cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simulating the Function of the MjNhaP1 Transporter.

The structures of transport proteins have been steadily revealed in the last few decades, and yet the conversion of this information into molecular-level understanding of their function is still lagging behind. In this study, we try to elucidate how the action of the archaeal sodium/proton antiporter MjNhaP1 depends on its structure-energy relationship. To this end, we calculate the binding energies of its substrates and evaluate the conformational change barrier, focusing on the rotation of the catalytic residue D161. We find that sodium ions and protons compete against a common binding site and that the accessibility of this binding site is restricted to either the inside or outside of the cell. We suggest that the rotation of D161 χ1 angle correlates with the conformational change and is energetically unfavorable when D161 does not bind any substrate. This restriction ensures coupling between the sodium ions and the protons, allowing MjNhaP1 and probably other similar transporters to exchange substrate...
Reverberation clutter and sources of image degradation in transcostal imaging

The generation of an ultrasound image of human tissue is based on the complex physics of acoustic wave propagation: diffraction, reflection, scattering, frequency dependent attenuation, and nonlinearity. One approach to simulating ultrasound images is to make approximations that can reduce the physics to systems that have a low computational cost. Here a maximalist approach is taken and the full three dimensional wave physics is simulated with finite differences. The objective of this paper is to integrate the Fullwave nonlinear acoustic simulation tool with acoustical maps derived from the National Library of Medicine's Visible Human to generate highly realistic simulations of transcostal imaging. These images and the acoustical field throughout the imaging volume are used to determine the relative importance of nonlinearity, phase aberration, reverberation clutter, and beam shape in image degradation.
Towards Video Guidance for Ultrasound, Using a Prior High-Resolution 3D Surface Map of the External Anatomy

We are developing techniques for guiding ultrasound probes and other clinical tools with respect to the exterior of the patient, using one or more video camera(s) mounted directly on the probe or tool. This paper reports on a new method of matching the real-time video image of the patient’s exterior against a prior high-resolution surface map acquired with a multiple-camera imaging device used in reconstructive surgery. This surface map is rendered from multiple viewpoints in real-time to find the viewpoint that best matches the probe-mounted camera image, thus establishing the camera’s pose relative to the anatomy. For ultrasound, this will permit the compilation of 3D ultrasound data as the probe is moved, as well as the comparison of a real-time ultrasound scan with previous scans from the same anatomical location, all without using external tracking devices. In a broader sense, tools that know where they are by looking at the patient’s exterior could have an important beneficial impact on clinical medicine.
Photon-Driven Nitrogen Fixation: Current Progress, Thermodynamic Considerations, and Future Outlook

Over the last century, the industrialization of agriculture and the consumption of fossil fuels have resulted in a significant imbalance and redistribution in nitrogen-containing resources. This has sparked an interest in developing more sustainable and resilient approaches for producing nitrogen-containing commodities such as fertilizers and fuels. One largely neglected but emerging approach is photocatalytic nitrogen fixation. There is significant evidence that this process occurs spontaneously in terrestrial settings, and it has been demonstrated in numerous engineered systems. Yet many questions still remain unanswered regarding the rates, mechanisms, and impacts of photocatalytically producing fixed nitrogen “out of thin air”. This work reviews the fascinating history of the reaction and examines current progress toward understanding and improving photofixation of nitrogen. This is supplemented by a quantitative review of the thermodynamic considerations and limitations for various reaction mechanism...
Is an objective refraction optimised using the visual Strehl ratio better than a subjective refraction

Purpose To prospectively examine whether using the visual image quality metric, visual Strehl (VSX), to optimise objective refraction from wavefront error measurements can provide equivalent or better visual performance than subjective refraction and which refraction is preferred in free viewing. Methods Subjective refractions and wavefront aberrations were measured on 40 visually-normal eyes of 20 subjects, through natural and dilated pupils. For each eye a sphere, cylinder, and axis prescription was also objectively determined that optimised visual image quality (VSX) for the measured wavefront error. High contrast (HC) and low contrast (LC) logMAR visual acuity (VA) and short-term monocular distance vision preference were recorded and compared between the VSX-objective and subjective prescriptions both undilated and dilated. Results For 36 myopic eyes, clinically equivalent (and not statistically different) HC VA was provided with both the objective and subjective refractions (undilated mean ± S.D. was -0.06 ± 0.04 with both refractions; dilated was -0.05 ± 0.04 with the objective, and -0.05 ± 0.05 with the subjective refraction). LC logMAR VA provided by the objective refraction was also clinically equivalent and not statistically different to that provided by the subjective refraction through both natural and dilated pupils for myopic eyes. In free viewing the objective prescription was preferred over the subjective by 72% of myopic eyes when not dilated. For four habitually undercorrected high hyperopic eyes, the VSX-objective refraction was more positive in spherical power and VA poorer than with the subjective refraction. Conclusions A method of simultaneously optimising sphere, cylinder, and axis from wavefront error measurements, using the visual image quality metric VSX, is described. In myopic subjects, visual performance, as measured by HC and LC VA, with this VSX-objective refraction was found equivalent to that provided by subjective refraction, and was typically preferred over subjective refraction. Subjective refraction was preferred by habitually undercorrected hyperopic eyes.
Special Education, School Psychology, and Community Mental Health Practice in Rural Settings: Common Problems and Overlapping Solutions for Training.

Rural service delivery issues common to the fields of special education, school psychology, and community mental health are described within this article. Many problems common across the three disc...
Are Muslims More Likely to Beat Their Wives Than Members of Other Religions? An Empirical Study of 60 Countries

Wife beating, spousal abuse, domestic violence, or whatever else you want to call it, has been around for centuries, probably since the beginning of human existence. There are several reasons why this kind of behavior exists, but the present paper will not get into those reasons. For more on this aspect of the topic, see the items listed in the reference section of this paper. The goal of the present paper is more modest, to merely measure the extent of support for wife beating, and determine whether wife beating is more acceptable in some religions than in others. The Muslim religion has been receiving a lot of bad press in the United States and elsewhere, partly because of the belief that most terrorists are Muslim and partly because of the way they allegedly treat their women. One purpose of the present study is to determine whether Muslims are more likely to beat their wives than are members of other religions. The most recent wave of World Values Surveys examined 60 countries. One question in its survey asked whether wife beating can be justified. It used a 10-point Likert Scale where 1 = never justifiable and 10 = always justifiable. Thus, it is possible to find an answer to the question of whether Muslims are more supportive of wife beating than are members of other religious, although it does not answer the question of whether Muslims are more likely to beat their wives than are members of other religions. The present paper is part of a series on wife beating. Studies in this series examine male and female views on wife beating to determine if women think differently about this issue than men; a longitudinal study to determine whether wife beating has become more or less popular over time; two studies that examine the relationship between religion and wife beating; a study that ranks the acceptability of wife beating in 60 countries; and a study of attitudes toward wife beating in the United States. Links to these studies are provided in the reference section of this paper.
Ursache und Wirkung in der Biologie

Als Berufsbiologe kann ich, so meine ich, keine ebensolche Analyse von Ursache und Wirkung unternehmen, wie sie ein Logiker durchfuhren wurde. Ich mochte mich stattdessen mit den besonderen Schwierigkeiten befassen, die der klassische Begriff der Kausalitat in der Biologie verursacht. Seit den ersten Bemuhungen um ein einheitliches Konzept der Kausalitat haben alle, die sich mit der Frage beschaftigt haben, unter diesen Schwierigkeiten gelitten. Descartes’ grob mechanistische Interpretation des Lebens sowie das logische Extrem, zu dem Holbach und de la Mettrie seine Gedanken weiterfuhrten, musten zwangslaufig zu einer Reaktion fuhren, in deren Folge vitalistische Theorien aufkamen, die mehr oder minder bis heute popular geblieben sind. Ich brauche aus der Reihe der prominenten Autoren der jungeren Vergangenheit nur Namen wie Driesch (Entelechie), Bergson (elan vital) und Lecomte du Nouy zu erwahnen. Zwar mogen diese Autoren in Einzelheiten differieren, doch stimmen sie alle in der Behauptung uberein, Lebewesen und Lebensvorgange liesen sich nicht im Sinne physikalischer und chemischer Phanomene kausal erklaren.
Fluorescent Proteins in Transgenic Plants

Fluorescent proteins (FPs) have revolutionized many areas of biological research. In particular, plant biotechnology has been significantly advanced by harnessing the power of FPs. Aequorea victoria, green fluorescent protein (GFP), has been the most studied of the proteins, but many new FPs are discovered each year. We provide here a timely review of the current uses of FPs in whole plants and we look at the color palette of candidate proteins. Lastly, we discuss current instrumentation and methods for detection and quantification of FPs in plants.
Reply to Martin

Professor R. M. Martin has made helpful comments on my paper ‘Particulars, Events and Actions’, some of which are amplificatory and some of which are critical. I should like to reply to several of these comments.
Variation in Space Use and Social Cohesion Within and Between Four Groups of Woolly Monkeys (Lagothrix lagotricha poeppigii) in Relation to Fruit Availability and Mating Opportunities at the Tiputini Biodiversity Station, Ecuador

Like other members of their subfamily (e.g., spider monkeys and muriquis), woolly monkeys have long been suspected to have flexible association patterns. Yet, the dispersed nature of woolly monkey groups as they perform their daily activities has made it difficult for previous studies to quantitatively describe how spatial cohesion and ranging dynamics, both within and between groups, may vary over time and in relation to temporal fluctuations in resources, such as fruit and mating opportunities. Using a combination of location and subgroup composition records collected by multiple observers on animals belonging to four neighboring social groups, we found that lowland woolly monkeys (Lagothrix lagotricha poeppigii) at the Tiputini Biodiversity Station in Amazonian Ecudaor demonstrate relatively high degrees of fission-fusion dynamics, with groups dividing frequently into subgroups and showing temporally variable cohesion among group members. Associations were not limited to members of a single social group, and tolerant associations between members of some neighboring social groups occurred with relatively high frequency. As observed in other woolly monkey populations, home range overlap between neighboring groups was extensive, with particular pairs of groups showing higher degrees of overlap than others. Although woolly monkeys are considered non-territorial, the four focal social groups retained some exclusivity of their core areas as evidenced by minimal core area overlap during most months of sampling for most pairs of groups. Surprisingly, habitat-wide estimates of fruit availability had little to no influence on the observed variation in group cohesion and ranging patterns among the four groups, while indices of mating opportunities did, suggesting that grouping and ranging dynamics in woolly monkeys may not primarily be the result of competition over food, but rather of competition over mates.
283) Adjuvant Treatment with Dopamine Receptor Modulators Prevents the Development of Morphine Tolerance in a Rodent Model

Opioids have a prominent role in managing acute pain. However, long-term management of pain with opioids is complicated, as tolerance for the drug develops, increasing the risk for misuse and abuse. The need exists for chronically effective treatments that minimize the rewarding component. Our data shows that, in animal models, combining low-dose morphine with a dopamine 3 receptor (DR3) agonist or dopamine 1 receptor (D1R) antagonist provides superior analgesia against acute painful stimuli compared to morphine alone. The current study examined if adjuvant treatment with D3R agonists or D1R antagonists can also prevent the development of tolerance to and reduce the addictive potential of morphine. Thermal and mechanical thresholds were tested in 16, female Long-Evans rats before and after a single subcutaneous dose of morphine (2mg/kg). Rats were then randomized to 1 of 4 chronic drug conditions: saline; morphine (5mg/kg/day); morphine + pramipexole (D3R agonist, 0.1mg/kg/day); morphine + SCH39166 (D1R antagonist, 0.1mg/kg/day). Drugs were delivered for 14 days via subcutaneous osmotic pump. Analgesia provided by an acute dose of morphine was re-assessed at 7 and 14 days after initiation of drug delivery. Addictive potential of each drug combination was determined using conditioned place preference (CPP). Prior to drug delivery, acute morphine injection increased thermal and mechanical thresholds in all animals. Fourteen days after chronic administration of morphine, sensory thresholds did not change in response to acute morphine (i.e. animals were tolerant). In contrast, sensory thresholds were increased in animals that had received morphine in combination with either dopamine receptor modulator. The addition of either dopamine receptor modulator to morphine also reduced the preference for the drug compared to morphine alone. Adjuvant therapy with clinically-available dopamine receptor agonists or antagonists can prevent the development of morphine tolerance and reduce the rewarding effect of morphine alone.
Neutralization technique use predicts delinquency and substance use outcomes.

Abstract This study was part of a larger research intervention that uses motivational interviewing (MI) as part of an in-school substance use intervention in local high schools in the greater Seattle area. Our aim was to test hypothesized relationships between marijuana use, other delinquent behavior, and neutralization techniques used by participants and determine their impact on the effectiveness of an MI-based substance use intervention. Of the 84 participants that completed Intake assessments, 60% were male and identified as an ethnic minority sample: Caucasian/White = 34%; African American/Black = 16%; Hispanic/Latin@ = 16%; Asian American/Asian = 8%; multiethnic = 8%. Forty-eight students completed Week 8 Follow Up assessments. Substance abuse was measured using the Customary Drinking and Drug Use Record (CDDR; Brown et al., 1998). Delinquency was measured using a revised version of the Late Adolescent Delinquency Scale (LADS; McCartan, 2007). Neutralization technique use was measured using a revised version of the Inventory of Neutralization Techniques (Ball, 1966; Ball, 1973; Mitchell & Dodder, 1983; Shields & Whitehall, 1994). Hierarchical linear regression analyses revealed that alcohol use at intake significantly predicted alcohol use at Week 8 Follow Up, F(1,47) = 8.503, p = .005 and accounted for approximately 16% of the model variance. Adding total neutralization to the model also yielded significant outcomes and accounted for 24% of the total variance, FΔ(2,46) = 4.835, p = .033. Data showed similar findings for marijuana, with Intake marijuana use predicting use at Week 8 Follow Up, F(1,47) = 9.542, p = .003, and accounting for approximately 18% of the model variance. Including total neutralization to this model also provided significant outcomes and accounted for 26% of the variance, FΔ(2,46) = 4.611, p = .037. Including delinquency did not significantly contribute to either regression model. Understanding these participants' cognitive strategies will be valuable in determining the most effective type of substance use treatment for each student.
Revisiting the Role of Radiation Therapy in Chondrosarcoma: A National Cancer Database Study.

Background. Although chondrosarcomas (CS) are mostly considered radioresistant, advancements in radiotherapy have brought attention to its use in these patients. Using the largest registry of primary bone tumors, the National Cancer Database (NCDB), we sought to better characterize the current use of radiotherapy in CS patients and identify any potential survival benefit with higher radiation doses and advanced radiation therapies. Methods. We retrospectively analyzed CS patients in the NCDB from 2004 to 2015 who underwent radiotherapy. The Kaplan–Meier method with statistical comparisons was used to identify which individual variables related to dosage and delivery modality were associated with improved 5-year survival rates. Multivariate proportional hazards analyses were performed to determine independent predictors of survival. Results. Of 5,427 patients with a histologic diagnosis of chondrosarcoma, 680 received a form of radiation therapy (13%). The multivariate proportional hazards analysis controlling for various patient, tumor, and treatment variables, including RT dose and modality, demonstrated that while overall radiation therapy (RT) was not associated with improved survival (HR 0.96, 95% CI 0.76–1.20), when examining just the patient cohort with positive surgical margins, RT trended towards improved survival (HR 0.81, 95% CI 0.58–1.13). When comparing advanced and conventional RT modalities, advanced RT was associated with significantly decreased mortality (HR 0.55, 95% CI 0.38–0.80). However, advanced modality and high-dose RT both trended only toward improved survival compared to patients who did not receive any RT (HR 0.74, 95% CI 0.52–1.06 and HR 0.93, 95% CI 0.71–1.21, respectively). Conclusions. Despite the suggested radioresistance of CS, modern radiotherapies may present a treatment option for certain patients. Our results support a role for high-dose, advanced radiation therapies in selected high-risk CS patients with tumors in surgically challenging locations or unplanned positive margins. While there is an associated survival rate benefit, further, prospective studies are needed for validation.
Redefining the Past to Become the Present: Culture Policy and U.S. Marine Corps Recruit Training

This chapter examines the challenges of developing cultural skills, not from the military student’s or instructor’s perspective but rather from the perspective of the military organization required to implement the new cultural policies and programs. Using data from a 6 year ethnographic research project, I provide a focused case study of the Marine Corps’ efforts to institute a radical new culture policy into a military organization that has been structured and trained to fight conventional wars. Using the specific case of Marine Corps recruiting and recruit training, I examine how Marine Corps leadership at the Parris Island Recruit Depot and Recruiting Command has been able to incorporate two seemingly incompatible identities—fearless warrior and culturally savvy peacekeeper—into recruit training. By reshaping the external policy directives to fit within Marine Corps values and ideals, culture becomes “Marinized”—transformed into something that looks, smells and tastes Marine. Thus, the external policy directive becomes redefined so that the new policy is no longer a threat to Marine Corps ideals, but simply a modern version of the long and honorable past identity of the Corps.
Environmental payback periods of multi-crystalline silicon photovoltaics in the United States – How prioritizing based on environmental impact compares to solar intensity

Abstract As global climate change is becoming a more pervasive issue, the environmental impact of electricity production is once again in the spotlight. In the context of global climate change it is critical to focus on shifting towards more sustainable electricity production methods, which meet the electricity demand without contributing significantly to the environmental footprint. Using photovoltaic (PV) systems as an alternative to conventional grid electricity is one potential option, which is beneficial as it is less resource intensive during the use phase than conventional electricity sources. However, environmental impacts are still generated during the raw materials and manufacturing life cycle phases of the PV. Life-cycle assessment (LCA) and environmental payback period (EPBP) were used to quantify the time it takes to recoup the environmental impacts due to production of solar PV compared to the environmental impacts of the current electricity grid. An EPBP analysis of all 50 states in the United States was performed to evaluate changes due to differences in solar potential, electricity mix, and impact category. The goal of this paper is to compare how the deployment of solar panels would change if environmental payback prioritization was considered compared to simply considering solar intensity.
V2I Connectivity-Based Dynamic Queue-Jump Lane for Emergency Vehicles: A Deep Reinforcement Learning Approach.

Emergency vehicle (EMV) service is a key function of cities and is exceedingly challenging due to urban traffic congestion. A main reason behind EMV service delay is the lack of communication and cooperation between vehicles blocking EMVs. In this paper, we study the improvement of EMV service under V2I connectivity. We consider the establishment of dynamic queue jump lanes (DQJLs) based on real-time coordination of connected vehicles. We develop a novel Markov decision process formulation for the DQJL problem, which explicitly accounts for the uncertainty of drivers' reaction to approaching EMVs. We propose a deep neural network-based reinforcement learning algorithm that efficiently computes the optimal coordination instructions. We also validate our approach on a micro-simulation testbed using Simulation of Urban Mobility (SUMO). Validation results show that with our proposed methodology, the centralized control system saves approximately 15\% EMV passing time than the benchmark system.
Common Occurrence of Twisted Molecular Crystal Morphologies from the Melt

Two books that describe the forms of thin films of many molecular crystals grown from the melt in polarized light, “Gedrillte” Kristalle (1929) by Ferdinand Bernauer and Thermomicroscopy in the Ana...
The Challenges of Bridging the Research–Practice Gap through Insider–Outsider Partnerships in Education:

BackgroundPartnerships between schools and universities are increasingly advocated as a way to bridge the research–practice gap in education. Empirical research has revealed a wide variety of benef...
Impact of Corona Virus Disease-2019 on occupational therapy practice in India: An online national survey

Background: India imposed several consecutive lockdowns to control the spread of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) beginning March 2020. As a result, many establishments, including outpatient health-care settings and educational institutions, were closed. Consequentially, many health-care professionals experienced disruption in their work lives and faced financial crisis. Objectives: The objective was to assess the impact of COVID-19 on the occupational therapy (OT) community in India. Study Design: This is a cross-sectional study. A ten-item electronic survey was developed based on the research question to gather data. Methods: An online survey form was e-mailed to 760 OTs in India identified through convenience sampling. The survey link, generated through SurveyMonkey, was also shared on four WhatsApp Messenger groups (TNAIOTA Official Group, OTist Group, Clinic OT, and IPOTPDG1) with many Indian OTs (snowball sampling). In addition, the survey link was shared through Facebook Messenger to around 200 OTs in India. Data were collected from May 24, 2020 to June 21, 2020. Results: The number of responses received was 99. Eighty-seven respondents reported experiencing disruption in work, of which 37 reported 81%–100% income loss. The income loss was high among private practitioners and low among academicians. Respondents utilized telehealth to overcome the disruption. Conclusions: COVID-19 has severely impacted the work lives of OTs in India and caused financial strain. This study provides preliminary data and some suggestions for the professional organizations and leaders to consider when advocating for the profession. Further in-depth exploration is recommended.
Long-term changes in the gut microbiota after triple therapy, sequential therapy, bismuth quadruple therapy and concomitant therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication in Chinese children

BACKGROUND We previously reported that the administration of 14-day standard triple therapy (TT), sequential therapy (ST), bismuth-based quadruple therapy (BT), and concomitant therapy (CT) as the first-line therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection in Chinese children achieved eradication rates of 74.1%, 69.5%, 89.8%, and 84.6%, respectively. In this follow-up study, we further evaluated the short- and long-term effects of the four regimens on the gut microbiota in these children. METHODS We prospectively recruited treatment-naive children with H. pylori infection. Fecal samples were collected at week 0, 2, 6, and 52, and alterations in the gut microbiota were analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. RESULTS Sixty-three patients participated in this study (16 with TT, 15 with ST, 16 with BT and 16 with CT). At week 2, the alpha diversity (Shannon and Chao 1 index) was significantly reduced in the TT (p = 0.008, p < 0.001), ST (p < 0.001, p < 0.001), BT (p < 0.001, p < 0.001) and CT groups (p < 0.001, p < 0.001). Some changes persisted in the ST, BT, and CT groups at week 6, and all were restored (expect p = 0.02 with Chao 1 index in the CT group) at week 52. The beta diversity was significantly changed in the BT (p = 0.001) and CT groups (p = 0.001) 2 weeks post-eradication and restored 1 year after therapy. Immediately after therapy, the relative abundance of Proteobacteria was strikingly increased in the ST (p = 0.005), BT (p < 0.001) and CT groups (p < 0.001), and the genus-level analysis showed that the abundances of 23.1%, 43.3%, 78.6%, and 78% of the bacterial genera in the TT, ST, BT, and CT groups were significantly changed. All these changes returned to almost the pre-eradication level 1 year post-eradication. CONCLUSION Eradication of H. pylori infection can lead to transient dysbiosis of gut microbiota, and these changes almost recovered 1 year post-eradication, which indicates the long-term safety of H. pylori therapy.
Gap filling mechanisms during the thin ply Automated Tape Placement process

Abstract Automated Tape Placement (ATP) is one of the attractive automated composite manufacturing processes as it reduces labor cost, increases production rate and improves repeatability. In this method, the part is built by consolidating one unidirectional prepreg tape layer at a time with a placement head using a compaction roller. Defects such as gaps between neighboring tapes during lay up are inevitable. This challenge becomes even more critical in the ATP of the thin ply prepreg tapes as the ratio of the gap width to the tape thickness increases. The filling process of such gaps during the process cycle results in resin-rich areas and fiber waviness. In this paper, we present a model to numerically simulate the gap-filling process by coupling the squeeze flow behavior within the tapes to fill the gap with the deformation of the top layers into the hollow space within the gap. First, the experimental results clarify the microstructural physics of the gap-filling process. This is followed by proposing a model to predict the flow front of resin that moves to fill the gap and the gap thickness. The predictions of the model are compared with experimental results and validated by the micrographs of fabricated samples.
Altered Metabolism in Alzheimer Disease Brain: Role of Oxidative Stress.

Significance: Alzheimer disease (AD) is an all-too-common condition in the aging population. However, aging does not automatically equal neurodegeneration and memory decline. Recent Advances: This ...
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Radiation Oncology Consult Volumes Within a Multi-Site Academic Practice

Purpose/Objective(s): Cancer care has been significantly impacted by the COVID 19 pandemic;however, a comprehensive understanding of the downstream effects of the pandemic on radiation oncology practice in the United States has not been well quantified. We sought to quantify the differences in radiation consult volumes across varying disease sites and practice locations within our National Cancer Institute (NCI) designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, at time points preceding and during the COVID 19 pandemic. The purpose of this study is to identify potential gaps in care for specific disease sites that could addressed in the future. Materials/Methods: We collected new patient referral data from three clinical radiation oncology sites for the 2019 calendar year and the 2020 calendar year. Overall new patient referrals for 2019 and 2020 were analyzed and compared as well as consult volume for each disease site. Results: In 2019, there was a total 4,284 overall consults and in 2020 there was a total of 3,442 consults. This is a 20% reduction in consults over a 12-month period. The month of April had the most significant decrease in consults with a total of 357 consults in April 2019 compared to a total of 179 consults in April 2020 (50% reduction). The month of February had the least reduction with 329 total consults in 2019 compared to a total of 313 consults in 2020 (5% reduction). There was a decrease in consult volumes for all tumor sites with the exception of following tumor sites which saw an increase in consult volumes: colon (55.6%), kidney &renal pelvis (15.8), larynx (32.7%), oral cavity (7%), Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (9.9%), other head & neck (13.9%), and thyroid cancer (36.4%). Breast and prostate cancer had the greatest absolute change in consult volume loss (32.6%, 29.3% respectively). Oral tongue cancer was the sole tumor site that had no change in consult volume across the study period. Conclusion: The ramifications of COVID-19 will be seen in the practices of clinicians, cancer centers, and the experiences of patients and their families for years to come. We found a 20% overall reduction in new patient referrals for 2020. The most significant absolute change in volume loss was seen in breast and prostate cancer. Head and neck cancer referrals were the most minimally impacted, with some increases in referrals during the study period which could possibly be related to limited surgical resources necessitating non-operative treatment. Further studies are needed to more comprehensively understand the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on radiation oncology practice.
Investigation of a Wood Curing Waste

The investigation of an industrial waste should be carried out prior to or in conjunction with the design and construction of the waste producing facility. To determine the characteristics and treatability of a waste associated with a new redwood curing process, lab studies were carried out concerning the chemical and biological nature of the waste. It was found that the COD was much higher than the BOD (7,541 mg per 1 vs. 2,260 mg per 1); the organic fraction of the waste was mostly in the suspended and colloidal fraction of the waste (90%); the sample size effected the BOD determination; the Warburg method was best for measuring the BOD; the waste was easily flocculated at either high pH (~11) or low pH (~3) with resultant organic reductions approaching 90%.
Ancestral plasticity and allometry in threespine stickleback reveal phenotypes associated with derived, freshwater ecotypes

For over a century, evolutionary biologists have debated whether and how phenotypic plasticity impacts the processes of adaptation and diversification. The empirical tests required to resolve these issues have proven elusive, mainly because it requires documentation of ancestral reaction norms, a difficult prospect where many ancestors are either extinct or have evolved. The threespine stickleback radiation is not limited in this regard, making it an ideal system in which to address general questions regarding the role of plasticity in adaptive evolution. As retreating ice sheets have exposed new habitats, oceanic stickleback founded innumerable freshwater populations, many of which have evolved parallel adaptations to their new environments. Because the founding oceanic population is extant, we can directly evaluate whether specific patterns of ancestral phenotypic expression in the context of novel environments (plasticity), or over ontogeny, predisposed the repeated evolution of “benthic” and “limnetic” ecotypes in shallow and deep lakes, respectively. Consistent with this hypothesis, we found that oceanic stickleback raised in a complex habitat and fed a macroinvertebrate diet expressed traits resembling derived, benthic fish. Alternatively, when reared in a simple environment on a diet of zooplankton, oceanic stickleback developed phenotypes resembling derived, limnetic fish. As fish in both treatments grew, their body depths increased allometrically, as did the size of their mouths, while their eyes became relatively smaller. Allometric trajectories were subtly but significantly impacted by rearing environment. Thus, both environmental and allometric influences on development, along with their interactive effects, produced variation in phenotypes consistent with derived benthic and limnetic fish, which may have predisposed the repeated genetic accommodation of this specific suite of traits. We also found significant shape differences between marine and anadromous stickleback, which has implications for evaluating the ancestral state of stickleback traits.
The cost of private debt covenant violation

This study quantifies costs that firms are willing to incur to avoid violation of private debt covenants. The results indicate that as firms approach covenant violation they engage in income-increasing earnings management, which increases their tax liability. By estimating the extent of income-increasing activities and the additional tax costs incurred, this study arrives at a lower-bound estimate of the cost of violating private debt covenants. The mean (median) firm with relatively tight debt covenants increases its current tax liability by an amount equivalent to increasing the cost of debt financing by between 12.92 (10.72) and 22.72 (12.81) basis points (where firms with relatively loose debt covenants serve as the baseline). The magnitude of this estimate indicates that the expected costs of covenant violation are meaningful. Combined with recent evidence that private debt covenant violations occur frequently (Dichev and Skinner, 2002; Roberts and Sufi, 2009b), this implies debt covenants and expected violations are economically important.
Flag: A free-Lagrange method for numerically simulating hydrodynamic flows in two dimensions

The FLAG concept applies to both compressible and incompressible fluid motions. We consider an incompressible, inviscid form of the equations of motion with streamfunction and vorticity as dependent variables. Incompressible, inviscid calculations give qualitative verification of a vorticity cascade toward higher wavenumbers and an energy cascade into lower wavenumbers currently postulated for two-dimensional hydrodynamic motions.
The malarial parasites of Anolis species (Sauria: Iguanidae) in Panama.

Abstract Lizards of the iguanid genus Anolis in Panama are parasitized by four species of Plasmodium. P.floridense occurs in A. limifrons, A. biporcatus, A. pentaprion and A. frenatus. The number of nuclei in mature schizonts is influenced by host species as is gametocyte shape but not gametocyte size. P. tropiduri parasitizes A. limifrons, A. pentaprion, A. biporcatus, A. frenatus, A. lionotus and A. poecilopus. The number of nuclei in schizonts varies according to host and type of blood cell parasitized. Gametocyte size varies slightly by host but shape remains relatively constant. Position of the parasite in the host cell may be affected by host species. Both schizonts and gametocytes are produced in white cells of all host species studied. P. balli occurs in A. limifrons, A. lionotus and A. poecilopus. Schizont and gametocyte size and shape are affected by host and blood cell type, with the parasite exhibiting different preferences for various blood cells in each host. P. minasense parasitizes A. limifrons, A. frenatus and A. capito, but its diagnosis in the last species may not be correct as gametocyte size and distribution of pigment differ considerably from other hosts. The mean number of nuclei in schizonts is not greatly affected by the host species. P. floridense is postulated to be of middle American origin in the genus Anolis, and to have reached Florida through the Caribbean.
An Empirical Analysis on Point-wise Machine Learning Techniques using Regression Trees for Web-search Ranking

OF THE THESIS An Empirical Analysis on Point-wise Machine Learning Techniques Using Regression Trees for Web-search Ranking. by Ananth Mohan Master of Science in Computer Science Washington University in St. Louis, 2010 Research Advisor: Dr. Kilian Weinberger Learning how to rank a set of objects relative to an user defined query has received much interest in the machine learning community during the past decade. In fact, there have been two recent competitions hosted by internationally prominent search companies to encourage research on ranking web site documents. Recent literature on learning to rank has focused on three approaches: point-wise, pair-wise, and list-wise. Many different kinds of classifiers, including boosted decision trees, neural networks, and SVMs have proven successful in the field. This thesis surveys traditional pointwise techniques that use regression trees for web-search ranking. The thesis contains empirical studies on Random Forests and Gradient Boosted Decision Trees, with novel augmentations to them on real world data sets. We also analyze how these point-wise techniques perform on new areas of research for web-search ranking: transfer learning and feature-cost aware models.
Applications of the Cluster Statistics

Applying cluster statistics of percolation theory to a cumulative local resistance distribution allows the calculation of the distribution of controlling, or bottleneck, resistances that govern flow over continuously connected paths from one side of a finite system to the other. The scale dependence of the distribution of hydraulic conductivity values can thus be obtained. When applied to a problem with significant anisotropy, it is possible to generate an expected variability of hydraulic conductivity measurements as a function of spatial scale for a given suite of geological parameters. In Chap. 10 parameters were identified that could produce the observed scale dependence of the median hydraulic conductivity value for approximately 700 experiments conducted in fractured media. In this chapter, it is shown that the same parameters also generate the variability in the individual units in which the experiments were performed.
Can American Business Schools Survive

U.S. business schools are locked in a dysfunctional competition for media rankings. This ratings race has caused schools to divert resources from investment in knowledge creation, including doctoral education and research, to short-term strategies aimed at improving rankings, such as placement offices and public relations campaigns. Curriculums are narrowing and training students for their first jobs, not their entire careers. Faced with a prisoner's dilemma, deans select short-run strategies that reduce research and doctoral education. The result is a looming critical faculty shortage and ultimately the demise of the pre-eminence of American management education. The worldwide preeminence of American business schools is on the decline, and Internet-based distance learning is not the threat. Rather, leading U.S. business schools, institutions once dedicated to generating new knowledge and disseminating it to the next generation of managers via their MBA programs, are locked in a dysfunctional competition for rankings - notably the Business Week surveys. This ratings race has caused schools to divert resources from investment in knowledge creation, including doctoral education and research, to short-term strategies aimed at improving rankings. The resulting decline in business doctorates is creating a severe shortage of quality faculty. American business schools are mortgaging their future; they are consuming their seed corn.
Performance of Wells Score for Deep Vein Thrombosis in the Inpatient Setting.

Importance The Wells score to determine the pretest probability of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) was validated in outpatient settings, but it is unclear whether it applies to inpatients. Objective To evaluate the utility of the Wells score for risk stratification of inpatients with suspected DVT. Design, Setting, and Participants A prospective study was conducted in a 793-bed quaternary care, academic hospital using Wells score clinical predictor findings entered by health care professionals in a computerized physician order entry system at the time lower-extremity venous duplex ultrasound studies were ordered. All adult inpatients suspected of having lower-extremity DVT who underwent lower-extremity venous duplex ultrasound studies between November 1, 2012, and December 31, 2013, were included. Patients with DVT diagnosed within the prior 3 months were excluded. For patients undergoing multiple lower-extremity venous duplex ultrasound studies, only the first was included. Main Outcomes and Measures Our primary outcome was the Wells score’s utility for risk stratification among inpatients with suspected DVT as measured by the difference in incidence of proximal DVT among the 3 Wells score categories (low, moderate, and high pretest probability), the discrimination accuracy of the Wells score categories as the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve, the failure rate of Wells score prediction, and the efficiency of the Wells score to exclude DVT. Results In a study cohort of 1135 inpatients, 137 (12.1%) had proximal DVT. Proximal DVT incidence in low, moderate, and high pretest probability groups was 5.9% (8 of 135), 9.5% (48 of 506), and 16.4% (81 of 494), respectively ( P Conclusions and Relevance The Wells score performed only slightly better than chance for discrimination of risk for DVT in hospitalized patients. It had a higher failure rate and a lower efficiency in the inpatient setting compared with that reported in the outpatient literature. Therefore, the Wells score risk stratification is not sufficient to rule out DVT or influence management decisions in the inpatient setting.
Pseudothecia of Swiss needle cast fungus, Phaeocryptopus gaeumannii, physically block stomata of Douglas fir, reducing CO2 assimilation.

The following study investigates the timing and mechanism of impact of Swiss needle cast on Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) needle physiology (i.e. gas exchange). Swiss needle cast is a foliar disease caused by the fungus Phaeocryptopus gaeumannii, which occurs throughout the range of Douglas fir and until recently has been considered unimportant. However, recent surveys show the Swiss needle cast currently affects > 52611 ha of forested lands in western Oregon, USA, causing a reduction in growth of c. 23% or an implied growth loss of c. 3.2 m3 ha−1 yr−1 for 1996 alone. Gas exchange of artificially inoculated 2-yr-old Douglas-fir seedlings was monitored on a monthly basis using A/Ci curve analysis. No effect of fungal presence on gas exchange was noted until the emergence of fungal fruiting structures (pseudothecia) from needle stomata. However, once present, maximum stomatal conductance and CO2 assimilation rates were inversely proportional to the presence of pseudothecia. A/Ci curve analysis showed that declines in CO2 assimilation appeared to be due to both stomatal and nonstomatal limitations. Stomatal limitations to CO2 assimilation were the direct result of reduced CO2 diffusion through blocked stomata. Nonstomatal limitations arose, in part, from an indirect effect of pseudothecia development on Rubisco activation. For example, in both Swiss needle cast-infected foliage and foliage with artificially blocked stomata (by external application of petroleum jelly), the amount of Rubisco activation showed a strong, positive relationship with daily maximum stomatal conductance. A mechanism is proposed that outlines the impact of pseudothecia development on stomatal conductance and CO2 assimilation rates.