further reading. Reading the text from beginning to end, it becomes clear how the author's Anglican and Thomistic commitments work together to provide cohesion to the book's sixteen chapters.While this distinct set of commitments provides coherence to the overall project, there are some areas in which it leads to an inevitable tension. One example pertains to Westbergs treatment of sin. The inclusion of an entire chapter on the subject is admirable and fills a significant lacuna in much contemporary moral theology. An immediate difficulty arises, however, when one attempts to rehabilitate the Thomistic distinction between "mortal" and "venial" sins outside of a context in which sacramental confession is regularly practiced, let alone mandated. Westberg is well aware of this reality, and he does not go so far as to suggest that the mortal/venial distinction should become a normative principle of pastoral practice, as it has been in the Roman Catholic Church. …
Framing Mandela: An (Inter)National Comparative News Analysis of the Iconic Leader’s Death

Few studies have investigated how the press covers political leaders’ deaths and the societal, cultural and political connotations of such coverage. Even fewer have tackled the topic when that leader is black. We use Framing Theory applied through an interpretive textual analysis to over 80 news articles from two South African and two Brazilian dailies to understand how Nelson Mandela—a black iconic leader—was framed in the 11 days straddling his death and death events. These two countries were selected, because South Africa was Mandela’s home, and Brazil has the largest Black population of any country outside of Africa. Additionally, both nations are locked in partnerships, including their participation in BRICS and IBSA. Comparing and contrasting seven emergent frames points to the need to consider the social construction of the collective memory of his death as pursuant to understanding Mandela’s legacy. Ate agora poucos estudos investigaram como a imprensa cobre a morte de lideres politicos, e as consequentes conotacoes sociais, culturais e politicas dessa cobertura. Ainda menos estudos abordam o tema quando se trata de um lider negro. Utilizamos a Teoria do Enquadramento, aplicada atraves de uma analise textual interpretativa a mais de 80 artigos de noticias de dois jornais sul-africanos e dois brasileiros para entendermos como Nelson Mandela - um lider iconico negro - foi enquadrado nos 11 dias entre sua morte e os eventos ao redor da mesma. Estes dois paises foram selecionados, porque a Africa do Sul era a nacao de Mandela, e o Brasil devido ao fato de ter a maior populacao negra de qualquer pais alem da Africa. Alem disso, essas nacoes sao parceiras ja que fazem parte dos BRICS e IBSA. Ao compararmos e contrastarmos sete quadros emergentes dessa cobertura, apontamos para a necessidade de considerarmos a construcao social da memoria coletiva de sua morte como modo de compreendermos o legado da morte de Mandela. Poco estudios han investigado como la prensa cubre la muerte de lideres politicos y las connotaciones societales, culturales y politicas de tal cobertura. Menos aun han abordado el tema cuando el lider es de raza negra. Usamos la teoria del encuadre (framing) y la aplicamos en un analisis textual interpretativo de mas de 80 articulos de dos diarios sudafricanos y dos brasilenos para comprender como Nelson Mandela –un iconico lider negro– fue encuadrado en los 11 dias en torno a su muerte. Estos dos paises fueron seleccionados ya que Sudafrica era la patria de Mandela y Brasil tiene la mayor poblacion negra de cualquier pais fuera del continente africano. Ademas ambas naciones estas adscritas a alianzas, incluida su participacion en BRICS e IBSA. La comparacion y contraste de siete encuadres emergentes apunta a la necesidad de considerar la construccion social de la memoria colectiva de su muerte para comprender el legado de Mandela.
3D printed magnetic polymer composite transformers

Abstract The possibility of 3D printing a transformer core using fused deposition modeling methods is explored. With the use of additive manufacturing, ideal transformer core geometries can be achieved in order to produce a more efficient transformer. In this work, different 3D printed settings and toroidal geometries are tested using a custom integrated magnetic circuit capable of measuring the hysteresis loop of a transformer. These different properties are then characterized, and it was determined the most effective 3D printed transformer core requires a high fill factor along with a high concentration of magnetic particulate.
Impact of Novel Agents on Frequency of Second Salvage Autologous Transplantation in Patients with Multiple Myeloma

Introduction: High dose melphalan followed by autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (ASCT) is the standard of care in eligible multiple myeloma (MM) patients (pts). It is common practice to collect sufficient stem cells for two transplants, for the first ASCT immediately after induction, and for salvage ASCT following disease progression. We investigated the frequency of salvage second ASCT in the era of novel agents to determine if there has been a change in practice. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of MM pts who had stem cells collected for two ASCTs from 03/1996 to 12/2014. We then compared pts who received their first ASCT prior to January 2007 to those after this time. We excluded pts who received their second transplant as part of a clinical protocol, who received subsequent allogenic transplants, and pts who received 2 ASCT transplants as part of initial therapy. Fisher9s exact test was used to assess significance of categorical independent variables and t -test was used to assess significance of continuous variables. Results: Forty of 506 pts (7.9%) received salvage second ASCT (Fig 1). Among 195 MM pts who received their first ASCT before 2007, 19 pts (9.7%) received salvage ASCT. After 2007, 21 of 311 MM pts (6.7%) received salvage ASCT (P= 0.24). When comparing salvage ASCT in the two time periods, no significant differences were noted, with the exception of a slightly lower KPS status (80% vs 70%, P =0.001), and the use of novel agents before the salvage therapy (0/19 (0%) vs 17/21 (81%), p Conclusions: Outside of clinical trials, the use of salvage second ASCT for relapsed MM is not frequent, and was noted to be decreasing further after 2007. We speculate that this 30% relative reduction in the frequency of salvage ASCT after 2007 is likely explained by the introduction of novel agents such as bortezomib and lenalidomde into the clinical practice, the use of maintenance therapy post-ASCT, and more non-ASCT options for salvage treatment after relapse. Further studies are needed to investigate the optimal timing for salvage ASCT and the patients who will best benefit from such treatment. Disclosures Wingard: Astellas: Consultancy; Gilead: Consultancy; Ansun: Consultancy; Fate Therapeutics: Consultancy; Merck: Consultancy.
Quantitative and Qualitative Assessment of the Relative Arterial Contributions to the Calcaneus.

Background:The purpose of this study was to quantitatively and qualitatively assess relative arterial contributions to the calcaneus.Method:Fourteen cadaveric ankle pairs were used. In each specime...
Natural Language Generation through Case-Based Text Modification

Natural Language Generation (NLG) is one of the longstanding problems in Artificial Intelligence. In this paper, we focus on a subproblem in NLG, namely surface realization through text modification: given a source sentence and a desired change, produce a grammatically correct and semantically coherent sentence that implements the desired change. Text modification has many applications within text generation like interactive narrative systems, where stories tailored to specific users are generated by adapting or instantiating a pre-authored story. We present a case-based approach where cases correspond to pairs of sentences implementing specific modifications. We describe our retrieval, adaptation and revise procedures. The main contribution of this paper is an approach to perform case-adaptation in textual domains.
Abstract 15794: COACH Program Effective in Improving Risk Factors in Vulnerable Populations

Disease management and prevention in medically underserved patients with CVD or at high risk for CVD is complex. The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of a nurse practitioner (NP)/community health educator(CHE) model of care in urban community health centers on improving patients CVD risk factors and their perceptions of the quality of their chronic illness care. Patients with CVD, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and/or hypercholesterolemia were randomized to receive usual care (UC) or a 1 year CVD risk management intervention including self-management from a NP/CHE team (I). Outcomes included lipids and HbA1c measured in a standardized laboratory, blood pressure measured according to JNC VII guidelines, and patients9 assessments of chronic illness care (PACIC), measured by the PACIC instrument (possible score 1 – 5). A total of 525 patients participated in the randomized trial (I = 261, UC = 264); mean age 56 ± 12 years, 71% female, 78% Black; 54% with annual household income ≤ $20,000, and only 34% with private health insurance. Patients in the two groups did not differ significantly on baseline sociodemographic, PACIC scores or clinical characteristics, except for total cholesterol, triglycerides and HbA1c. Intention to treat analyses comparing changes in outcomes while controlling for baseline differences using general linear mixed model tests revealed statistically and clinically significant mean changes in total cholesterol (I: −24 ± 44.8; UC:− 4.8 ± 39.4, p
Uncertainty and Sensitivity Analysis: From Regulatory Requirements to Conceptual Structure and Computational Implementation

An approach to the conversion of regulatory requirements into a conceptual and computational structure that permits meaningful uncertainty and sensitivity analyses is descibed. This approach is predicated on the description of the desired analysis in terms of three basic entities: (i) a probability space characterizing aleatory uncertainty, (ii) a probability space characterizing epistemic uncertainty, and (iii) a model that predicts system behavior. The presented approach is illustrated with results from the 2008 performance assessment for the proposed repository for high-level radioactive waste at Yucca Mountain, Nevada.
Marketing imaging services

"Communication with physicians and patients is critical to successfully marketing technology," says Mr. Bouchard, author of a new handbook for radiology managers. In this section from his book, he describes the components of a successful marketing plan and tries to dispel several myths about marketing. He also describes benchmarks for success, and provides a sample plan to promote mammography services.
Video games from the perspective of adults with autism spectrum disorder

Video game preferences of 58 adults with autism spectrum disorder were examined.Game play motives included stress relief, immersion, time use, and social connection.Participants reported enjoying achievement, creativity, story, and game graphics.Addiction and negative social interactions were identified as negative game aspects.Many participants disliked game violence, sexual content, and game design problems. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience significant challenges in community engagement and social activities, yet they have strong interests in video games. Thus, there has been increasing interest in understanding potentially positive and negative effects of video games in this population. However, research has not yet examined the perspectives of individuals with ASD themselves on this topic. The purpose of this study was to use qualitative methods to examine the preferences and motivations for video game play among adults with ASD. Individual interviews were conducted with 58 adults with ASD, and responses were coded through an iterative and collaborative process. Several themes were identified, including perceived benefits of video game use (e.g., social connection, stress reduction) as well as perceived negative effects (e.g., time use, addictive potential). Participants also noted both positive and negative aspects of game design that affect their overall enjoyment. The most frequent all-time favorite video game genres were Role-Playing (31%) and Action-Adventure (19%). These qualitative findings enhance our understanding of video game use from the direct perspectives of individuals with ASD, and suggest a need for incorporating these perspectives in future quantitative studies on positive and negative aspects of game use in this population.
Orientation and Mobility Content for Children and Youths: A Delphi Approach Pilot Study.

A panel of 20 experts in orientation and mobility (O&M) reached consensus on concepts and skills that O&M specialists should teach to students who are blind or have low vision. Panelists also agreed on visual, environmental, and behavioral conditions that would require a formal O&M assessment.
What Data Measures Are Used in Study Abroad Research

This chapter begins with a general overview of the different data types that are seen in study abroad research, discussing the differences between elicited and natural language use (comprehension and production) data, data from metalinguistic judgments, and self-report data. What follows is a description of the research measures needed to gather data that is required to investigate study abroad gains. The perspective adopted is that all measures have relative advantages and disadvantages that often complement one another, so converging evidence of more than one kind can reasonably be sought. The chapter concludes with an overall summary as well as questions for reflection and suggestions for further reading.
State of e-Learning Marketing: Results and Recommendations from a Nationwide Survey

To better understand how librarians across the country market e-learning resources to faculty, a survey was distributed to academic librarians in the United States to gauge what marketing strategie...
Two-dimensional, conductive niobium and molybdenum metal–organic frameworks

The incorporation of second-row transition metals into metal-organic frameworks could greatly improve the performance of these materials across a wide variety of applications due to the enhanced covalency, redox activity, and spin-orbit coupling of late-row metals relative to their first-row analogues. Thus far, however, the synthesis of such materials has been limited to a small number of metals and structural motifs. Here, we report the syntheses of the two-dimensional metal-organic framework materials (H2NMe2)2Nb2(Cl2dhbq)3 and Mo2(Cl2dhbq)3 (H2Cl2dhbq = 3,6-dichloro-2,5-dihydroxybenzoquinone), which feature mononuclear niobium or molybdenum metal nodes and are formed through reactions driven by metal-to-ligand electron transfer. Characterization of these materials via X-ray absorption spectroscopy suggests a local trigonal prismatic coordination geometry for both niobium and molybdenum, consistent with their increased covalency relative to related first-row transition metal compounds. A combination of vibrational spectroscopy, magnetic susceptibility, and electronic conductivity measurements reveal that these two frameworks possess distinct electronic structures. In particular, while the niobium compound displays evidence for redox-trapping and strong magnetic interactions, the molybdenum phase is valence-delocalized with evidence of large polaron formation. Weak interlayer interactions in the neutral molybdenum phase enable solvent-assisted exfoliation to yield few-layer hexagonal nanosheets. Together, these results represent the first syntheses of metal-organic frameworks containing mononuclear niobium and molybdenum nodes, establishing a route to frameworks incorporating a more diverse range of second- and third-row transition metals with increased covalency and the potential for improved charge transport and stronger magnetic coupling.
A Content Analysis of Pinterest Belly Fat Loss Exercises: Unrealistic Expectations and Misinformation

Pinterest has changed the way we seek and share health information with more than 300 million active users. Nearly 40% of Americans are obese and seek fast, easy weight loss solutions online despit...
Quantum Monte Carlo study of lattice polarons in the two-dimensional three-orbital Su–Schrieffer–Heeger model

The electron–lattice interaction gives rise to a rich set of phenomena in quantum materials. Microscopically, this interaction often arises from the modulation of orbital overlaps; however, many theoretical studies neglect such couplings. Here, we present an exact diagonalization and determinant quantum Monte Carlo study of a three-orbital Su–Schrieffer–Heeger (SSH) model, on a two-dimensional Lieb lattice and in the negative charge transfer regime. At half-filling (one hole/unit cell), we observe a bipolaron insulating phase with a bond-disproportionate lattice. This phase is robust against moderate hole doping but is suppressed at large hole concentrations, leading to a metallic polaron-liquid-like state with fluctuating patches of local distortions. We also find an s-wave superconducting state at large hole doping that primarily appears on the oxygen sublattice. Our work provides a non-perturbative view of SSH-type couplings in two dimensions with implications for materials where such couplings are dominant.
Exacerbation of antimicrobial resistance: another casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Introduction: The widespread use of antimicrobial drugs during the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the likely emergence of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms is a global h...
Toward a theory of the boundary-spanning marketing organization and insights from 31 organization theories

Now more than ever, marketing is assuming a key boundary-spanning role—a role that has also redefined the composition of the marketing organization. In this paper, the marketing organization’s integrative and mutually reinforcing components of marketing activities, customer value–creating processes, networks, and stakeholders are delineated within their boundary-spanning roles as a particular emphasis (labeled MOR theory). Thematic marketing insights from a collection of 31 organization theories are used to advance knowledge on the boundary-spanning marketing organization within four areas—strategic marketing resources, marketing leadership and decision making, network alliances and collaborations, and the domestic and global marketplace.
Partnering for Success: Factors Impacting Implementation of a Cross-Systems Collaborative model Between Behavioral Health and Child Welfare.

Cross-system implementation efforts can support needed mental health (MH) service utilization among children involved in the child welfare (CW) system. The Partnering for Success (PfS) initiative is one such effort that promotes greater collaboration between the CW and MH providers by building capacity within and across each system. Frontline CW providers learn to accurately identify child MH treatment targets, link families to locally-provided evidence-based treatments (EBTs), and monitor treatment progress. Concurrently, local MH providers are trained along with CW workers to utilize Cognitive Behavioral Therapy plus Trauma-Focused CBT (CBT +), a common elements training and consultation approach focusing on typical MH issues for CW-involved children: Anxiety, Depression, Behavioral Problems, and Traumatic Stress. Finally, agency leadership receive support around promoting implementation and sustainment. This paper examines factors identified by participating CW and MH staff which impacted PfS implementation. Twenty-nine frontline, supervisory, and executive CW and MH providers were interviewed via audio-recorded web-based calls in six focus groups and 10 individual interviews. Factors facilitating implementation success included training/consultation, support from supervisors and agency leadership, improved referral processes, high quality relationships and communication between CW and MH frontline staff, PfS tools and resources, opportunities to use PfS, as well as buy-in from providers and families. Implementation barriers included poor communication between CW and MH providers, conflicts over role expectations, workload and turnover challenges, lack of buy-in, as well as provider (e.g., not aligned with CBT +) and client characteristics (e.g., frequent crises).
SELL and IFI44 as potential biomarkers of Sjögren's syndrome and their correlation with immune cell infiltration.

The onset of Sjogren's syndrome (SS) is hidden, early diagnosis is difficult, and the disorder seriously endangers the physical and mental health of affected people. This study aims to identify potential biomarkers of SS and to investigate the characteristics of immune cell infiltration. We used four SS gene expression profile data series from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, and applied bioinformatics analysis and machine learning algorithms to screen two biomarkers, SELL (L-selectin) and IFI44 (interferon-induced protein 44), from 101 differentially expressed genes. The two-gene model comprising SELL and IFI44 showed good diagnostic ability for SS in the training set (AUC = 0.992) and verification set (AUC = 0.917). Analysis of infiltrating immune cells in SS identified naive B cells, resting CD4 memory T cells, activated CD4 memory T cells, gamma delta T cells, M0 macrophages, M1 macrophages, plasma cells, CD8 T cells, activated NK cells and monocytes as candidate participants in the SS process. Furthermore, SELL was associated with M2 macrophages, activated CD4 memory T cells, gamma delta T cells, resting NK cells and plasma cells, while IFI44 was associated with activated mast cells, resting NK cells, resting mast cells and CD8 T cells. This study demonstrates that SELL and IFI44 can serve as good diagnostic markers for SS and may also be new diagnostic and therapeutic targets for SS.
Evaluation of transpalpebral ultrasonographic measurement of optic nerve sheath diameter for indirect assessment of intracranial pressure in anesthetized and standing healthy adult horses.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether an association exists between direct intracranial pressure (ICP) measurement and ultrasonographic measurement of optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) in anesthetized and standing horses. DESIGN Cross-sectional study performed on a convenience sample of healthy adult horses. SETTING University teaching hospital. ANIMALS Eight adult horses donated to the University. Enrolled horses were free of abnormalities on physical examination, CBC, neurological evaluation, and ophthalmological examination. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Horses were anesthetized in lateral recumbency for placement of an ICP transducer. Three head positions (neutral, elevated, and lowered) were used to alter ICP. ICP and ONSD in 2 directions (D1 and D2) were recorded at 5 and 10 minutes after position change to elevated and lowered. ICP and ONSD measurements were repeated in standing sedated horses 24-36 hours after recovery from anesthesia. Linear regressions were performed with ICP as the dependent variable and ONSD as the independent variable by head position and times. Linear regressions were also performed for change from neutral under anesthesia, with ONSD as the independent variable and ICP as the dependent variable, by head position and times. Significance was set at P < 0.05. There was a moderate association between ICP and ONSD in horses with head lowered at 5 and 10 minutes (R2 values = 63%-78%) and weak association in head elevated at 10 minutes (R2 values = 56%-63%). There was a weak association between change from neutral ICP and change from neutral ONSD in the elevated anesthetized position at 10 minutes for summed D1 + D2 (R2 = 33%). CONCLUSIONS Consistent associations between direct ICP and ONSD in anesthetized or standing horses were not observed. This inconsistency limits the clinically utility of transpalpebral ultrasonographic ONSD measurement for ICP monitoring in horses.
How Universal Is Our Message

The Social Implications of technology are a global concern. Technological systems span all of the continents and connect nearly every human. The unintended consequences of human innovations are even more widespread, if you include space junk and radio noise. Associated ethical dilemmas are ubiquitous and are not confined to particular cultures or jurisdictions. We might expect that people all over the world would want to discuss technology and its social implications. But that is not the case. At least not with us.
Any Role of High-Dose Vitamin C for Septic Shock in 2021?

While the use of vitamin C as a therapeutic agent has been investigated since the 1950s, there has been substantial recent interest in the role of vitamin C supplementation in critical illness and particularly, sepsis and septic shock. Humans cannot synthesize vitamin C and rely on exogenous intake to maintain a plasma concentration of approximately 70 to 80 μmol/L. Vitamin C, in healthy humans, is involved with antioxidant function, wound healing, endothelial function, and catecholamine synthesis. Its function in the human body informs the theoretical basis for why vitamin C supplementation may be beneficial in sepsis/septic shock. Critically ill patients can be vitamin C deficient due to low dietary intake, increased metabolic demands, inefficient recycling of vitamin C metabolites, and loss due to renal replacement therapy. Intravenous supplementation is required to achieve supraphysiologic serum levels of vitamin C. While some clinical studies of intravenous vitamin C supplementation in sepsis have shown improvements in secondary outcome measures, none of the randomized clinical trials have shown differences between vitamin C supplementation and standard of care and/or placebo in the primary outcome measures of the trials. There are some ongoing studies of high-dose vitamin C administration in patients with sepsis and coronavirus disease 2019; the majority of evidence so far does not support the routine supplementation of vitamin C in patients with sepsis or septic shock.
International Courts and the Performance of International Agreements: A General Theory with Evidence from the European Union

Nations often turn to international courts to help with overcoming collective-action problems associated with international relations. However, these courts generally cannot enforce their rulings, which begs the question: how effective are international courts? This book proposes a general theory of international courts that assumes a court has no direct power over national governments. Member states are free to ignore both the international agreement and the rulings by the court created to enforce that agreement. The theory demonstrates that such a court can, in fact, facilitate cooperation with international law, but only within important political constraints. The authors examine the theoretical argument in the context of the European Union. Using an original data set of rulings by the European Court of Justice, they find that the disposition of court rulings and government compliance with those rulings comport with the theory's predictions.
Bayesian active learning using arbitrary binary valued queries

We explore a general Bayesian active learning setting, in which the learner can ask arbitrary yes/no questions. We derive upper and lower bounds on the expected number of queries required to achieve a specified expected risk.
Gas cloud G2 can illuminate the black hole population near the galactic center.

Galactic nuclei are expected to be densely populated with stellar- and intermediate-mass black holes. Exploring this population will have important consequences for the observation prospects of gravitational waves as well as understanding galactic evolution. The gas cloud G2 currently approaching Sgr A* provides an unprecedented opportunity to probe the black hole and neutron star population of the Galactic nucleus. We examine the possibility of a G2-cloud--black-hole encounter and its detectability with current x-ray satellites, such as Chandra and NuSTAR. We find that multiple encounters are likely to occur close to the pericenter, which may be detectable upon favorable circumstances. This opportunity provides an additional important science case for leading x-ray observatories to closely follow G2 on its way to the nucleus.
High Specificity of Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Particles toward Target Compound in Competitive Environmental Binding

Molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) particles tailored for bisphenol A (BPA) were prepared using a 1:8:7 molar ratio of BPA the template, methacrylic acid (MAA) the functional monomer, and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) the cross-linker. These colloidal particles were tested for rapid competitive binding by capillary electrophoresis with ultraviolet detection (CE-UV). Good interface binding efficiencies were obtained for BPA even in the presence of 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy benzophenone (HMB) as a structurally related compound at high concentrations. The specifically bound BPA could be desorbed rapidly out of the interface cavities by 5% triethylamine in methanol. However reusability was demonstrated by repeated injections of BPA that bound to MIP particles without regeneration of the cavities.
An Adaptive Web Content Delivery System

The desktop-centric design of most of the current web contents pose many difficulties for pervasive browsing. In this paper, we present our study on the problem to support pervasive browsing in the heterogeneous environment of today's Internet. A system solution - Adaptive Web Content Delivery (AWCD), is presented to overcome the problems existed in present web infrastructure. The system designed is extensible for the further development of Internet. The two major subsystems of AWCD, client profile learning and adaptation, are described in detail. Experiment results of our system are also shown.
At War's End: Namibia and Mozambique: Success Stories in Southern Africa?

In the wake of peacebuilding missions in Namibia and Mozambique, the danger of resurgent conflict in both countries appears remote. Namibia has enjoyed more than a decade of domestic peace with little internal unrest, and at the time of this writing, there are no signs of renewed insurgency or intergroup violence. Although the durability of peace in Mozambique seems less secure than in Namibia, Mozambique has enjoyed the longest period of peace and stability in its history since its conflict came to an end in 1994. Yet the apparent success of Wilsonian peacebuilding policies in these two countries is not without qualification: Like Croatia, both countries offered unusually propitious conditions for postconflict liberalization, not least because major parties to their conflicts were external parties who effectively withdrew from the countries when the wars ended, thereby reducing the risks of rapid liberalization exacerbating tensions among formerly warring parties within these states. Indeed, neither the conflict in Mozambique nor that in Namibia was primarily indigenous or “homegrown” because both wars were instigated and sustained by external actors, and when outsiders abandoned the conflicts, there was little “demand” for continued fighting. Namibia South West Africa, as Namibia was previously known, was colonized by Germany in 1884, and it remained a German possession until World War I, when South African troops seized control of the territory and imposed military rule for the duration of the war.
Mechanisms of synthesis of virion proteins from the functionally bigenic late mRNAs of simian virus 40.

Abstract The late 19S RNAs of simian virus 40 (SV40) are functionally polycistronic, i.e., all encode both VP2 and VP3. The VP3-coding sequences are situated in the same reading frame as the VP2-coding sequences, within the carboxy-terminal two-thirds of the VP2-coding sequences. To test whether VP3 is produced by proteolytic processing of VP2, we introduced a variety of deletion and insertion mutations within the amino-terminal end of the VP2-coding sequences. Genetic and biochemical analysis of the proteins synthesized in cells transfected with these mutants indicated that VP2 and VP3 were synthesized independently of each other. A leaky scanning model for the synthesis of VP3 was tested by the insertion of a strong initiation signal (CCAACATGG) upstream of the VP3-coding sequences. When the signal was placed in the same reading frame as VP3, synthesis of VP3 was reduced by a factor of 10 to 20, whereas synthesis of the expected VP3-related fusion protein occurred at a rate similar to that observed for VP3 in cells transfected with wild-type SV40 DNA. Insertion of this strong initiation signal at the same site, but in a different reading frame, resulted in the synthesis of VP3 at one-third of the wild-type rate. Mutation of the VP2 initiator AUG resulted in a small but reproducible (1.6-fold) increase in VP3 accumulation. From these experiments we conclude that (i) VP3 is synthesized predominantly by independent initiation of translation via a leaky scanning mechanism, rather than by proteolytic processing of VP2 or direct internal initiation of translation; (ii) a strong initiation signal 5' of the VP3-coding sequences can significantly inhibit synthesis of VP3, but does not act as an absolute barrier to scanning ribosomes; (iii) approximately 70% of scanning ribosomes bypass the VP2 initiator AUG, which is present in a weak context (GGUCCAUGG), and initiate at the VP3 initiation signal located downstream; and (iv) reinitiation of translation appears to occur on the SV40 late 19S mRNAs at an efficiency of 25 to 50%.
Use of a Rotating Bioreactor toward Tissue Engineering the Temporomandibular Joint Disc

This objective of this study was to determine the effects of a rotating bioreactor in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disc tissue engineering. Porcine TMJ disc cells were seeded at a density of 20 million cells/mL onto nonwoven poly(glycolic acid) (PGA) scaffolds in spinner flasks for 1 week and then cultured either under static conditions or in a rotating bioreactor for a period of 6 weeks. A series of analyses was performed, including mechanical testing, measurement of cellularity, quantification of matrix biosynthesis with a hydroxyproline assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and observation of matrix distribution with immunohistochemistry. Between the bioreactor and static cultures, there were marked differences in gross appearance, histological structure, and distribution of collagen types I and II. Engineered constructs from the bioreactor contracted earlier and to a greater extent, resulting in a denser matrix and cell composition. In addition, immunostaining intensity was generally uniform in static constructs, in contrast to higher intensity around the periphery of bioreactor constructs. Moreover, bioreactor constructs had higher amounts of collagen II than did static constructs. However, differences in total matrix content and compressive stiffness were generally not significant. On the basis of the results of this study there is no clear benefit from use of the rotating bioreactor, although a sequence of static culture followed by rotating bioreactor culture may prove in the future to be more beneficial than either alone.
Binding of concanavalin A by normal, herpes virus-transformed, and trypsin-treated hamster embryo fibroblasts.

Abstract Using fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled concanavalin A (ConA), it was shown that normal hamster embryo fibroblast cells appear to bind less ConA than do herpes virus-transformed cells. However, the binding capacity of normal HEF cells could be increased following trypsin treatment.
Determination of aniline derivatives in oils related to the toxic oil syndrome by atmospheric pressure ionization-tandem mass spectrometry.

In 1981, an unknown disease appeared in Spain, the Spanish Toxic Oil Syndrome. Nowadays and despite all efforts, the etiological agent is still unknown. Early studies showed a link between this illness and the consumption of denatured rapeseed oil fraudulently processed and marketed as edible oil. Two families of aniline derivatives present in these oils (fatty acid anilides and acylated phenyl amino propanediol derivatives or PAPs) were found to be good chemical markers of toxic oils. In this work, a new method has been developed to analyze these aniline derivatives in oil samples by HPLC-MS and HPLC-MS/ MS with an API source. For their quantification, three different internal standards were used, one for anilides and two for PAPs. Quantification limits were 8 ppm for anilides and 0.2 ppm for PAPs. Anilides and PAPs were found in marker-positive samples at levels up to 50 000 and 330 ppm, respectively. The relative abundance of the different fatty acid anilides and PAPs correlates with the fatty acid composition of the oils. More than 2600 different samples were analyzed by this method in the most exhaustive screening of suspected toxic oils carried out to date.
Enantiospecific synthesis of 5′,5′,5′-trifluoro-5′-deoxyneplanocin A

Abstract (−)-(1 S ,4 R )-4-Hydroxy-2-cyclopenten-1-yl acetate provided a convenient entry point for a 12-step chiral preparation of 5′,5′,5′-trifluoro-5′-deoxyneplanocin A.
550V SiP Compact Fluorescent Lamp Ballast IC

A ballast IC, which has a System-in-Package (SiP) concept is designed using Fairchild's high voltage BCDMOS processes. The ballast control IC, which includes 625V high-side gate driver circuit and two 550V MOSFETs are integrated in low cost 8DIP package. The proposed IC provides lamp preheating and ignition functions to increase the lamp lifetime. Also, to increase the inverter efficiency, an active ZVS operation is incorporated. The proposed IC can drive up to 20W CFL with 90% efficiency at 310V DC link voltage.
Stability Dependence of the Ratio of Wind Speeds at Two Levels over Agriculture Land

Abstract Hourly averaged winds are computed from a one-year record taken atop five 10 m towers and four 30 m towers distributed over 4000 km2 of typical agricultural land. Vertical temperature differences are available from three of the 30 m towers. The ratio of spatially averaged speeds at the two levels is plotted against a mean bulk Richardson number. The range of stability where measurements are possibly consistent with the presence of established similarity profiles is limited and dependent on wind speed. However, the speed ratios follow smoothly varying functional relations over a wide range of stability for each classification of data by season and wind speed.