cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Suspended-sediment transport rates at the 1.5-year recurrence interval for ecoregions of the United States: transport conditions at the bankfull and effective discharge?

Historical flow and suspended-sediment transport data from more than 2900 sites across the United States have been analyzed in the context of estimating flow and suspended-sediment transport conditions at the 1.5-year recurrence interval flow (Q1.5). This is particularly relevant with the renewed focus on stream restoration activities and the urgency in developing water-quality criteria for sediment. Data were sorted into the 84 Level III ecoregions to identify spatial trends in suspended-sediment concentrations and yields to meaningfully describe suspended-sediment transport rates across the United States. Arguments are developed that in lieu of form-based estimates of say the bankfull level, a flow of a given recurrence interval (Q1.5) is more appropriate to integrate suspended-sediment transport ratings for the purpose of defining long-term transport conditions at a site (the “effective discharge”). The use of the Q1.5 as a measure of the effective discharge for suspended-sediment transport is justified on the basis of literature reports and analytic results from hundreds of sites in 17 ecoregions that span a diverse range of hydrologic and topographic conditions (i.e., Coast Range, Arizona/New Mexico Plateau, Mississippi Valley Loess Plains, Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain). There is sufficient data to also develop regional curves for the Q1.5 in all but eight of the ecoregions. At the Q1.5 the highest median suspended-sediment concentrations occur in semiarid environments (Southwest Tablelands, Arizona/New Mexico Plateau and the Mojave Basin and Range); the highest yields occur in humid regions with erodible soils and steep slopes or channel gradients (Mississippi Valley Loess Plains [MVLP] and the Coast Range). Suspended-sediment yields for stable streams are used to determine “background” or “reference” sediment transport conditions in eight ecoregions where there is sufficient field data. The median value for stable sites within a given ecoregion are generally an order of magnitude lower than for nonstable sites.
Changing health behaviors to improve health outcomes after angioplasty: a randomized trial of net present value versus future value risk communication

Patients who have undergone angioplasty experience difficulty modifying at-risk behaviors for subsequent cardiac events. The purpose of this study was to test whether an innovative approach to framing of risk, based on ‘net present value’ economic theory, would be more effective in behavioral intervention than the standard ‘future value approach’ in reducing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality following angioplasty. At baseline, all patients completed a health assessment, recieved an individualized risk profile and selected risk factors for modification. The intervention randomized patients into two varying methods for illustrating positive effects of behavior change. For the experimental group, each selected risk factor was assigned a numeric biologic age (the net present value) that approximated the relative potential to improve current health status and quality of life when modifying that risk factor. In the control group, risk reduction was framed as the value of preventing future health problems. Ninety-four percent of patients completed 2-year follow-up. There was no difference between the rates of death, stroke, myocardial infarction, Class II–IV angina or severe ischemia (on non-invasive testing) between the net present value group and the future value group. Our results show that a net present risk communication intervention did not result in significant differences in health outcomes.
Energy storage in datacenters: what, where, and how much?

Energy storage - in the form of UPS units - in a datacenter has been primarily used to fail-over to diesel generators upon power outages. There has been recent interest in using these Energy Storage Devices (ESDs) for demand-response (DR) to either shift peak demand away from high tariff periods, or to shave demand allowing aggressive under-provisioning of the power infrastructure. All such prior work has only considered a single/specific type of ESD (typically re-chargeable lead-acid batteries), and has only employed them at a single level of the power delivery network. Continuing technological advances have provided us a plethora of competitive ESD options ranging from ultra-capacitors, to different kinds of batteries, flywheels and even compressed air-based storage. These ESDs offer very different trade-offs between their power and energy costs, densities, lifetimes, and energy efficiency, among other factors, suggesting that employing hybrid combinations of these may allow more effective DR than with a single technology. Furthermore, ESDs can be placed at different, and possibly multiple, levels of the power delivery hierarchy with different associated trade-offs. To our knowledge, no prior work has studied the extensive design space involving multiple ESD technology provisioning and placement options. This paper intends to fill this critical void, by presenting a theoretical framework for capturing important characteristics of different ESD technologies, the trade-offs of placing them at different levels of the power hierarchy, and quantifying the resulting cost-benefit trade-offs as a function of workload properties.
‘Knowledge’ in the Dead Sea Scrolls and Matthew 11:25–30

Interpreters of Matthew 11:25–30 have fallen roughly into two classes. On the one hand, there are those who have been content to explain the passage solely in the light of the Old Testament, and, on the other, those who have traced in it a common pattern, ultimately deriving from Eastern theosophy, which emerges in Ecclesiasticus 51, and elsewhere, and reappears in Matthew 11:25–30, through the agency of certain primitive Christian thiasoi of a ‘mystical’ type. Not far removed from this is the view that, both on account of style and content, the passage is to be understood in the light of Hellenistic Gnosticism.
Purtscher-Like Retinopathy in a Patient with Preeclampsia

Visual disturbances in preeclampsia and eclampsia are common; however, only a small percent of cases develop blindness. A rare cause of reversible blindness is acute cortical blindness, also known as posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome. An even rarer cause of visual disturbance is Purtscher-like retinopathy. Initial vision loss can be moderate or severe, and either reversible or permanent. We present a case of Purtscher-like retinopathy in preeclampsia resulting in permanent vision loss and optic atrophy.
Phylogeny of the Ants: Diversification in the Age of Angiosperms

We present a large-scale molecular phylogeny of the ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), based on 4.5 kilobases of sequence data from six gene regions extracted from 139 of the 288 described extant genera, representing 19 of the 20 subfamilies. All but two subfamilies are recovered as monophyletic. Divergence time estimates calibrated by minimum age constraints from 43 fossils indicate that most of the subfamilies representing extant ants arose much earlier than previously proposed but only began to diversify during the Late Cretaceous to Early Eocene. This period also witnessed the rise of angiosperms and most herbivorous insects.
Patient Self-Management of Diabetes Care in the Inpatient Setting Con

Self-management of diabetes by inpatients can be problematic. People with type 1 diabetes often prefer to self-manage their diabetes in the inpatient setting. We report the case of a patient admitted to the surgical service who was self-administering his home insulin, often without telling his nurse or physician. He was aiming for tight glycemic control, which resulted in life-threatening hypoglycemia. While patients can often self-manage their diabetes in the outpatient setting, inpatient management of diabetes is very different. Patients may not be familiar with common scenarios requiring adjustments of insulin therapy. Therefore, we recommend against self-management of diabetes in the hospital. However, the patients should be involved in discussions about management of their diabetes in the hospital to allay their concerns about changes made to their insulin regimens. An example of successful cooperative management is with use of protocols that allow continued use of insulin pumps in the hospital.
Genetics: The Mating Reaction, Mating Types, System of Breeding Relationships, and Inheritance in the Species of Paramecium

With the discovery of the existence of mating types in sibling species of the P. aurelia complex by Sonneborn in 1937, the genetics of Paramecium and other ciliates entered a new phase. With this important fact in the hands of biologists, it now became possible to actually cross-breed stocks of diverse genetic ancestry just as in the higher multicellular animals. To date, Paramecium, Euplotes, and Tetrahymena have been extensively exploited. With the exception of Blepharisma (Miyake, 1974; Nanney, 1980), the great wealth of material in other ciliates is as yet untouched. The existence of mating types in other ciliates may demonstrate more effectively the answers to some of the problems in genetics, sexuality, and cytogenetics.
Abstract 128: Can Response Adaptive Randomization Increase Participation in Acute Stroke Trials?

Introduction: Acute stroke trials may be improved by using response-adaptive randomization (RAR) because it works in favor of the trial population on average. With RAR, the ratio of participants assigned to each trial arm is adjusted to favor the better performing treatment using outcome information from earlier participants in the clinical trial. Hypothesis: When presented a hypothetical acute stroke trial, more patients would agree to a RAR versus a standard clinical trial with all other aspects of trial held constant. Methods: This cross-sectional survey included adult ED patients presenting without stroke or other critical illness. A standardized protocol was used and subjects were randomized to view either an RAR or standard hypothetical acute stroke trial. After viewing the video describing the hypothetical trial (http://youtu.be/cKIWduCaPZc), reviewing the consent form, and having questions answered, subjects indicated whether they would consent to the trial. Adequacy of the informed consent process was measured by ICQ-4. A multivariable logistic regression model was fitted to estimate the impact of RAR, while controlling for demographic factors and patient understanding of the design. Results: A total of 418 subjects (210 standard 208 RAR) were enrolled. All baseline characteristics were balanced between groups. There was significantly higher participation in the RAR trial (67.3%) versus the standard trial (54.5%), absolute increase: 12.8% (95% CI: 3.7 to 22.2%). The trials were generally well understood by the participants (Table); however standard randomization appeared to be better understood. The RAR group had a higher odds ratio of agreeing to research (O.R. 1.89, 95% CI [1.2 - 2.9]), while adjusting for patient level factors. Conclusion: The RAR trial attracted more research participation than standard randomization and has potential to increase recruitment and offer benefit to future trial participants.
Frederick Sherwood Dunn and the American Study of International Relations

As a legal officer in the Department of State in the 1920's, Frederick S. Dunn developed a curiosity about the decision-making process of which he was a part. The dissatisfaction which he felt with prevailing explanations of state behavior, and particularly with single-factor explanations, was the spur to a lifetime of scholarly activity. His quest for greater knowledge relevant to the ordering and control of foreign affairs was to lead him successively to Johns Hopkins, Yale, and Princeton Universities and far afield from the methods and subjects of interest to his colleagues in international law; but there was a forty-year continuity of interest in a set of questions whose answers would lead to improved decision-making.
The Primacy of Membrane Microviscosity in Genetic Hypertension

Because of the known influence of the lipid bilayer on membrane transport systems, the characteristics of the bilayer from vascular smooth muscle and from platelets were studied in genetically hypertensive and in normotensive rats. Membrane microviscosity was measured by the degree of polarization of embedded fluorophores. Both the core of the bilayer in which diphenylhexatriene (DPH) was embedded and the surface in which the trimethyl-ammonium derivative of DPH (TMA-DPH) was embedded evidence a greater microviscosity (less fluid) in the hypertensive than in the normotensive rat. We had previously observed that monovalent cation fluxes were elevated in hypertension. We now observe that an increase in calcium concentration reverses both the elevated microviscosity and the increased cation fluxes. Conversely an increased incorporation of cholesterol in the membrane increases both the microviscosity and the cation fluxes. We hypothesize that the greater microviscosity of the lipid bilayer in hypertension constitutes a generalized defect of the matrix in which the transport proteins function. We further hypothesize that this defect is responsible for the multiple abnormalities of membrane transport systems and the increase in vascular reactivity that have been described in genetic hypertension.
The Christmas Encyclopedia, 3rd ed. William D. Crump. Jefferson: McFarland, 2013.

The Christmas Encyclopedia, 3rd ed. William D. Crump. Jefferson: McFarland, 2013.Like lights on a tree, the variety of books that focus on the history, influence, and legacy of Christmas are difficult to number. Monographs like Stephen Nissenbaum's The Battle for Christmas (1996) and Restad's Christmas in America: A History (1995) are excellent accounts of the history of Christmas in America. Bruce Forbes's Christmas: A Candid History (2007) looks more broadly at how Christmas developed from its earliest roots until today. Chris tmasrelated artifacts, advertisements, and postcards can be seen in John Grossman's Christmas Curiosities: Odd, Dark, and Forgotten Christmas (2008). And an ethnobotany of Christmas is the focus of Christian Ratsch and Claudia Muller-Ebe ling's Pagan Christmas: The Plants, Spirits, and Rituals at the Origins of Y ule tide (2006).However, the significant breadth of interest in this holiday also has generated a market for encyclopedias relating to Christmas origins, background, practices, and influence. In framing the impact of the third edition of William Crump's The Christmas Encyclopedia, it is helpful to compare it first to the emphases of two other Christmas encyclopedias and then to Crump's own earlier editions.Tanya Gulevich's Encyclopedia of Christmas came out in 2002. This 729 page volume has 186 entries. It focuses on historical and ethnic customs, it downplays literature, music, and popular culture, and it would be particularly appropriate for those with ethnographic and anthropological interests in this holiday. Gerry Bowler's 288 page volume, The World Encyclopedia of Christmas, was published in 2004. With over 1,000 entries, this encyclopedia covers much ground quickly. Broad coverage in 288 pages means less development and that sometimes makes entries feel thin. Like Gulevich's volume, Bowler's has a strong historical and international focus. It also has helpful and thoughtprovoking illustrations. However, one frustration of this volume is that there is no index or bibliography, and so the encyclopedia, as a whole, is not as rich to use as a reference book as Crump's work can be.Crump's The Christmas Encyclopedia was first published in 2001. Twelve years later, this third edition has more than 760 entries (with 281 more entries than the previous version) and is 540 pages long, so it has more entries than Gulevich but fewer pages. And it has more pages than Bowler, but fewer entries. Even though The Christmas Encyclopedia is engaging to read casually, it feels like a reference book in that it points the readers to further opportunities for research. …
Management dilemma of thyroid nodules in patients with malignant struma ovarii.

Struma ovarii is a rare type of ovarian teratoma comprised of at least 50% thyroid tissue. While most are benign, 70% of malignant cases are diagnosed as papillary carcinoma. Management of patients with thyroid nodules following gynecologic surgery remains controversial and variable. Historically, the treatment of choice has been surgical removal to rule out ovarian carcinoma. Thyroid follow-up and further treatment options are guided by tumor characteristics. The patient in this case presented to the endocrine surgeon with multiple thyroid nodules, dysphagia and a history of struma ovarii that was surgically treated at an outside hospital. Fine needle aspiration demonstrated benign histology. However, due to compressive symptoms and uncertainty of other nodules, the patient underwent a total thyroidectomy. Due to limited published data and treatment guidelines regarding thyroid nodules in patients with a history of malignant struma ovarii, surgery was recommended to rule out papillary thyroid carcinoma and relieve the patient’s dysphagia. More research focused on treatment and outcomes of struma ovarii patients with thyroid nodules is essential to establish treatment guidelines for these patients.
Progress in Research on Chromium-free Chemical Conversion Coatings of Magnesium Alloys

The present status of chromium-free chemical conversion coatings of magnesium alloys is reviewed. The disadvantages of the existing chromium-free conversion technology are indicated by analyzing the different treatment solutions, the main processes and the composition, structure, morphology, corrosion resistance of the corresponding coatings. And the prospect of chromium-free chemical conversion coatings in future is analyzed.
Retinas in a Dish Peek into Inherited Retinal Degeneration

Human retinal degeneration can cause blindness, and the lack of relevant model systems has made identifying underlying mechanisms challenging. Parfitt et al. (2016) generate three-dimensional retinal tissue from patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells to identify how CEP290 mutations cause retinal degeneration, and show an antisense approach can correct disease-associated phenotypes.
Assessing Restoration and Management Needs for Ecosystems Invaded by Exotic Annual Bromus Species

Invasive annual grass research and management in arid and semiarid ecosystems of the Western United States (USA) have historically focused on reducing weed abundance as opposed to ecosystem restoration, which addresses the underlying processes responsible for their persistence. Given the current impact of invasive annual grasses and their continued spread in this region, we identified common characteristics responsible for persistence of the most problematic exotic annual Bromus. For heavily invaded areas, these include transient, yet typically large seed banks, altered soil resource availability and litter production, displacement of native species, and frequent disturbance from fire. To better address these common characteristics for future management, we illustrate how an adaptive management framework can reduce existing uncertainty associated with the restoration of arid and semiarid ecosystems. We also assess how research and management influence these characteristics with a case study of treatment outcomes for Bromus tectorum L. (cheatgrass or downy brome) control and a case study of current approaches used by the US Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management to restore landscapes impacted by B. tectorum and improve greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) habitat in the Great Basin region of the Western USA. We conclude that adapting for the future will require continued integration between research and management, greater inclusion of ecological processes, and long-term experiments to inform adaptive management decisions.
Point-Counterpoint: Should Attendance Be Required In Collegiate Classrooms?

This paper examines two divergent viewpoints about whether or not class attendance should be mandatory in higher education. The authors, both accounting professors at the same institution, delineate their respective viewpoints citing school policy, federal regulations and academic freedom as factors which motivate their attendance policy.
Plant Virus-Vector Interactions: More Than Just for Virus Transmission

Viruses dominate the biota on our planet, infecting animals, plants, humans, and even other microbes. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that the relationships viruses share with other organisms are quite diverse, ranging from detrimental to even mutualistic. The nature of these relationships is particularly important for viruses that depend on other organisms for dissemination in the environment, as is the case for most plant-infecting viruses. Increased interest in vector-virus interactions has determined that some relationships may be synergistic, where the vector and virus proliferate to a greater extent together versus alone, and should be considered a mutualism. However, despite more than 100 years of research on plant viruses, the mechanisms that meditate synergistic relationships with vectors are still poorly understood. Here we review modes of vector transmission by plant infecting viruses and highlight recent evidence on mutually beneficial virus-vector relationships and the mechanisms that contribute to them. Finally we discuss the future directions that will need to be addressed in the field of virus ecology and virus-vector interactions.
Immunological aspects of cardiac disease

INTRODUCTION Although the vast majority of cardiac diseases relate to the presence of atherosclerosis in the vessels supplying blood and oxygen to the heart, there are certain conditions in which immunological events play an important role. This chapter will concentrate on the immunological aspects of these diseases. We will also discuss the animal models associated with each of these disorders with particular emphasis on whether these models help us to understand further the immunological aspects of these conditions. RHEUMATIC FEVER Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is a delayed, nonsuppurative sequela of a pharyngeal infection with the group A streptococcus. A latent period of two to three weeks follows the initial streptococcal pharyngitis. The latent period remains the same for each individual patient in the event of a recurrence. This suggests that the patient has already been exposed to more than one streptococcal infection in the past. The onset of disease is usually characterized by an acute febrile illness, which may manifest itself in one of three classical ways: (1) The patient may present with migratory arthritis predominantly involving the large joints of the body. (2) There may also be concomitant clinical and laboratory signs of carditis and valvulitis, or carditis and valvulitis may be the only signs of an acute episode. (3) There may be involvement of the central nervous system, manifesting itself as Sydenham's chorea. The clinical episodes are self-limiting but damage to the valves may be chronic and progressive, resulting in cardiac decompensation and death.
Vascular events and risk factors for thrombosis in refractory anemia with ring sideroblasts and thrombocytosis

Vascular events and risk factors for thrombosis in refractory anemia with ring sideroblasts and thrombocytosis
Adaptive coded modulation for fading channels

We propose a variable-power and variable-rate coded MQAM modulation technique for high-speed data transmission on fading channels. Coding gain is obtained by superimposing trellis codes designed for AWGN channels on the adaptive modulation, and we obtain the same coding gains as these codes exhibit in AWGN. We present analytical and simulation results which show a 3dB coding gain relative to uncoded adaptive modulation for a simple 4-state trellis code, and a 4 dB coding gain for an 8-state trellis code. More complex trellis codes achieve higher gains.
Curating Employee Ethics: Self-Glory Amidst Slow Violence at The China Tobacco Museum

ABSTRACTSeen through the prism of public health, the cigarette industry is an apparatus of death. To those who run it, however, it is something more prosaic: a workplace comprised of people whose morale is to be shepherded. Provisioning employees of the cigarette industry with psychic scaffolding to carry out effective daily work is a prime purpose of the China Tobacco Museum. This multistoried exhibition space in Shanghai is a technology of self, offering a carefully curated history of cigarette production thematized around tropes such as employee exaltation. Designed to anchor and vitalize the ethical outlook of those working for the world’s most prolific cigarette conglomerate, the museum is a striking illustration that industrial strongholds of ‘slow violence’ produce their own forms of self-care.
Canagliflozin, a new sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor, in the treatment of diabetes.

Purpose The published evidence on the pharmacology, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, safety, and efficacy of a promising investigational agent for managing type 2 diabetes is evaluated. Summary Canagliflozin belongs to a class of agents—the sodium–glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors—whose novel mechanism of action offers potential advantages over other antihyperglycemic agents, including a relatively low hypoglycemia risk and weight loss-promoting effects. Canagliflozin has dose-dependent pharmacokinetics, and research in laboratory animals demonstrated high oral bioavailability (85%) and rapid effects in lowering glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) values. In four early-stage clinical trials involving a total of over 500 patients, the use of canagliflozin for varying periods was associated with significant mean reductions in HbA1c (absolute reductions of 0.45–0.92%) and fasting plasma glucose (decreases ranged from 16.2% to 42.4%) and weight loss ranging from 0.7 to 3.5 kg. More than a dozen Phase II or III clinical trials of canagliflozin in adults are ongoing or were recently completed, but the final results of most of those studies have not been published. Adverse effects reported in clinical trials of canagliflozin include urinary tract and genital infections, occurring in about 10% of patients. Additional and larger Phase III clinical trials to delineate the potential role of canagliflozin and other SGLT2 inhibitors in the management of diabetes (including studies involving the elderly, children, and patients with renal or hepatic dysfunction) are planned or currently underway. Conclusion Canagliflozin and other investigational SGLT2 inhibitors have a novel mechanism of action that may offer a future alternative treatment pathway for managing type 2 diabetes. Am J Health-Syst Pharm. 2013; 70:311–9
Herpes Simplex Virus Hepatitis in an Immunocompetent Host Resembling Hepatic Pyogenic Abscesses

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) hepatitis represents a rare complication of HSV infection, which can progress to acute liver failure and, in some cases, death. We describe an immunocompetent 67-year-old male who presented with one week of fever and abdominal pain. Computed tomography (CT) scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the abdomen showed multiple bilobar hepatic lesions, some with rim enhancement, compatible with liver abscesses. Subsequent liver biopsy, however, revealed hepatocellular necrosis, HSV-type intranuclear inclusions, and immunostaining positive for herpes virus type 2 (HSV-2). Though initially treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics, following histologic diagnosis of HSV hepatitis, the patient was transitioned to intravenous acyclovir for four weeks and he achieved full clinical recovery. Given its high mortality and nonspecific presentation, one should consider HSV hepatitis in all patients with acute hepatitis with multifocal hepatic lesions of unknown etiology. Of special note, this is only the second reported case of HSV liver lesions mimicking pyogenic abscesses on CT and MRI.
Describing clinical faculty experiences with patient safety and quality care in acute care settings: A mixed methods study.

Abstract Background A major safety initiative in acute care settings across the United States has been to transform hospitals into High Reliability Organizations. The initiative requires developing cognitive awareness, best practices, and infrastructure so that all healthcare providers including clinical faculty are accountable to deliver quality and safe care. Objective To describe the experience of baccalaureate clinical nursing faculty concerning safety and near miss events, in acute care hospital settings. Methods A mixed method approach was used to conduct the pilot study. Nurse faculty ( n =18) completed study surveys from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to track patient safety concerns: Incidents; Near misses; or Unsafe conditions, during one academic semester, within 9 different acute care hospitals. Additionally, seven nurse faculty participated in end of the semester focus groups to discuss the semester long experience. Results Clinical faculty identified a total of 24 patient occurrences: 15 Incidents , 1 Near miss event , and 8 Unsafe conditions . Focus group participants ( n =7) described benefits and challenges experienced by nursing clinical faculty and students in relation to the culture of safety in acute care hospital settings. Six themes resulted from the content analysis. Conclusions Utilizing nursing clinical faculty and students may add significant value to promoting patient safety and the delivery of quality care, within acute care hospital settings.
Computed Tomography Angiography in Head and Neck Emergencies

Computed tomography angiography (CTA) offers a rapid means of evaluating the vasculature of the head and neck in patients presenting with acute onset of neurologic symptoms and blunt trauma to the head and neck. CTA is noninvasive, easy to acquire, and offers excellent detail in identifying site and nature of the lesion. The learning objectives of this article are to review normal anatomy and variants, recognize CTA appearance of vascular pathologies, describe typical parameters used for acquiring the study, and recognize common pitfalls.
FTM(TF): Allegories of Electricity from Edison to Wifi

On Sather Gate, the symbolic entrance to the University of California at Berkeley completed in 1910 to designs by John Galen Howard, allegorical representations of the liberal arts betray more than...
Direct numerical simulations of gas–solid–liquid interactions in dilute fluids

Abstract The dynamic interactions between gas bubbles, rigid particles and liquid can lead to profound nonlinearities in the aggregate behavior of a multiphase fluid. Predicting the nonlinear dynamics of the multiphase mixture hence requires understanding how the phases interact at the scale of individual interfaces, but these interactions are notoriously difficult to resolve in models. The goal of this paper is to develop and validate a computational method capable of capturing the complex flow interactions between gas bubbles and rigid particles immersed in a Newtonian liquid. We focus on multiphase systems that are dilute enough for the solid and gas components to move through and be moved by the ambient liquid. We use level sets with a topology-preserving advection scheme to track the gas interfaces. To include the motion of the rigid particles, we couple distributed Lagrange multipliers to an immersed-boundary method. The high viscosity contrast between the liquid and the gas requires both time splitting and approximate factorization to efficiently solve the governing equations consisting of the conservation of mass, momentum and energy. To resolve interactions between interfaces that vary drastically in size, we refine our mesh adaptively in the vicinity of the boundary.
Abstract 2771: Correlation of tumor mutation burden and chemotherapy outcomes in colorectal cancer

Background: The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) has identified 16% of colorectal cancers (CRC) to have defects in mechanisms that repair spontaneous DNA damage, and consequently have high tumor mutation burden (TMB). Although, there is accumulating evidence for activity of immunotherapy on tumors harboring high-TMB, its impact on response to chemotherapy is unknown. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed progression free survival (PFS) of 74 patients with metastatic CRC (61 colon & 13 rectal cancer) treated at tertiary care oncology clinics and underwent next-generation sequencing (NGS) of their tumor sample using FoundationOne® (Foundation Medicine Inc., Cambridge, MA). Most recent available specimen was analyzed at the time of diagnosis of metastatic disease. TMB was calculated by counting all synonymous and nonsynonymous variants as well as indels across a 1.25 megabase coding region spanning 315 genes. Low TMB (TMB-L) and Intermediate/High TMB (TMB- I/H) were defined as ≤ 5 mutations per base (MB) or ≥ 6/MB respectively. Demographic and clinical information (including imaging results, chemotherapy treatment) were obtained by chart review. Treatment was captured as ‘oxaliplatin-based’ if the chemotherapy regimen contained oxaliplatin (i.e., FOLFOX, XELOX) or ‘irinotecan-based’ if the regimen contained irinotecan (i.e., FOLFIRI). Subsequent modifications of dose or omission of the drug due to toxicity were not captured. Continuous variables were reported as medians and inter-quartile ranges and compared between groups via the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Categorical variables were reported as frequencies and percentages and compared between groups via Fisher’s exact test. Survival estimates were compared between groups via the log-rank test. Results: There was no statistically different PFS in TMB-L (n=39) compared to TMB- I/H (n=26). (10.0 vs. 5.9 months, P = 0.18). In the TMB-L cohort, irinotecan-based chemotherapy (n=25) treated patients had improved PFS compared to oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy (n=10) treated CRC patients (11.9 vs. 6.5 months, P= Conclusion: TMB status may be a predictive biomarker in a subset of patients treated with chemotherapy, specifically in TMB-L cohort. Confirming these findings in a larger repository of tissue from studies comparing irinotecan vs. oxaliplatin-based regimen is recommended. Citation Format: Sachin G. Pai, Benedito Carneiro, Aparna Kalyan, Ricardo Costa, Irene Helenowski, Alfred Radmeaker, Hiral Shah, Daniel Olson, Young Chae, Francis Giles. Correlation of tumor mutation burden and chemotherapy outcomes in colorectal cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2771. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-2771
Quantifying the Benefits of Prior Programming Experience in an Introductory Computer Science Course

The superior performance of students with prior exposure to programming has long been evident to faculty that teach introductory courses. In this paper we replicate previous studies that quantify the difference between students with and without previous programming experience, and we provide further focus on gender differences. Our research is based on an initial CS1 course that we divided into a section with students having previous programming experience (P) and two sections for students without (N). Both sections of CS1 were taught with the same curriculum and assessments. We find that the advantages of prior experience are substantial, with P students outscoring N students by more than 6% on exams and 10% on programming quizzes. However, the performance gap between P and N students narrows considerably by the end of the following CS2 course, with no significant difference in overall scores. Analyzing results by gender, our data shows that 22% of N students in CS1 are female versus only 12% of P students. However, the female students with prior exposure outperform their male peers in all areas. Another finding of our research is the confirmation of a significant difference in confidence between female and male students.
Spectroscopic mapping with coherent IR and Raman microscopy (Conference Presentation)

In coherent Raman scattering microscopy, the sample is examined through the Raman-active modes. Although many molecular modes display a nonzero Raman cross-section, some modes are intrinsically weak and are better viewed through their dipole-allowed (IR-active) transition. A more complete spectroscopic assessment of the sample would thus include a mechanism to prove both Raman and IR-active modes. In this contribution, we combine coherent Raman microscopy with second- and third-order sum-frequency generation microscopy, providing sensitivity to all optically accessible vibrational modes. All techniques can be carried out on the same laser-scanning imaging platform, generating images at fast acquisition rates and with high spatial resolution. We show examples where the combination of these techniques reveal new information about the tissue.
Delayed Hypoxic Reversible Leukoencephalopathy Syndrome

We report a case of postanoxic leukoencephalopathy in a patient who started to have cognitive and behavioral changes weeks after the anoxic insult along with white matter lesions on neuroimaging and demyelination on brain biopsy. His disease course followed a steady decline initially both clinically and radiologically and assumed a steady plateau. Months after his decline, the patient was seen to be completely functional with substantially improved mental status examination and resolution of white matter changes on imaging. The course of this disease entity usually assumes a plateau after clinical worsening with little improvement subsequently. However, our patient showed a dramatic recovery to his baseline after a few months. In this article, we review mechanisms, presentation and the sequelae of hypoxic injury to the brain.
A parallelized theorem prover for a logic with parallel execution

In order to take best advantage of modern multi-core systems, interactive theorem provers need to parallelize execution effectively. We describe our modification to a particular theorem prover, ACL2, to use parallel execution automatically in its proof process. Since the ACL2 prover is written primarily in the ACL2 programming language, our approach to parallelization takes advantage of ACL2 language primitives for parallel execution. We demonstrate that the resulting system often provides earlier useful feedback from failed proofs and significant reduction of execution time for successful proofs. Thus, our system not only incorporates parallelism into its proof process, but it also provides a platform for writing and verifying parallel programs written in the ACL2 programming language.
Modulation of the PMN Leukocyte Component of Hypersensitivity Reactions by Lipoxygenase Products of Arachidonic Acid

The arachidonic acid that is released from membrane phospholipids of immunologically activated mast cells, basophils and other leukocytes is converted by lipoxygenation to diverse mediators, including slow-reacting substances and PMN leukocyte chemotactic factors. The predominant chemotactic factors derived from the lipoxygenation of arachidonic acid are 5(S)-hydroxy-eicosatetraenoic acid (5-HETE) and 5(S),12(R)-di-hydroxy-6,8-trans-10,14-cis-ETE (leukotriene B4 or LTB4), which are maximally chemotactic for human neutrophils and eosinophils at concentrations of 1000–2000 ng/ml and 30–100 ng/ml, respectively. 5-HETE and LTB4 share with other chemotactic factors the capacity to enhance the expression of C3b receptors on neutrophils and eosinophils, but fail to stimulate the release of substantial quantities of lysosomal enzymes. The lipoxygenation of arachidonic acid may be a biochemical prerequisite of the random and chemotactic migration and lysosomal degranulation of human neutrophils and eosinophils, as these functions are reversibly suppressed by lipoxygenase inhibitors which non-cytotoxically deplete the cells of endogenous stores of HETEs. The diverse activities of 5-HETE and LTB4 as mediators of leukocyte function and the finding of elevated levels of these principles in synovial fluid and tissues of arthritic joints are consistent with a physiological role for the lipoxygenase products of arachidonic acid in human inflammatory disease states.
Associations of Alcohol and Marijuana Use With Condom Use Among Young Adults: The Moderating Role of Partner Type.

This study used multiple levels of analysis to examine associations of alcohol and marijuana (AM) use with condom use, including the moderating role of partner type, in a general sample of 754 sexu...
Determinants of Physical Activity in a Constrictive Work Environment: A Study on Brown-Water Mariners.

Background: To date, research investigating workers’ engagement in physical activity while working and living in constrictive environments is limited. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to iden...
Neoadjuvant nivolumab plus concurrent chemoradiation in stage II/III esophageal/gastroesophageal junction cancer.

142Background: Neoadjuvant chemoradiation (cRT) prior to surgical resection in stage II/III esophageal/gastroesophageal junction (E/GEJ) cancer results in a complete pathologic response rate (pCR) ...
Stirrings of Revolt: Regressive Levies, the Pocketbook Squeeze, and the 1960s Roots of the 1970s Tax Revolt

In most accounts, the modern American “tax revolt” begins with Proposition 13, passed by California voters in June 1978. In this telling, the revolt represents an antigovernment, antiliberal shift among white homeowners instrumental in the “rise of the right” and the fall of the “New Deal order” that culminated in Ronald Reagan’s election in 1980 and his subsequent tax cuts. This article challenges that account by demonstrating that the revolt began more than a decade before Prop 13 as approval rates for local levies and bonds reached all-time lows. This local revolt was not limited to whites, nor did it portend rising conservatism. Instead, it was rooted in lower- and middle-income Americans’ frustrations with steep rises in unfair, regressive taxes during the post–World War II decades. The Kennedy-Johnson “Growth Liberals,” who were busy cutting progressive federal taxes at the same time that regressive state and local taxes were soaring, missed this pocketbook squeeze, thereby setting the stage for later events like Prop 13.
Facial protection for healthcare workers during pandemics: a scoping review.

Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages, requiring mask reuse or improvisation. We provide a review of medical-grade facial protection (surgical masks, N95 respirators and face shields) for healthcare workers, the safety and efficacy of decontamination methods, and the utility of alternative strategies in emergency shortages or resource-scarce settings. Methods We conducted a scoping review of PubMed and grey literature related to facial protection and potential adaptation strategies in the setting of PPE shortages (January 2000 to March 2020). Limitations included few COVID-19-specific studies and exclusion of non-English language articles. We conducted a narrative synthesis of the evidence based on relevant healthcare settings to increase practical utility in decision-making. Results We retrieved 5462 peer-reviewed articles and 41 grey literature records. In total, we included 67 records which met inclusion criteria. Compared with surgical masks, N95 respirators perform better in laboratory testing, may provide superior protection in inpatient settings and perform equivalently in outpatient settings. Surgical mask and N95 respirator conservation strategies include extended use, reuse or decontamination, but these strategies may result in inferior protection. Limited evidence suggests that reused and improvised masks should be used when medical-grade protection is unavailable. Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic has led to critical shortages of medical-grade PPE. Alternative forms of facial protection offer inferior protection. More robust evidence is required on different types of medical-grade facial protection. As research on COVID-19 advances, investigators should continue to examine the impact on alternatives of medical-grade facial protection.
A bluetooth low energy dataset for the analysis of social interactions with commercial devices.

Abstract This paper describes a data collection campaign and a dataset of BLE beacons for detecting and analysing human social interactions. The dataset has been collected by involving 15 volunteers that interacted in indoor environments for a total of 11 hours of activity. The dataset is released as a collection of CSV files with a timestamp, RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) and a unique identifier of the emitting and of the receiving devices. Volunteers wear a wristband equipped with BLE tags emitting beacons at a fixed rate, and a mobile application able to collect and to store beacons. We organized 6 interaction sessions, designed to reproduce the three common stages of an interaction (Non Interaction, Approaching and Interaction). Moreover, we reproduced interactions by varying the volunteer’s posture as well as the position of the receiving device. The dataset is released with a ground truth annotation reporting the exact time intervals during which volunteers actually interacted. The combination of such factors, provides a rich dataset useful to experiment algorithms for detecting interactions and for analyzing dynamics of interactions in a real-world setting. We present in detail the dataset and its evaluation in “Sensing Social Interactions through BLE Beacons and Commercial Mobile Devices”, in which we focus on two orthogonal analysis: quality of the dataset and RSSI symmetry of the channel during the interaction stage between pairs of users.
Square function estimates, the Bmo Dirichlet problem, and absolute continuity of harmonic measure on lower-dimensional sets

In the recent work G. David, J. Feneuil, and the first author have launched a program devoted to an analogue of harmonic measure for lower-dimensional sets. A relevant class of partial differential equations, analogous to the class of elliptic PDEs in the classical context, is given by linear degenerate equations with the degeneracy suitably depending on the distance to the boundary. The present paper continues this line of research and focuses on the criteria of quantitative absolute continuity of the newly defined harmonic measure with respect to the Hausdorff measure, ω∈A∞(σ), in terms of solvability of boundary value problems. The authors establish, in particular, square function estimates and solvability of the Dirichlet problem in BMO for domains with lower-dimensional boundaries under the underlying assumption ω∈A∞(σ). More generally, it is proved that in all domains with Ahlfors regular boundaries the BMO solvability of the Dirichlet problem is necessary and sufficient for the absolute continuity of the harmonic measure.