cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Relationship between Traditional Chinese Beliefs about Aetiology of Mental Disorders and Help Seeking: A Survey of the Elderly in Macao.

Objective: A wide range of factors can influence help-seeking attitudes when individuals experience a mental disorder. The current study investigated the relationship between traditional Chinese beliefs related to the aetiology of mental disorders and help-seeking attitudes among elderly participants in Macao. Methods: In order to ensure the suitability of participants for inclusion in this study, the participants were required to complete an initial screening test using the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ). Participants who successfully passed the test (n = 183) completed a questionnaire that included the Inventory of Attitudes Toward Seeking Mental Health Services (IASMHS), a set of 9 items related to traditional Chinese beliefs about aetiology of mental disorders and demographic items. Results: The IASMHS scores were higher for female participants and for participants who had completed high school compared with those who had never attended school or who had only completed primary education. Endorsement of traditional Chinese beliefs about the aetiology of mental disorders was higher for male participants. There was a negative correlation between traditional Chinese aetiology beliefs related to mental disorders and help-seeking attitudes. Conclusion: Traditional Chinese beliefs related to the aetiology of mental disorders are a negative factor that inhibits help seeking. Implications for efforts to increase the utilisation of mental health services by the elderly are discussed.
Update on Solid Tumor Management in Childhood

Surgery will continue to play an important role in the multidisciplinary treatment of solid tumors in children. As the complexity of therapy increases, however, it is imperative that the Pediatric surgeon become familiar with new radiation therapy techniques; new chemotherapeutic agents; and the advances that are being made in immunodiagnosis, immunotherapy, and molecular biology. New protocols are being developed within the various cooperative groups and the surgeon must participate actively so that adequate tissue specimens can be obtained for future investigative biologic studies.
Effects of Diesel Soot Composition and Accumulated Vehicle Mileage on Soot Oxidation Characteristics

Effects of diesel soot composition and accumulated vehicle mileage on soot oxidation characteristics were examined. Four soot samples were extracted from the crankcase oils of diesel engines that had accumulated different mileages. Carbon black was used as a comparative example. Soot structure was studied in situ using X-ray diffraction as it was oxidized to temperatures as high as 700 °C. The soot from older engines exhibited a higher increase in lattice spacing (d002) with an increase in temperature that resulted in soot samples being at lower temperatures, thereby reducing the oxidation resistance. Composition of the residues after oxidation was studied using X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption near-edge structure. Oxidation residue of the soot samples is made up of decomposed lubricant additives compounds and debris from wear and tribofilms. XRD phase analysis showed that crystalline compounds in soot are CaSO4, CaZn2(PO4)2, Ca3(PO4)2, Zn3(PO4)2, and ZnO. The turbos...
Impact of mitral regurgitation on reverse remodeling and outcome in patients undergoing cardiac resynchronization therapy.

Background— Mitral regurgitation (MR) is associated with reduced survival in patients with chronic heart failure, but may be improved with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). We sought to evaluate the relationship between serial measurements of functional MR and reverse remodeling and outcomes in patients undergoing CRT. Methods and Results— A total of 266 consecutive patients undergoing CRT with available baseline echocardiograms and subsequent clinical and echocardiographic follow-up were included in the analysis. Long-term follow-up included all-cause mortality, heart transplantation, and implantation of a left ventricular (LV) assist device. Temporal changes in MR severity and LV end-systolic volume index (LVESVi) were evaluated by linear mixed-model analysis. CRT led to an immediate sustained decrease in MR ( P <0.0001), with no significant subsequent change. The amount of MR decrease correlated with a greater decrease in LVESVi late ( P ≤0.0001), but not early ( P =0.14), after CRT began. Patients with severe MR before CRT experienced a larger LVESVi decrease ( P =0.005). Although baseline MR severity was not associated with adverse events ( P =0.13), a larger MR decrease ( P =0.001) and a smaller residual MR after the initial 6 months of CRT ( P =0.03) were predictive of better outcome in a multivariable model. Conclusions— Early reversal of functional MR was associated with reverse cardiac remodeling and improved outcomes. Patients with moderately severe to severe MR before CRT experienced relatively more reverse remodeling than patients with lesser degrees of MR.
Surgical Procedures in the Intensive Care Unit

The operating room is the preferred location for surgeons to perform procedures. The sterile environment, trained and experienced support staff, readily available equipment, and superior lighting make it a desired location for surgeons. However, in many situations the intensive care unit (ICU) may offer advantages as a procedural location, and many procedures that are usually performed in a dedicated environment can safely be performed in the ICU. The focus of this chapter is on those procedures that are often required of the acute care surgeon in the ICU.
The state of academic sleep surgery: A survey of United States residency and fellowship programs.

Objectives/Hypothesis Our objectives were to describe otolaryngology residency programs' experience in and attitudes toward sleep surgery, and describe current otolaryngology sleep fellowships and their impact on future academic practice. Study Design E-mail survey. Methods A survey was e-mailed to program directors of 106 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited otolaryngology residencies assessing resident sleep medicine experience, program satisfaction, and impact of sleep faculty. A separate survey was sent to directors of the seven sleep medicine otolaryngology fellowships. Frequency of graduates pursuing academic careers was examined. Results Forty-six (43.4%) residency programs responded. Thirty-one (67.4%) have a faculty member with any time spent practicing sleep medicine or surgery. Nineteen (41.3%) have a faculty member with >50% dedicated sleep practice and/or who is board certified in sleep medicine. These programs were significantly more likely to respond “extremely” or “very” satisfied with resident sleep exposure than those without (P < .001). Most programs (69.6%) “strongly agreed” or “agreed” their program would benefit from a dedicated sleep surgeon; there was no significant difference in response rates between programs already with and those without dedicated sleep faculty. All fellowship directors responded. In the past 5 years these programs have trained 11 total fellows. Ten (90.9%) have remained in academic practice. Conclusions There is significantly increased satisfaction in resident sleep education at otolaryngology programs with dedicated sleep providers. Concurrently, there is strong program interest in sleep surgeons' involvement in resident training. Sleep fellowships are producing surgeons who pursue academic careers. This study provides support to training fellowship-specialized sleep surgeons and encouraging otolaryngology sleep faculty. Level of Evidence NA Laryngoscope, 127:2423–2428, 2017
ASTRO's Advances in Radiation Oncology: Success to date and future plans

ASTRO's Advances in Radiation Oncology was launched as a new, peer-reviewed scientific journal in December 2015. More than 200 manuscripts have been submitted and 97 accepted for publication as of May 2017. As Advances enters its second year of publication, we have chosen to highlight subjects that will transform the way we practice radiation oncology in special issues or ongoing series: immunotherapy, biomedical analytics, and social media. A teaching case report contest for North American radiation oncology residents will be launched at American Society of Radiation Oncology 2017 to encourage participation in scientific publication by trainees early in their careers. Recognizing our social mission, Advances will also begin a series of articles devoted to highlighting the growing disparities in access to radiation oncology services in vulnerable populations in North America. We wish to encourage the American Society of Radiation Oncology membership to continue its support of the journal through high-quality manuscript submission, participation in the peer review process, and highlighting important manuscripts through sharing on social media.
Nineteenth-Century Narrative Techniques in Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children and Rohinton Mistry's A Fine Balance

(2006). Nineteenth-Century Narrative Techniques in Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children and Rohinton Mistry's A Fine Balance. South Asian Review: Vol. 27, No. 2, pp. 25-47.
FitAware: Promoting Group Fitness Awareness ThroughGlanceable Smartwatches

Physical inactivity is a global public health concern. Community-based interventions that use strategies such as competition and cooperation, with group dynamics-based strategies at their core, are effective at improving individual physical activity behaviors, but they often rely on participants to actively seek out fitness information themselves. This work examines how technologies such as smartwatches that are designed to raise awareness of personal and group fitness can encourage positive fitness behavior within and across peer groups. This paper presents a study about smartwatch use by 27 people as part of an 8- week community physical activity intervention program with elements of competition and cooperation, seeking to understand fitness awareness and behavior of the participants. Results indicate generally high awareness levels of smartwatch information. In particular, members of most successful groups exhibited significantly higher awareness for feedback displayed on the smartwatch.
3D Stochastic Modelling of Microstructure Evolution During Solidification of Alloy 718

A three-dimensional (3D) stochastic model for simulating the evolution of dendritic crystals during the solidification of alloys has been developed. The model includes time-dependent computations for temperature distribution, solute redistribution in the liquid and solid phases, curvature, and growth anisotropy. The current 3D simulation software was written in Fortran 90 with threading (shared memory system with multiple cores) in both native Linux and Windows threads. This 3D software is highly efficient. It can run on PCs with reasonable amount of RAM and CPU time. 3D stochastic mesoscopic simulations at the dendrite tip length scale were done to simulate the evolution of the columnar and equiaxed dendritic microstructures, columnar-to-equiaxed transition and segregation patterns during solidification of alloy 718.
Kreb’s Epilogue

At my back I hear Kreb intoning: “This is the year 2777, though you refuse to believe it. You are in a black box in which all your thoughts are controlled, all your erceptions, all your feelings. The experiment is a complete success”.
Correlation Analysis-Based Classification of Human Activity Time Series

Segmentation of sequential sensor data streams and classification of each segment are common steps in tasks dealing with the detection of events of interest in such data. In this paper, we introduce two correlation analysis-based methods for classifying time series data generated by sensors. Our first method is a lightweight supervised approach utilizing principal component analysis to jointly segment data and classify each segment into a class corresponding to an event of interest. The second method relies on unsupervised canonical correlation analysis to segment time series by clustering together consecutive data points that belong to the same event. Both methods operate without the need for prior feature extraction from the data. The theoretical model of the two methods and the solution to the resulting optimization problem are presented in detail. Classification of human activity from inertial measurement unit sensor data is used as a case study to demonstrate the applicability and effectiveness of the proposed methods.
Abstract WP4: Age and NIHSS score Predict Outcome in Patients With Mild Stroke and Proximal Large Vessel Occlusion

Background: Current guidelines recommend mechanical thrombectomy for patients with anterior circulation proximal large vessel occlusion (LVO), NIHSS≥ 6, within 6 hours from symptom onset, with a NC...
Fat Graft Safety after Oncologic Surgery: Addressing the Contradiction between In Vitro and Clinical Studies.

Background:The authors investigate the in vitro and in vivo interaction of human breast cancer cells and human adipose-derived stem cells to address the controversy on the safety of postmastectomy fat grafting.Methods:The authors co-cultured human adipose-derived stem cells and MDA-MB-231 breast can
Spectre is here to stay: An analysis of side-channels and speculative execution.

The recent discovery of the Spectre and Meltdown attacks represents a watershed moment not just for the field of Computer Security, but also of Programming Languages. This paper explores speculative side-channel attacks and their implications for programming languages. These attacks leak information through micro-architectural side-channels which we show are not mere bugs, but in fact lie at the foundation of optimization. We identify three open problems, (1) finding side-channels, (2) understanding speculative vulnerabilities, and (3) mitigating them. For (1) we introduce a mathematical meta-model that clarifies the source of side-channels in simulations and CPUs. For (2) we introduce an architectural model with speculative semantics to study recently-discovered vulnerabilities. For (3) we explore and evaluate software mitigations and prove one correct for this model. Our analysis is informed by extensive offensive research and defensive implementation work for V8, the production JavaScript virtual machine in Chrome. Straightforward extensions to model real hardware suggest these vulnerabilities present formidable challenges for effective, efficient mitigation. As a result of our work, we now believe that speculative vulnerabilities on today's hardware defeat all language-enforced confidentiality with no known comprehensive software mitigations, as we have discovered that untrusted code can construct a universal read gadget to read all memory in the same address space through side-channels. In the face of this reality, we have shifted the security model of the Chrome web browser and V8 to process isolation.
Hybrid Logical Effort for Hybrid Logic Style Full Adders in Multistage Structures

One of the critical issues in the advancement of very large scale of integration circuit design is the estimation of timing behavior of the arithmetic circuits. The concept of logical effort provides a proficient approach to comprehend and assess the timing behavior of circuits with conventional CMOS (C-CMOS) structure. However, this technique is not working for circuits with a hybrid structure. On the other hand, numerous circuits with the hybrid structure which are faster and consume less power than C-CMOS one have been proposed for different applications such as portable and IoT devices. In this regard, the necessity of having and use of a simple and efficient timing behavior method like conventional logical effort for analysis of the hybrid adder circuits is inevitable. This paper proposes an efficient analysis and modeling technique that enables designers to assess the timing behavior of hybrid full adder circuits at the block level and anticipate their performance in multistage circuits. The gain and selection factor are introduced as a criterion for accurate selection and optimization of the hybrid adder cells measurable on the single test bench for management of energy efficiency and performance tradeoff. The proposed method is investigated using 32-nm CMOS and FinFET technologies.
CARING: The Impact of a Parent-Child, Play-Based Intervention to Promote Latino Head Start Children's Social-Emotional Development.

CARING is a preventive, play-based, parent–child intervention designed to promote preschoolers’ social–emotional development by strengthening their bonds with their parents. We describe the qualitative impact of the CARING Preschool program on Latino preschool children and their parents. One hundred and eleven Latino families participated in a larger study of the efficacy of the CARING preschool program. Of these families, 40 participated in this qualitative study. We invited families to participate in a focus group after completing the intervention. We used an inductive approach based on grounded theory to identify thematic categories. Parents reported substantial changes in themselves, their children and the quality of their relationships with their children as a result of their participation in CARING. Parents also reported an increased understanding of their children’s needs, their ability to use at home the skills learned during the intervention, and improved parent–child communication. In addition, parents reported the social skills and self-regulation abilities of their children improved. These findings highlight the promise of preventive, low-cost interventions for families facing socioeconomic and psychosocial adversity, and their potential role in strengthening parent–child relationships. Results highlight cultural parenting practices and implications for intervention with Latino families.
Super heat kernel of general second order operators in N =1 superspace and one-loop divergence of dilaton-coupled SYM theory

We shall develop a general technique to obtain the super heat kernel coefficients of an arbitrary second order operator in $N=1$ superspace. We focus on the space of conformal supergravity here but the method presented is equally applicable for other types of superspace. The first three coefficients which determine the one-loop divergence of the corresponding quantum theory will be calculated. As an application we shall present the one-loop logarithmic divergence of super Yang-Mills theory coupled to a string dilaton $S$. This is the first superfield calculation for SYM with a non-trivial gauge kinetic function, which generalize the previous result with a constant coupling strength. We also demonstrate that the method presented can be extended to the case of third order operators, with the restriction that its third order part is composed of only spinor derivatives.
Mouse T cell priming is enhanced by maturation-dependent stiffening of the dendritic cell cortex

ABSTRACT T-cell activation by dendritic cells (DCs) depends on pushing and pulling forces exerted by the T-cell actin cytoskeleton. This process is enhanced by a series of changes in the DC, collectively termed maturation. Using atomic force microscopy, we show that during maturation, DC cortical stiffness is increased via a process that depends on actin polymerization. By manipulating the stiffness of T-cell substrates using stimulatory hydrogels or DCs expressing mutant cytoskeletal proteins, we show that increasing stiffness over the range observed during DC maturation enhances T-cell activation. Stiffness sensitivity is conserved in CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells, in both naive and effector populations. Since increased stiffness lowers the agonist dose needed to activate naive T cells, we conclude that mechanical cues function as co-stimulatory signals. Taken together, our data reveal that maturation-associated changes in the DC cytoskeleton alter its biophysical properties, creating a platform for enhanced mechanotransduction in interacting T-cells
The effects of integrating behavioral health into primary care for low-income children.

Objective To evaluate the impact of TEAM UP-an initiative that fully integrates behavioral health services into pediatric primary care in three Boston-area Community Health Centers (CHCs)-on health care utilization and costs. Data sources 2014-2017 claims data on continuously enrolled children from a Massachusetts Medicaid managed care plan. Study design We used a difference-in-difference approach with inverse probability of treatment weights to compare outcomes in children receiving primary care at TEAM UP CHCs versus comparison site CHCs, in the pre (2014-2016q2)- versus post (2016q3-2017)-intervention periods. Utilization outcomes included emergency department visits, inpatient admissions, primary care visits, and outpatient/professional visits (all cause and those with mental health (MH) diagnoses). Cost outcomes included total cost of care (inpatient, outpatient, professional, pharmacy). We further assessed differential effects by baseline MH diagnosis. Principal findings After 1.5 years, TEAM UP was associated with a relative increase in the rate of primary care visits (IRR = 1.15, 95% CI 1.04-1.27, or 115 additional visits/1000 patients/quarter), driven by children with a MH diagnosis at baseline. There was no significant change in avoidable health care utilization or cost. Conclusions Expanding the TEAM UP behavioral health integration model to other sites has the potential to improve primary care engagement in low-income children with MH needs.
Expanding the multiple streams framework to explain the formation of diverse voluntary programs: evidence from US toxic chemical use policy

This article demonstrates the explanatory power of an expanded policy stream, as part of Kingdon’s Multiple Streams Framework. Product substitutes, corporate social responsibility, the global economy, and the market maverick rationalize the incentives under which regulators, consumers, businesses, and environmental NGOs interact to explain the formation of two landmark voluntary programs on mercury and arsenic use, respectively. Arsenic and mercury are ranked first and third, respectively, on the US Environmental Protection Agency’s priority list of hazardous substances. In both cases, the existence of a product substitute that performed on par with the original product but generated less negative environmental impact motivated the private sector to go beyond compliance in their environmental management. Notwithstanding, the push and pull of variables in the problem, politics, and policy streams, and the interplay of diverse actors led to the emergence of diverse forms of voluntary programs. In the mercury case, an industry association steered the technocratic process of the chlor-alkali industry’s voluntary stewardship program, which led to marginal reductions in toxic chemical use, as part of the global phase-out of mercury already under way. By contrast, in the arsenic case, an environmental activist campaign successfully compelled the pressure-treated wood industry to concede to a voluntary cancelation of chromated copper arsenate, an arsenic compound, in residential uses. Subsequently, arsenic use fell to levels not seen since the 1920s. In both cases, strong coalition building—the former by businesses and the latter by environmental NGOs—combined with a fragmented or nonexistent opposing side shaped the final form of each voluntary program.
Exergy-wise predictive control framework for optimal performance of MicroCSP systems for HVAC applications in buildings

Abstract The paper presents a new control method to optimize energy flows of a micro-scale concentrated solar power (MicroCSP) system in order to minimize the electrical energy consumption of a building heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system integrated with a MicroCSP system. A new real-time optimal control method is proposed using exergy-based model predictive control (XMPC) techniques. To achieve this, the first law of thermodynamics (FLT) and the second law of thermodynamics (SLT) based mathematical models of MicroCSP are developed and integrated into FLT and SLT based models of an office building located at Michigan Technological University. Then, an XMPC framework is designed to optimize MicroCSP operation in accordance with the building HVAC energy demand. The new controller shows 45% grid electrical energy saving, compared to a common rule-based controller. Furthermore, a probability analysis using Monte-Carlo simulations shows energy saving ranges from 44% to 46.5% in the presence of prediction uncertainties and 35% to 57.5% energy savings considering seasonal variations of the weather.
How K-12 Teachers of Science Experience a Vertically Articulated Professional Learning Community.

This qualitative case study of 20 teachers enrolled in a two-year fellowship, examines the professional development of science teachers during participation in a professional learning community. Ou...
Neuroradiological Features of Mild and Severe SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

Rationale and Objectives An increasing number of neurological complications and corresponding radiological findings have been reported in patients with COVID-19 infection. The purpose of this study is to systematically review the current literature on COVID-19-associated neuroradiological findings and examine the prevalence of different findings in patients with both severe and mild COVID-19 infection. Materials and Methods A comprehensive literature search of the PubMed and Embase databases was performed. Any studies reporting CT or MRI neuroimaging findings in patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection were included. Patient demographics, main radiological findings, neurological symptoms, and severity of COVID-19 infection were tabulated and quantified according to infection severity. Results Sixty-one studies published between 2019 and 2020 comprising 711 patients were analyzed according to severity of respiratory symptoms. The main neuroradiological findings for patients with mild classification were cranial nerve abnormalities, ischemic infarction, and white matter abnormalities, while the main findings in patients with severe classification were white matter abnormalities, ischemic infarction, and hemorrhagic events. Conclusion Neuroradiological manifestations in COVID-19 infection are highly heterogeneous and differ based on the severity of COVID-19 infection. Cranial nerve abnormalities appear exclusive to mild infection, with a high degree of olfactory tract involvement, while hemorrhagic events are more common in severe infection. Notably, ischemic infarction was equally prevalent in both mild and severe COVID-19 infection. Healthcare providers treating COVID-19 patients should be aware of these potential complications and consider neurological assessment and neuroimaging studies when indicated.
Antithrombin Supplementation in Adults with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) Following Asparaginase Therapy: A Meta-Analysis

Background: Aspagarinase is a fundamental component for the treatment of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a known complication of asparaginase therapy during treatment for ALL. This is attributed to the depletion of anticoagulants, particularly acquired antithrombin deficiency following asparaginase administration. The incidence of thrombosis following asparaginase is more prevalent in adults versus children and is estimated to be around 5-35 % and 2.4-8% respectively. Multiple studies have investigated the efficacy and safety of antithrombin supplementation. The recent THROMBOTECT study showed that prophylactic use of antithrombin (AT) or low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) is associated with significant risk reduction of thromboembolism in children and adolescents during induction chemotherapy of ALL. Our study sought to review the cohort studies comparing VTE in adults with and without AT supplementation in ALL receiving asparaginase and specifically evaluate the efficacy of this strategy. Methods: We performed a systematic search using PubMed, Google Scholar, EMBASE, SCOPUS and ClinicalTrials.gov without language restriction up until July 20th 2020. A random effects model was utilized to calculate risk ratio (RR) and mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Eight studies fulfilled our inclusion criteria (table 1) and were retrospective cohort studies. In adult patients, with ALL treated with asparaginase, the incidence of VTE was significantly lower in those who received AT [RR=0.46 (95 % CI= 0.31-0.70; p= 0.0002) (figure 1.1). The threshold for AT supplementation was 60-70% in most of the studies, with the exception of two studies where the threshold was 50%. Conclusion: In our meta-analysis of the current available data,Antithrombin supplementation in adults with ALL receiving asparaginase was associated with a significant decrease in the risk of venous thromboembolism compared to those who didn't receive thromboprophylaxis. Our data suggest the benefit of antithrombin supplementation in adults with ALL treated with asparaginase. We suggest that this strategy be implemented in a large prospective clinical trial to further confirm the benefit of this intervention. Download : Download high-res image (381KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Log domain filters

Log domain filtering is a very new area of active filter design. As a result, there are no generally accepted design procedures. The discussion in this chapter has therefore centred on familiarising the reader with the basic ideas and concepts related to this new idea. An attempt has been made to summarise several perspectives on the design of these filters, with the intent to give the reader an ability to not only appreciate how to go about designing log domain filters, but also access the literature for more information and perspective.
Role of adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with FIGO stage I high-intermediate risk endometrial carcinoma with lymph-vascular invasion

Objectives: Evaluate if the addition of adjuvant chemotherapy to radiation therapy improves survival of patients with high-intermediate stage I endometrioid endometrial carcinoma with lympho-vascular invasion (LVSI). Methods: Patients without a history of another tumor, diagnosed between 2010 and 2015 with pathological stage I endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma with LVSI who underwent hysterectomy with at least 10 lymph nodes removed, and met the GOG-99 criteria for high-intermediate risk were identified in the National Cancer Database. Those who received adjuvant radiation therapy with or without adjuvant chemotherapy (defined as treatment received within 6 months from surgery) and had at least one month of follow-up were selected for further analysis. Overall survival (OS) was compared with the log-rank test following generation of Kaplan-Meier curves. A Cox multivariate model was constructed to control for confounders. Results: A total of 2342 patients who met the inclusion criteria were identified; 1938 (82.7%) patients received radiation therapy only (RT) while 404 (17.3%) received chemoradiation (CRT). The majority (74.9%) of patients received brachytherapy (VBT) while 16.8% received external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), and 8.3% received combination of both VBT and EBRT. Rate of adjuvant chemotherapy administration did not differ based on the type of radiation therapy administered; 17.9%, 17% and 17.9% for patients who received EBRT, VBT or combination of both respectively, p=0.88. Patients who received CRT were younger (median age 62 vs 65 years, p 0.05. Median follow-up in the RT and CRT groups was 41.0 and 45.2 months respectively. There was no difference in OS between patients who received RT and CRT, p=0.53; 4-year OS rates were 85.8% and 82.6% respectively. CRT did not confer a survival benefit for grade 2 (p=0.98) or grade 3 (p=0.34) tumors. After controlling for patient age, race, insurance status, presence of comorbidities, tumor grade, size, and depth of myometrial invasion, CRT was not associated with better survival (HR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.71, 1.28). Conclusions: In a large cohort of patients with high-intermediate risk FIGO stage I endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma with lymph-vascular invasion, the addition of chemotherapy to radiation therapy was not associated with a survival benefit.
Surgical Management of Complex Adult Monteggia Fractures

Monteggia fractures classically involve a proximal ulna fracture with an associated radial head dislocation. The presence of radial head/neck fracture and comminution of the proximal ulna with coronoid involvement elevates the complexity of surgical reconstruction considerably. The Jupiter classification captures this injury pattern as a subgroup of Bado posterior Monteggia lesions. Access to the critical coronoid fragment can be problematic from the posterior approach and may result in tenuous reduction and fixation, directly affecting the functional outcome. Multiple operative techniques have been described to address the broad spectrum of injuries seen in Monteggia fractures. This article will cover commonly used fixation techniques for Monteggia fractures with a comprehensive literature review, including technical tips, outcomes, and complications.
Reduction of perfluorinated carbon compound emissions from primary aluminum production

Two perfluorinated carbon compounds (PFCs), tetrafluoromethane and hexafluoroethane are produced periodically as by-products in primary aluminium production. Emissions of these compounds have received considerable attention over the current decade because their strong infrared absorbing power and relatively long atmospheric lifetimes result in high GWPs. World-wide primary aluminium production has been identified as the major anthropogenic source of these emissions. Early efforts have been quite successful in making substantial reductions in PFC emissions per unit of aluminium produced through implementation of new computer control systems, control of raw materials and careful attention to work practices. Primary aluminium producers are concerned about recent initiatives to establish 1995 as an alternative baseline year for PFC emissions reductions because it would discount the major PFC emissions reductions attained during the period from 1990 to 1995. Alcoa achieved approximately 70% reduction in aluminium specific PFC emission rate during that period for U.S. operations. At that same time world-wide international reductions, as documented by the International Primary Aluminium Institute, were also quite substantial. This paper reviews the processes in which PFC compounds are produced during aluminium production and discusses best methods for actual measurement of these compounds. Results of measurements made during primary aluminium production are reviewed and comparisons are made of the efficacy of methods of predicting PFC emissions. The logic of retaining 1990 as the base year for PFC emissions for the aluminium industry is reiterated.
Biosynthesis and biological activities of lipoxin A5 and B5 from eicosapentaenoic acid.

[1-14C]- Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) was incubated with porcine leukocytes. Three polar metabolites were isolated after RP-HPLC separation in addition to pentaene leukotrienes and mono-hydroxy fatty acids. These compounds display U.V. absorbance with U.V. λmax at 302 nm with shoulders at 289 and 317 nm which were typical of a conjugated tetraenes. Using an alkaline RP-HPLC solvent system, it was found that these three compounds co-eluted with synthetic standards of lipoxin A5, lipoxin B5 and 5S, 6S, 15S-lipoxin A5 [6-S-LXA5] and were identified accordingly. Their structures were further confirmed by GC/MS analysis. When tested for biological activities, it was found that both lipoxin A5 and lipoxin B5 induce superoxide anion generation in canine neutrophils. Furthermore, LXA5 caused a dose-related contraction of isolated rat tail artery. The biological potency of 5-series lipoxins were similar to those of 4-series.
Connections to Kinetics

This chapter deals with several issues related to kinetics. One of the issues dealt with is the storage of batteries in refrigeration. The conversion of chemical energy of a cell/battery into electrical energy is known as the discharge process. All batteries have characteristics that lead to a slow loss of charge over time, known as the battery self-discharge. Additionally, some battery components can deteriorate over time or volatilize. As any of the reactions are characterized by a reaction rate, the rate constant for the reaction can exhibit temperature dependence. If the reaction mechanism involves a single rate-determining step, then the rate constant for that elementary step will behave according to the Arrhenius law. This law gives a quantitative expression to relate the increase in a reaction rate with higher temperature. The higher the storage temperature, the worse is the capacity retention. Thus, for some batteries, self-discharge and deterioration reactions can be slowed considerably by storing the battery at low temperature when not in use. The shelf-life of primary batteries such as the zinc-carbon or alkaline-manganese systems can be significantly extended by storage at lower temperatures.
Super-Resolution Light Microscopy: Stimulated Emission Depletion and Ground-State Depletion

The diffraction resolution limit in light microscopy was considered an insuperable barrier until the invention of super-resolution techniques. By switching fluorophores between two distinctive states, super-resolution fluorescence microscopy overcomes the diffraction limit and revolutionizes light microscopy with its capacity of visualizing subcellular structures and organelles at the macromolecular level. In this contribution, we discuss stimulated emission depletion (STED) and ground-state depletion (GSD), two mechanisms that are widely used to reach super-resolution. We provide an introduction to the principles and the technical developments of STED and GSD, and a brief overview on their various applications to biological research.
Efficient checking of computations

We show how to efficiently check computations using only logspace even if they are only given once. This result implies that a polynomial-time verifier can also be restricted to be logspace with essentially no loss in performance. We also use this result to show that every set in N P is equal to h(L) where h is a homomorphism and L is accepted by a one-way probabilistic logspace machine.
Circulatory response to atropine in sheep fetus

Atropine was given to the semichronic sheep fetus intravenously. Fetal heart rate, fetal perfusion pressure, and carotid blood flow increased. Cerebral blood flow was measured with the radioactive microsphere technique. Atropine was capable of increasing the cerebral blood flow. Elevation of carbon dioxide also caused an increase in cerebral blood flow, adding to the effect of atropine.
Dynamic Testing of Electromechanical Actuators Using Time-History Data

Abstract : A commercial electromechanical actuator (EMA) is to be dynamically tested with predetermined stroke and load profiles for transient thermal and electric power behavior to validate a numerical model used for aerospace applications. The EMA will follow the stroke profile representative of a real aircraft mission duty cycle. A hydraulic press will exert a corresponding load profile onto the EMA. Specialized hydraulic load control methods must be employed to meet the accuracy requirements. Two of these methods are closed-loop linearization (CLL) and displacement induced disturbance cancellation (DIDC). These methods are implemented along with an external PID compensator, and run in real-time in a series of system identification experiments to observe controller performance.
Synthesis and properties of the vacancy-free La 1-x Ba x MnO 3

Thermogravimetric analysis was used to determine the synthesis conditions for obtaining samples of the Ba-substituted ${\mathrm{LaMnO}}_{3}$ with stoichiometric oxygen content. Single-phase and vacancy-free samples of ${\mathrm{La}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Ba}}_{x}{\mathrm{MnO}}_{3}$ have been prepared for $x=0.12--0.24$ in air by quenching from 1100--1450 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C. The $xl0.12$ compositions require synthesis under reduced oxygen pressure. The structure was studied using neutron powder diffraction and is discussed in the framework of the tolerance factor concept. At room temperature, the structural transition from orthorhombic to rhombohedral symmetry occurs around $x=0.13.$ The structural, magnetic, and resistive measurements show that properties are similar to the Sr-substituted system for slightly smaller substitution level. Curie temperatures are higher than for the Sr-substituted samples for small $x,$ $x=0.10--0.14,$ due to a better match of the Mn-O and La(Ba)-O bond lengths, and are slightly lower for larger $x,$ $x=0.20--0.24$ due to an increased local distortion. The largest magnetoresistive effect at room temperature was found for $x=0.22.$ By comparing the Ba- and Sr-substituted systems it is shown that structural properties are governed by the ionic sizes while physical properties are controlled by both the ionic sizes and the hole doping.
Combating Atmospheric Scintillation and Dispersion on a Laser Imaging Link Using Multiple Parallel Beams

Inspired by Yun and Kavehrad’s multi-spot diffuse indoor wireless optical communications link, a spatially multiplexed MIMO imaging system is proposed and the corresponding performance and image quality is analyzed in a turbid and turbulent atmosphere.
N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor subunit expression in adult and adolescent brain following chronic ethanol exposure

Substantial evidence suggests that glutamatergic neurotransmission is a critical mediator of the experience-dependent synaptic plasticity that may underlie alcohol dependence. Substance abuse typically begins in adolescence; therefore, the impact of alcohol on glutamatergic systems during this critical time in brain development is of particular importance. The N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) is involved in developmental mechanisms underlying neuronal differentiation and synaptogenesis and as such may be a target system for alcohol effects during adolescence. In the present study quantitative biochemical determinations were made of the relative abundance of different protein expressions of NMDAR subunits in adolescents and adults after 2 weeks of ethanol vapor exposure, and 24 h and 2 weeks following withdrawal. After 2 weeks of ethanol vapor exposure N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor NR1 subunit (NR1), N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor NR2A subunit (NR2A), and N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor NR2B subunit (NR2B) subunit expression was found to be increased in hippocampus of the adults. In contrast, 2 weeks of ethanol exposure resulted in no significant changes in NR1 and NR2B subunits and a reduction NR2A subunit expression in hippocampus in adolescents. Twenty-four h and 2 weeks following withdrawal from ethanol vapor NR1 and NR2A subunit expression in hippocampus was decreased in adolescents, whereas in adults it had returned to control levels. In frontal cortex, 2 weeks of chronic ethanol exposure produced decreases in NR1 subunit expression in both adults and adolescents but also produced decreases in NR2A and NR2B subunit expression in adults that returned or exceeded control levels by 2 weeks following withdrawal from ethanol vapor. These results demonstrate that NMDAR subunit composition can be modulated differentially between adolescents and adults by chronic ethanol exposure and withdrawal. These developmental differences in NMDAR subunits composition may also be associated with the enhanced vulnerability of the adolescent brain to ethanol dependence.
Three-Dimensional Photorefractive Signal Processing In Bismuth Silicon Oxide

AbstractAn optical processor based on a photorefractive bismuth silicon oxide (BSO) crystalis proposed, which can perform four -product correlation, using all three dimensions ofthe crystal. The position of the correlation spot inside the crystal bears a one -to -onecorrespondence with the correlation parameters. A hexagonal crystal shape is designedfor this application. Profitable variations on the basic experimental design arediscussed, as well as the complicating effects of optical activity in BSO.IntroductionIn most optical correlators built for signal processing purposes, two beams carryingcorrelatable information are mixed at the detector plane to create the correlationresponse. In the time -integration mode, the intensity field is modulated spatially sothat a correlation is manifested as a clear peak or peaks in the spatial field at thedetector. For practical purposes detector arrays are limited to two dimensions. On theother hand, two interfering beams, with two spatial information -bearing axes each, cancarry information which when correlated requires three dimensions for exhibiting theparameters of the correlation. Because of the difficulties created by this requirement,we have looked into the possibility of forming the correlation at a different place inthe optical system- -not at the detector but in an intermediary volume medium. In suchan arrangement, the information about the spatial coordinates of the correlation wouldbe conveyed to detectors in a different plane. Such an architecture can be called athree -dimensional (3 -D) correlator.We describe the design and essential features of a 3 -D correlator using a photo -refractive crystal as the volume medium. This crystal is colnveniently chosen to bebismuth silicon oxide (BSO). In the photorefractive effect, spatially modulated lightinterference patterns can be stored using a spatial carrier. Details on the mechanismand use of the photorefractive effect can be found in references 2 and 3. The hologramformed in the present scheme uses all three dimensions in the volume for storagelocations (figure 1). The photorefractive response (i.e., the grating formation) is byits nature a time -integrating effect, with the grating built up over fractions of asecond and updated by new information on the same time scale. This makes the systemenvisioned very suitable for time -integrating correlation processes. While the cor-relation spot in the volume appears and disappears, the correlation parameters of thespot are read out continuously by diffraction from the hologram and are registered attwo or more areal detector arrays (or cameras). A response time for BSO of the order of1 s is envisaged in this application. With the impending development of superiorcrystals, such as strontium barium niobate (SBN), the integration time for correlationmay be substantially reduced.
Model predictive control for a multi-compartment respiratory system

In this paper, we develop a model predictive controller for a multi-compartment respiratory system. Specifically, for a given periodic reference volume pattern, we design a tracking controller using a framework that merges repetitive control and model predictive control. In particular, the periodic multi-compartment model is transformed into a lifted run-to-run invariant model and a model predictive controller with nonnegative control input constraints is designed. The proposed tracking control framework is applied to a two-compartment lung mechanics model to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed approach.