cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synthesis and Metalation of Catechol-Functionalized Porous Organic Polymers

Robust catechol-functionalized porous organic polymers (POPs) with tunable porosities (560–1050 m2/g) and degrees of functionalization were synthesized using a cobalt-catalyzed acetylene trimerization (CCAT) strategy. Post-synthesis metalation can be readily carried out with a wide range of metal precursors (CuII, MgII, and MnII salts and complexes), resulting in metalated POPs with enhanced heat of hydrogen adsorptions compared to the starting nonmetalated materials.
Effect of the Calcium, Vitamin C, Vitamin D Ratio in Diet on the Permeability of Intestinal Wall to Bacteria

This study on intestinal resistance was planned in an effort to explain why it is that bacilli which are normally found in the intestines sometimes migrate through the intestinal walls and get into the blood stream. In our study of the need of a dietary balance between calcium, vitamin C, vitamin D in maintaining resistance to tuberculosis,1 we noticed that when we injected small doses of a human strain of the tubercle bacilli subcutaneously into guinea-pigs, and kept them on a semiscorbutic diet, we often found organisms other than the tubercle bacillus in the heart blood. There were white, waxy nodules on the liver and spleen which could easily be mistaken for true tubercles, but most of them were surface nodules, not deep seated, as is the true tubercle. A bacteriologic study of the organism identifies it as belonging to the paratyphoid group. It increases the alkalinity of milk, produces acid on dextrose, is gram-negative, and is an actively motile, and may be called the aertrycke type (B. aertrycke).2 As the heart blood of scorbutic guinea-pigs is usually sterile, and as we have never found lesions caused by this aertrycke type organism in uncomplicated scurvy, we connected its presence in the spleens and livers of our guinea-pigs with the tuberculous infection. Our hypothesis is that the presence of the tuberculous infection increased the need for some factor in the diet of our guinea-pigs, until the lesions caused by a deficiency of this factor were made so severe that bacteria which were normal to the intestines could migrate through the intestinal walls and invade the blood stream, lungs, liver and spleen. This hypothesis was strengthened by our next findings. In this study we were giving a pronounced excess of cod liver oil, together with a total deficiency of vitamin C, in an effort to hasten the onset of scurvy. Mouriquand 3 and Bezssonov 4 find that cod liver oil is very
On computation of Hough functions

Abstract. Hough functions are the eigenfunctions of the Laplace tidal equation governing fluid motion on a rotating sphere with a resting basic state. Several numerical methods have been used in the past. In this paper, we compare two of those methods: normalized associated Legendre polynomial expansion and Chebyshev collocation. Both methods are not widely used, but both have some advantages over the commonly used unnormalized associated Legendre polynomial expansion method. Comparable results are obtained using both methods. For the first method we note some details on numerical implementation. The Chebyshev collocation method was first used for the Laplace tidal problem by Boyd (1976) and is relatively easy to use. A compact MATLAB code is provided for this method. We also illustrate the importance and effect of including a parity factor in Chebyshev polynomial expansions for modes with odd zonal wave numbers.
Dietary Effects of Allopurinol and Sulfinpyrazone on Development, Survival, and Reproduction of German Cockroaches (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae)

Diets containing two gout medications, allopurinol and sulfinpyrazone, were fed ad libitum to first- or second-instar German cockroaches for 15 wk or until 100% mortality was reached. Cockroaches fed greater than or equal to 0.10% allopurinol diets weighed significantly less than those fed the control diet. Mortality of cockroaches fed diets containing greater than or equal to 0.05% allopurinol was significantly greater than those fed the control diet. The LT50 (6.1 wk) of cockroaches fed diets containing 0.10% allopurinol was significantly less than those fed any other diet containing allopurinol. LT50s and slopes were proportional and inversely related, respectively, to percentage of allopurinol in the diet. The addition of sulfinpyrazone to allopurinol diets minimally enhanced the blatticidal nature of the diets. Nymphs fed diets containing greater than or equal to 0.05% allopurinol experienced significant delays in adult emergence. Cockroaches fed greater than or equal to 0.01% allopurinol diets aborted a significantly greater percentage of their oothecae than those fed the 0.001% allopurinol or control diets. Hatched oothecae from cockroaches fed the 0.01% allopurinol diet had significantly fewer nymphs than those fed the 0.001% allopurinol or control diets. Percentage of oothecae aborted and number of nymphs per hatched ootheca from cockroaches fed a 2% sulfinpyrazone diet did not differ significantly from the control.
The Stochastic Traveling Salesman Problem and Orienteering for kinodynamic vehicles

In the classic Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP), the objective is to find the shortest path that visits a set of target locations. This problem is embedded and essential in many planning problems that arise in robotics, particularly in the domains of exploration, monitoring, surveillance, and reconnaissance. In this paper we consider the Stochastic TSP for Dynamical Systems, where a vehicle with complex dynamics is tasked with visiting n random target locations. By borrowing techniques from the applied probability literature, which were used to study the related stochastic Orienteering problem (where the vehicle has to visit as many of the n points as possible with a path of fixed length), we simplify and extend the existing results for both the TSP and the stochastic Orienteering problems to cases where the target points can be picked up only when the vehicle is in a certain configuration (i.e. it is not enough simply to be on the target point). Specifically, we show that there is a special parameter γ of the dynamics of the vehicle, which governs the length of the TSP tour. The length of the shortest path will then be Θ(n(γ−1)/γ) with very high probability. For stochastic Orienteering, if the path must have length at most λ, the vehicle can pick up Θ(λn1/γ) with very high probability. We also provide simple and efficient path planning algorithms which achieve these bounds, and are therefore within a constant factor of the length of the optimal path with very high probability.
MO-DE-207A-06: ECG-Gated CT Reconstruction for a C-Arm Inverse Geometry X-Ray System

Purpose: To obtain ECG-gated CT images from truncated projection data acquired with a C-arm based inverse geometry fluoroscopy system, for the purpose of cardiac chamber mapping in interventional procedures. Methods: Scanning-beam digital x-ray (SBDX) is an inverse geometry fluoroscopy system with a scanned multisource x-ray tube and a photon-counting detector mounted to a C-arm. In the proposed method, SBDX short-scan rotational acquisition is performed followed by inverse geometry CT (IGCT) reconstruction and segmentation of contrast-enhanced objects. The prior image constrained compressed sensing (PICCS) framework was adapted for IGCT reconstruction to mitigate artifacts arising from data truncation and angular undersampling due to cardiac gating. The performance of the reconstruction algorithm was evaluated in numerical simulations of truncated and non-truncated thorax phantoms containing a dynamic ellipsoid to represent a moving cardiac chamber. The eccentricity of the ellipsoid was varied at frequencies from 1–1.5 Hz. Projection data were retrospectively sorted into 13 cardiac phases. Each phase was reconstructed using IGCT-PICCS, with a nongated gridded FBP (gFBP) prior image. Surface accuracy was determined using Dice similarity coefficient and a histogram of the point distances between the segmented surface and ground truth surface. Results: The gated IGCT-PICCS algorithm improved surface accuracy and reduced streaking and truncation artifacts when compared to nongated gFBP. For the non-truncated thorax with 1.25 Hz motion, 99% of segmented surface points were within 0.3 mm of the 15 mm diameter ground truth ellipse, versus 1.0 mm for gFBP. For the truncated thorax phantom with a 40 mm diameter ellipse, IGCT-PICCS surface accuracy measured 0.3 mm versus 7.8 mm for gFBP. Dice similarity coefficient was 0.99–1.00 (IGCT-PICCS) versus 0.63–0.75 (gFBP) for intensity-based segmentation thresholds ranging from 25–75% maximum contrast. Conclusions: The PICCS algorithm was successfully applied to reconstruct truncated IGCT projection data with angular undersampling resulting from simulated cardiac gating. Research supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the NIH under award number R01HL084022. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.
Raman microspectroscopic mapping with multivariate curve resolution-alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) of the high-pressure, α-PbO2-structured polymorph of titanium dioxide, TiO2-II

Abstract The recent identification of the high-pressure, α-PbO 2 -structured polymorph of titanium dioxide, TiO 2 -II, in grains recovered from four Neoarchean spherule layers has provided physical evidence to further support an impact origin of these layers. Smith et al. (2017) investigated these TiO 2 -II-bearing grains using Raman microspectroscopic mapping with multivariate curve resolution-alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) to spatially and spectrally resolve the individual chemical species within the grains. Here we provide the Raman microspectroscopic mapping data collected on the TiO 2 -II-bearing grains. We further provide chemical maps, chemical images and Raman spectra of rutile, TiO 2 -II, anatase, quartz, and substrate-adhesive epoxy that were resolved using MCR-ALS applied to the Raman microspectroscopic mapping data. The Raman microspectroscopic mapping data in this work—collected using both high spectral resolution and high spatial resolution—provides a myriad of opportunities for the scientific community in wide ranging applications, including the chemical imaging and chemometric disciplines.
Pig Looks, Snake Looks: Coleridge’s Poetics of the Unsaid

ABSTRACTConversation is a distinctive form of communication that balances verbal and nonverbal cues, and these qualities have marked affinities with how Romantic writers conceived of poetry’s unique effects upon readers, listeners, and poets themselves. As an example of these “conversational poetics,” this essay examines how Samuel Taylor Coleridge, who both authored the “conversation poems” and was a notoriously one-sided talker, was fixated on what Romantics would have called “natural signs” in his poetry and personal writings. Far from always having delivered monologues, Coleridge had a talent for multisensory communication. However, this same talent left him vulnerable in his intimate relationships, leading him to withdraw from close, communicative friendships into solipsistic lecturing. As a young poet, though, he had an ambitious concept of sympathy whose achievement sometimes proved too much to bear if he could not regulate it with verse. Examples include an 1803 notebook entry in which Coleridge a...
Energy-efficient I/O Thread Schedulers for NVMe SSDs on NUMA

Non-volatile memory express (NVMe) based SSDs and the NUMA platform are widely adopted in servers to achieve faster storage speed and more powerful processing capability. As of now, very little research has been conducted to investigate the performance and energy efficiency of the state-of-the-art NUMA architecture integrated with NVMe SSDs, an emerging technology used to host parallel I/O threads. As this technology continues to be widely developed and adopted, we need to understand the runtime behaviors of such systems in order to design software runtime systems that deliver optimal performance while consuming only the necessary amount of energy. This paper characterizes the runtime behaviors of a Linux-based NUMA system employing multiple NVMe SSDs. Our comprehensive performance and energy-efficiency study using massive numbers of parallel I/O threads shows that the penalty due to CPU contention is much smaller than that due to remote access of NVMe SSDs. Based on this insight, we develop a dynamic "lesser evil" algorithm called ESN, to minimize the impact of these two types of penalties. ESN is an energy-efficient profiling-based I/O thread scheduler for managing I/O threads accessing NVMe SSDs on NUMA systems. Our empirical evaluation shows that ESN can achieve optimal I/O throughput and latency while consuming up to 50% less energy and using fewer CPUs.
Influences on Standard Metabolism in Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene carolina)

Abstract Knowledge of species-specific patterns of energy use is important for understanding the evolution of life histories as well as for determining how species might respond to alterations in environmental conditions. We measured standard metabolic rates (SMRs) in 59 Eastern Box Turtles (mass range = 106−510 g) and determined how differences in body mass and body temperature (20°C vs. 30°C) influenced SMRs. Rates of standard metabolism were significantly influenced by body mass at body temperatures of 20°C and 30°C and SMR was significantly higher at 30°C (Q10 = 3.04). There was significant among-individual variation in SMR and individuals with higher metabolism at 20°C also tended to have higher metabolism at 30°C.
Case Study: Clustering Big Stellar Data with EM*

Without question, astronomy is about Big Data and clustering is a very common task over astronomy domain. The expectation-maximization algorithm is among the top 10 data mining algorithms used in scientific and industrial applications, however, we observe that astronomical community does not make use of it as a clustering algorithm. In this work, we cluster $\sim$ 1M stellar objects (simulated Galactic spectral data) via the traditional expectation-maximization algorithm for clustering (EM-T) and our extended EM-T algorithm that we call EM* and present the experimental results.
Staging Systems for Differentiated Thyroid Carcinomas

A multitude of retrospective studies have identified prognostic factors for the mortality and recurrence rates of thyroid carcinoma. Using a combination of these factors, many medical institutions have developed their own systems for the staging of thyroid carcinoma and the system used depends on physician or medical center preference. The stage of cancer generally refers to the extent, or invasion of disease, and how far the cancer has metastasized. The goal of each staging system is to provide a more precise depiction of the tumor, to aid the physician in the selection of the best course of treatment for the patient, and to assist in the prediction of disease-specific mortality. Depending on which system is utilized, major prognostic factors can include histologic variant, tumor grade, patient age, tumor size, lymph node involvement, invasion of adjacent structures surrounding the neck, or distant metastasis to other organs.
Intervention in Child Sexual Abuse: A Survey of Attitudes

The attitudes of protective service workers, police officers, and mental health therapists toward child sexual abuse in a rural county in Florida were determined by a mailed questionnaire. Reaction...
Trends in Nonoperative Treatment Modalities Prior to Cervical Surgery and Impact on Patient-Derived Outcomes: Two-Year Analysis of 1522 Patients From the Prospective Spine Treatment Outcome Study.

ABSTRACT Background: Effects of nonoperative treatments on surgical outcomes for patients who failed conservative management for cervical spine pathologies remain unknown. The objective is to describe conservative modality use in patients indicated for surgery for degenerative cervical spine conditions and its impact on perioperative outcomes. Methods: The current study comprises a retrospective review of a prospective multicenter database. A total of 1522 patients with 1- to 2-level degenerative cervical pathology who were undergoing surgical intervention were included. Outcome measures used were health-related quality-of-life scores, length of hospitalization, estimated blood loss, length of surgery, and return-to-work status at 2 weeks, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years postoperatively. Patients were grouped by diagnosis (radiculopathy vs. myelopathy), then divided based on epidural injection(s), physical therapy (PT), or opioid use prior to enrollment. Univariate t-tests and χ2 tests were performed to determine differences between groups and impact on outcomes. Results: Among 1319 radiculopathy patients, 25.7% received preoperative epidural injections, 35.3% received PT, and 35.5% received opioids. Radiculopathy patients who received epidurals and PT had higher 1-year postoperative return-to-work rates (P < .05). Radiculopathy patients without preoperative PT had longer hospitalization times, whereas those who received PT had higher 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) physical functioning and physical component scores, lower 2-year visual analog scale (VAS) neck/arm pain scores, and higher 2-year return-to-work incidence (P < .05). Of myelopathy patients (n = 203), 14.8% received epidural injections, 25.1% received opioids, and 41.5% received PT. Myelopathy patients with preoperative PT had worse VAS arm pain scores 2 years postoperatively (P < .05). Patients receiving opioids were younger and had greater baseline–2-year Neck Disability Index improvement (P < .05). Conclusions: Radiculopathy patients receiving epidurals returned to work after 1 year more frequently. PT was associated with shorter hospitalizations, greater SF-36 bodily pain norm and physical component score improvements, and increased return-to-work rates after 1 and 2 years. No statistically significant nonoperative treatment was associated with return-to-work rate in myelopathy patients. Clinical Relevance: These findings suggest certain preoperative conservative treatment modalities are associated with improved outcomes in radiculopathy patients.
An interdisciplinary analysis of the biocentric representations of bullfighting in Francis Cabrel’s “La Corrida” and Michel Onfray’s Cosmos

This biocentric reading of Francis Cabrel’s “La Corrida” from the lens of Michel Onfray’s philosophy explores their emotional plea for the abolition of bullfighting in Southern France. For both the acclaimed songwriter and the maverick philosopher, there is no valid moral or philosophical justification for the continued existence of this cultural practice. Albeit in very different artistic mediums, Cabrel and Onfray generate equally persuasive dystopian visions of the carnage that transpires in the arena. Both artists cogently deconstruct the pervasive cultural and philosophical logic often used by supporters of this controversial blood sport urging global society to take action. In line with a growing body of empirical evidence, Cabrel and Onfray present the bull as a highly sentient being that suffers a slow and agonizing death in the arena. Debunking the unfounded notion that the behavior of non-human agents is purely mechanistic in nature, Cabrel and Onfray implore us to reexamine ubiquitous simulacra...
Advanced Modeling with ARENA

In particular, the “Decide” module provides perhaps the most critically important way to build structure into simulations. Decide can route entities based on a probabilistic condition such as whether or not parts conform to specifications. More commonly, perhaps, it can route based on system conditions. For example, an entity might enter the shorter queue or be assigned to the more productive process. In the latter case, we might designate Process1 and Process2 as the two servers. Then, the entity routing condition in the Decide block could be based on the expression: Process 1.NumberOut <= Process 2.NumberOut. If the condition is true, the entity departs the decide block through the upper exit point, otherwise, the lower point.
Sector Structure of the Solar Magnetic Field

The solar sector structure consists of a boundary in the north-south direction such that on one side of the boundary the large-scale weak photospheric magnetic field is predominantly directed out of the Sun, and on the other side of the boundary this field is directed into the Sun. The region westward of a solar sector boundary tends to be unusually quiet and the region eastward of a solar sector boundary tends to be unusually active. This tendency is discussed in terms of flares, coronal enhancements, plage structure and geomagnetic response.
Non-destructive and contactless quality evaluation of table grapes by a computer vision system

Abstract Quality rating is currently accomplished by non-destructive and subjective sensory evaluation or by objective and destructive analytical techniques. There is a strong need of an objective non-destructive contactless quality evaluation system to monitor fruit and vegetable along the whole supply chain. This paper proposes a Computer vision system to satisfy this request. Image processing and machine learning techniques have been combined to develop a Computer vision system whose configuration and tuning has been strongly simplified: that makes easier its deployment in real applications. The system has been verified on two white table grape cultivars (Italia and Victoria) against three different classification tasks. The first considered five quality levels (5, 4, 3, 2, 1); the second separated the higher fully marketable quality levels (5 and 4) from the boundary (3) and the waste (2 and 1); the third separated the higher fully marketable quality levels (5 and 4) from the other three (3, 2 and 1). The system achieved a cross-validation classification accuracy up to 92% on the cultivar Victoria and up to 100% on the cultivar Italia for binary or binomial classification between fully marketable and residual quality levels. The obtained results support its capability of powerfully, flexibly and continuously monitoring the quality of the complete production along the whole supply chain.
QUEUEING THEORY MODELS OF COMPUTER SYSTEMS

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews some queueing theory models of computer systems. Actual computer systems are multiple resource systems. Thus, there are on-line terminals, communication lines, line concentrators, communication controllers, and the computer itself. The computer has multiple resources too, including main storage, channels, and input/output (I/O) devices. There may be a queue associated with each of these resources in a computer system. Thus, a computer system is a network of queues. Most of the models discussed in the chapter are multiple resource models; they consist of a network of the simple queueing systems that are basic queueing systems especially useful in computer science. Network of queues means that the input(s) to one queueing system may be the output(s) from one or more other queueing system(s). Unfortunately, very little can be done, analytically, with general queueing networks such as would be needed to model computer systems in such a way as to account for every resource and every queue. However, a number of useful queueing network models exist for modeling computer systems. The chapter discusses several of them that are widely used to study the performance of computer systems. Some queueing models that are gross simplifications of the modeled system are useful for performance prediction.
The Potential Impact of Seasat-A on the Study of the Planetary Boundary Layer Over the Ocean

At an IUGG-IUTAM Symposium in 1966 at Kyoto, Japan, a brief paper by me made some general comments on our inadequate understanding and knowledge of the planetary boundary layer over the oceans.* The possibility that earth orbiting spacecraft could measure waves over the ocean and provide data from which very high quality synoptic surface weather maps and wind fields could be determined was described.
Tumor-Derived Microvesicles From Sera of Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia Suppresses NK Cell Cytotoxicity Via Transforming Growth Factor Beta-1.

Abstract 2678 Poster Board II-654 Natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is significantly decreased relative to that in normal controls (NC). However, the mechanisms responsible for low NK cell activity in AML are not known. We considered the possibility that tumor-cell-derived microvesicles (MV) mediate suppression of NK cells. MV originate from the endosomal compartment of activated normal and neoplastic cells. Evidence suggests that tumor-derived MV exert detrimental effects on cells of the immune system and may play a role in tumor progression. To determine their contribution to immune suppression in AML, MV were isolated from sera of patients newly diagnosed with AML prior to any treatment and used to evaluate MV-mediated NK cell suppression. The protein content of MV isolated using exclusion chromatography and ultracentrifugation from sera of 19 AML patients was significantly higher than that of MV isolated from sera of 25 NC (75μg±12/mL vs 1.2μg±0.4/mL, p Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Subjective Age in Older Korean Americans: The Impact of Functional Disability Mediated by Attitudes Toward Aging.

The present study aims to examine how subjective age of older Korean Americans would be affected by functional disability and attitudes toward aging. We hypothesized that (a) both functional disabi...
Need for speed.

Since the dawn of the Cold War, the Pentagon has periodically thrown its weight behind the development of weapons that travel at hypersonic speed—generally defined as Mach 5 or greater—and maneuver aerodynamically, enabling them to dodge defenses and keep an adversary guessing about the target. But technological hurdles proved daunting. Now, the U.S. Department of Defense is leading a new charge, pouring more than $1 billion annually into hypersonic research. Competition from ambitious programs in China and Russia is a key motivator. Although hype and secrecy muddy the picture, all three nations appear to have made substantial progress in overcoming key obstacles, such as protecting hypersonic craft from savage frictional heating. This new arms race promises to upend strategic calculations.
The effect of angioplasty of single arteriovenous fistula–associated stenosis on arteriovenous fistula blood flow rate:

Introduction:Percutaneous balloon angioplasty of arteriovenous fistula–associated stenosis is performed for a variety of indications. Successful percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) is expec...
National Geriatric Network Rapidly Addresses Trainee Telehealth Needs in Response to COVID-19.

Background/objectives Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has pushed many geriatric healthcare providers to attempt video visits for the first time. Although the Veterans Health Administration (VA) is a pioneer in telemedicine, rapid shifts to nearly exclusive use of telehealth for healthcare delivery and changes regarding trainee engagement in telehealth served as the impetus for rapidly assessing telehealth training needs. Design National needs assessment (online survey) of associated health trainees and medical fellows affiliated with Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Centers (GRECCs). Setting National GRECC network -- 20 VA centers of excellence focused on supporting Veterans as they age. Each GRECC is affiliated with a school of medicine at a major university. Participants Trainees (n = 89) representing 12 disciplines. Results Two-thirds of participants had received some telehealth training. However, most had never done a video-to-home visit, and, regardless of telehealth experience, they reported low confidence. Based on open-ended questions exploring training needs, educational resources were rapidly developed and disseminated. Intervention Within 1 week of the assessment, a nuts-and-bolts guide regarding remote access, technology requirements, video-conferencing platforms, and managing emergencies was sent to the national network of GRECC associate directors for education for dissemination among discipline-specific training directors at their sites. This resource was subsequently submitted to the national VA COVID Strong Practices SharePoint site. An interdisciplinary team of geriatric specialists with extensive video-to-home experience also organized a national webinar that peaked at just over 700 participants. GRECC Connect, a network of geriatric specialty teams funded to improve care access for rural older veterans using telehealth and associated health training programs at each GRECC facilitated rapid development and dissemination of both resources. Conclusion We quickly identified and responded to telehealth training needs of geriatrics trainees to optimize care for rural older adults as part of a rapid response to COVID-19. Although the webinar and nuts-and-bolts resources were developed within the VA context, they have demonstrated high demand and broader applicability. Results should continue to inform curriculum development efforts to address telehealth training gaps within and outside the VA.
Cardiac resynchronisation therapy in anthracycline-induced cardiomyopathy.

Introduction Chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy has been increasingly recognised as patients are living longer with more effective treatments for their malignancies. Anthracyclines are known to cause left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. While heart failure medications are frequently used, some patients may need consideration for device-based therapies such as cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT). However, the role of CRT in anthracycline-induced cardiomyopathy (AIC) is not well understood. Methods We performed a retrospective review of all patients undergoing CRT implantation at our centre from 2003 to 2019 with a diagnosis of AIC. The LV remodelling and survival outcomes of this population were obtained and then compared with consecutive patients with other aetiologies of non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy (NICM). Results A total of 34 patients underwent CRT implantation with a diagnosis of AIC with a mean age of 60.5±12.7 years, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 21.7%±7.4%, and 11.3±7.5 years and 10.2±7.4 years from cancer diagnosis and last anthracycline exposure, respectively. At 9.6±8.1 months after CRT implantation, there was an increase of LVEF from 21.8%±7.6% to 30.4%±13.0% (p Conclusions Patients with AIC undergo LV remodelling with CRT at rates similar to other aetiologies of NICM. Furthermore, AIC post-CRT responders have a favourable long-term mortality compared with non-responders.
A single-center experience with head-to-toe microsurgical reconstruction in bloodless medicine patients.

Abstract Patients who decline blood transfusions, including members of the Jehovah's Witness faith, often face challenges when they require or desire prolonged operations such as free tissue transfer (FTT). This study aims to outline our institution's experience with treating bloodless medicine patients and offers the first anatomically comprehensive evaluation of FTT in this population. All patients undergoing FTT from 2017 to 2020 at a single institution were retrospectively reviewed. Patients who declined blood products were selected. Outcomes of interest included flap success, operative complications, and changes to hemoglobin measurements. Ten patients undergoing eleven FTT procedures were identified. Average age was 62.4 years(SD 7.6). Most patients were female (n=9) and Black (n=8). Average BMI was 31.3(SD 5.6), American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status (ASA PS) was 2.9(SD 0.5), and Charlson Comorbidity Index was 3.8(SD 1.1). Sites of FTT reconstruction were: breast (6), lower extremity (3), and scalp (2). Average operative time was 390 minutes(SD 85.1) with EBL averaging 170 mL(SD 100.4). The difference between preoperative hemoglobin to first postoperative hemoglobin measurement averaged 2.2 g/dL(SD 1.4). Average patient follow-up was 12 months(SD 7.8). Flap success occurred in ten cases. One patient with flap failure was successfully reconstructed with a second procedure. Despite a small, heterogeneous cohort, our success rate in this highly comorbid population indicates that FTT can be performed effectively for patients who cannot use blood products. Bloodless medicine protocols are beneficial to providers serving patients with transfusion restrictions and systems that strive to limit transfusion volume and risk.
Prediction of empirical properties using direct pore-scale simulation of straining through 3D microtomography images of porous media

Summary Understanding the mechanisms of filtration through porous media is relevant in many engineering applications ranging from waste water treatment and aquifer contamination in environmental engineering to estimating the permeability reduction in near wellbore region during drilling or water re-injection in petroleum engineering. In this paper we present a pore-scale approach that models straining through the pore structures extracted from X-ray tomographic images of rock and grain pack samples from the first principles, enabling the examination of current macroscopic models. While continuum models are widely used for fast prediction of the retention profiles and permeability of the host porous medium, they require a number of phenomenological parameters which are derived from matching experimental results. One of these parameters is the rate of entrapment, which is the sink term in the advection–diffusion equation. Here we find the constitutive relationship for the rate of entrapment as a product of the filtration coefficient, velocity, and concentration and validate it by comparing with core flood experiments. Results show that the pore-scale simulation gives close approximations of filtration coefficient when pore bridging and straining are the main particle capture mechanisms.
The Complementarity-Determining Region-Like Loops of CD8α Interact Differently with β2-Microglobulin of the Class I Molecules H-2Kb and Thymic Leukemia Antigen, While Similarly with Their α3 Domains

The murine CD8 glycoprotein interacts with both classical MHC class I molecules and some nonclassical molecules, including the thymic leukemia Ag (TL). TL binds preferentially to CD8alphaalpha homodimers with a 10-fold higher affinity than H-2K(b) class I molecules. To understand the molecular basis for this difference, we created a panel of CD8alpha mutants and tested the ability of the CD8alphaalpha homodimers to bind to H-2K(b) tetramers and TL tetramers. Mutations in three CD8 residues located on the complementarity-determining region-like loops contacting the negatively charged loop in the alpha3 domain of MHC class I greatly reduced binding to both tetramers. Because TL and H-2K(b) class I sequences are highly conserved in the alpha3 domain of MHC class I, this suggests that CD8 contacts the alpha3 domain of TL and H-2K(b) in a similar manner. In contrast, mutations in residues on the A and B beta strands of CD8 that are involved in contact with beta(2)-microglobulin affected interaction with the H-2K(b) tetramer, but not the TL tetramer. Therefore, the orientation of interaction of TL with CD8 appears to be different from that of H-2K(b). The unique high affinity binding of TL with CD8alphaalpha is most likely a result of amino acid differences in the alpha3 domain between TL and H-2K(b), particularly at positions 198 (K to D) and 228 (M to T), which are contact residues in the CD8alphaalpha-H-2K(b) cocrystal.
Systems for real-time, linked foodborne pathogen surveillance

Abstract: This chapter describes the development of systems for real-time, linked foodborne pathogen surveillance using Salm-net/Enter-net and PulseNet as primary examples. Such systems should be seen in the context of the new International Health Regulations by the World Health Organization that were enacted in 2007 and set the rules for the reporting of public health events of international importance including foodborne infections. In order to fulfill the obligations established in these regulations, each country needs to have an efficient surveillance infrastructure in place for acute public health events. A core element in this respect is a system for real-time food pathogen surveillance from the farm to the fork. Most current systems focus on public health surveillance or surveillance of food and animals, although integrated systems have been implemented in some countries.
BSW Programs and the Continuum in Social Work

Abstract The continuum in social work education appears to be an idea whose time has come. Like many such concepts which wield power for action, the continuum notion must be considered closely for clarity and consensus in the social work profession. Interpretations of the continuum, as advanced by the new CSWE Curriculum Policy Statement (CPS), will affect both social work educators and the overall quality of social work education greatly. In the pursuit of excellence during an era of retrenchment, no component of social work education seems more crucial. To paraphrase Socrates, however, the unexamined concept is not worth using. The focus of this paper is to examine the continuum in terms of educational quality through competence outcomes in BSW programs and of implications for MSW programs. The paper specifically addresses the question of how particular interpretations of the continuum concept, by institutionalizing it through accreditation, could affect these competence outcomes. This critical examinat...
Stiffness Isn't Everything

Most robot designers make the mechanical interface between an actuator and its load as stiff as possible[9][10]. This makes sense in traditional position-controlled systems, because high interface stiffness maximizes bandwidth and, for non-collocated control, reduces instability. However, lower interface stiffness has advantages as well, including greater shock tolerance, lower reflected inertia, more accurate and stable force control, less damage during inadvertent contact, and the potential for energy storage. The ability of series elasticity (usually in the form of a compliant coating on an end-effector) to stabilize force control during intermittent contact with hard surfaces is well known. This paper proposes that for natural tasks where small-motion bandwidth is not of paramount concern, actuator to load interfaces should be significantly less stiff than in most present designs. Furthermore, by purposefully placing the majority of interface elasticity inside of an actuator package, a new type of actuator is created with performance characteristics more suited to the natural world. Despite common intuition, such a series-elastic actuator is not difficult to control.
The non-designation of derivatives as hedges for accounting purposes

The FASB recently issued Proposed Statement of Financial Accounting Standards, Accounting for Hedging Activities: An Amendment of FASB Statement No. 133. The proposed standard simplifies the accounting for hedging activities and generally increases the appeal of hedge accounting. In this report we survey firms' reporting practices and examine hedges and hedge accounting generally and seek to determine why firms may decide not to designate derivatives as hedges for accounting purposes. In reviewing the reports of a large sample of firms, we find the following four explicit reasons why companies may decide not to designate derivatives as accounting hedges: (1) the substantial cost of documentation and ongoing monitoring of designated hedges; (2) the availability of natural hedges that can be highly effective; (3) a new accounting standard that broadens the applicability of natural or economic hedges; and (4) qualifying hedges are not available or are too costly or documentation is untimely, inadequate, or unavailable. In addition, a fifth reason, not offered as such by the surveyed firms, is the increased risk of restatement that accompanies hedge accounting. The proposed standard combined with the recently-released SFAS 159, The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Liabilities, offer companies a welcome relief to the onerous accounting and reporting requirements of SFAS 133.
Reduction in Plaque Size and Reduction in Plaque Number as Differing Indices of Influenza Virus-Antibody Reactions

Jahiel, R. I. (Cornell University Medical College, New York, N.Y.), and E. D. Kilbourne. Reduction in plaque size and reduction in plaque number as differing indices of influenza virus-antibody reactions. J. Bacteriol. 92:1521-1534. 1966.-The serological reactivity of an antigenically hybrid influenza virus recombinant (X-7) was studied in a heteroploid cell plaquing system in which antisera to the parental viruses NWS/(A(0)) and RI/5(+) (A(2)) were incorporated in agar overlay media. Two different effects on plaque formation were found. With NWS antiserum, there was close relationship between reduction in plaque size and in plaque number [plaque inhibition (PI) pattern]. With RI/5 antiserum, plaque size reduction (PSR) occurred over a wide zone of serum dilutions without concomitant change in plaque number (PSR pattern). Several different preinoculation neutralization tests showed a strong reactivity of X-7 with NWS antisera and little if any reactivity with RI/5 antisera. We interpret the differing effects of NWS and RI/5 antisera on X-7 as indicative of the possible occurrence of different mechanisms of neutralization or of the possible participation of different surface antigens. The kinetics of PSR are consistent with the hypothesis that it results from the reaction of RI/5 antiserum with the RI/5-like neuraminidase of X-7. Studies with the antiserum-in-overlay technique of PSR and PI patterns comprise a sensitive method for quantitative antigenic analysis of plaque-forming influenza viruses.
Measurements of Ocean Surface Stress Using Aircraft Scatterometers

Scatterometer model functions which directly estimate friciton velocity, have been developed and are being tested with radar and in-situ data acquired during the Surface Wave Dynamics Experiment of 1991.
The transport of intensity equation and partially coherent fields

We examine the physical meaning of the phase recovered from the transport of intensity equation (TIE) with partially coherent illumination and verify experimentally a modification of the TIE which removes effects of nonuniform illumination from measurements of sample thickness.
Avoidant coping as a predictor of mortality in veterans with end-stage renal disease.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the role of active and avoidant coping strategies in predicting mortality in 61 veterans with end-stage renal disease. Design: Participants completed a self-report measure of coping strategies (The COPE; Carver, Scheier, & Weintraub, 1989) and were interviewed as part of a structured assessment to determine their appropriateness for renal transplant. On average, participants were then followed for 9 years via medical record review to determine mortality status. Main Outcome Measures: Mortality, as predicted by factor scores on active and avoidant coping factors estimated via confirmatory factor analysis of select COPE subscales. Results: A Cox regression revealed that a unit change in avoidant coping was associated with a 114% increase in odds of mortality, even after controlling for variance attributable to demographic variables. There was also a statistical trend indicating that this association might be mediated by poor attendance at medical appointments. Active coping did not predict mortality. Conclusion: Results demonstrate the importance of assessing coping style in this population; clinical implications of these findings and possible mechanisms of this effect are discussed.
A note on a selector theorem in Banach spaces

The existence of a strongly measurable function taking its values in a variable subset of a separable and reflexive Banach space was shown in Ref. 1. Here, we show the collection of all such functions to be weakly compact in itself.
Origin of the Genetic Code

A molecular model of the interaction between mononucleotides and polyamino-acids predicts the glycine codon GGG, and suggests RNA evolved before DNA.
LDC agriculture: Nonparametric Malmquist productivity indexes

Abstract This paper examines changes in agricultural productivity in 18 developing countries over the period 1961–1985. We use the nonparametric, output-based Malmquist index to examine whether the results from such an approach confirm results from other methods that have indicated declining agricultural productivity in less developed countries (LDCs). The results confirm previous findings, indicating that at least half of these countries have experienced productivity declines in agriculture. We also found that those countries that tax agriculture most heavily had the most negative rates of productivity change.
Reproductive response to suckling manipulation in Spanish goats

One hundred and fifty-six Spanish does were used to evaluate the effect of suckling manipulation on postpartum breeding. Does were divided into four herds dependent upon their kidding dates (range from October to January) and location. All kids were nursed ad libitum for approximately 30 days following birth. Groups were then subdivided, and does with kids were randomly allotted to one of the following treatment groups: 1) continuous suckling (CS), 2) once-daily suckling (ODS) or 3) early weaning (EW). Nonlactating does (NL) which lost a kid or aborted were also evaluated for rebreeding performance. At least one fertile male equipped with a marking harness was placed with each treatment group for estrus detection. After 30 days, ODS kids were returned to their dams. The proportion of does exhibiting estrus within 60 days postpartum was greater for ODS and EW does compared to CS does (P<0.05 and P<0.001, respectively). Postpartum interval to first estrus was shorter (P<0.05) for ODS does than for CS does (41.7 and 48.0 days, respectively). The percentage of does conceiving within 60 days postpartum was 25.0, 44.7, 74.4 and 70.7% for CS, ODS, EW and NL does, respectively. The interval from parturition to conception was shorter (P<0.05) for ODS does (43.6 days) than for CS does (50.4 days). Overall kid production was 1.87 kids/doe/year. These results indicate that reducing the suckling stimulus in Spanish does during the breeding season may result in an earlier return to estrus with a greater percentage of does rebreeding within 60 days postpartum.
682 THYMOSIN EFFECT IN PATIENTS WITH DIGEORGE SYNDROME

The effect of thymosin on T-cell function was studied in 5 patients with DiGeorge Syndrome. Initially all had low numbers of T-cell rosettes(TCR), and decreased lymphocyte responses to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and allogeneic cells (MLC). In 3 of 4 patients tested the %TCR was significantly increased above baseline values (2 became normal) when incubated in vitro with thymosin. MLC reactivity nearly doubled with in vitro thymosin incubation in 2 patients, although the stimulation index remained abnormal. While awaiting fetal thymus transplants 4 patients received in vivo thymosin therapy. After 2 wks at 1 mg/kg/day 1 patient demonstrated normal %TCR, PHA and MLC responses. A spontaneous recovery from immunodeficiency cannot be excluded. The other 3 patients had no change in their immunocompetence, although treatment periods were short. Thus, despite in vitro enahncement of cellular immune function, a consistent in vivo response to thymosin remains to be demonstrated in patients with DiGeorge Syndrome.