cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Doctors and the FDA

In medical school, students learn a tremendous volume of information. The topics they study are the basic or preclinical sciences such as anatomy, physiology, microbiology and pharmacology; the clinical sciences such as internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology; and subspecialties such as cardiology and gastroenterology. These topics are studied by way of books, lectures, laboratory exercises, bedside observations and participation. However, the role of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in medicine is never a topic of intense study. It is perhaps mentioned in passing in pharmacology or discussed by clinical faculty on rounds. In fact, when I have asked them, many doctors and medical students have told me that FDA stands for Federal Drug Administration. Of course, the FDA does regulate drugs but it also regulates foods, cosmetics, supplements, biologics (for example, vaccines) and devices (for example, heart valves). Given FDA’s broad regulatory powers in matters clearly related to health, how can physicians know and be taught so little about the FDA?
Cathodoluminescence spectrum imaging analysis of CdTe thin-film bevels

We conducted T= 6 K cathodoluminescence (CL) spectrum imaging with a nanoscale electron beam on beveled surfaces of CdTe thin films at the critical stages of standard CdTe solar cell fabrication. We find that the through-thickness CL total intensity profiles are consistent with a reduction in grain-boundary recombination due to the CdCl2 treatment. The color-coded CL maps of the near-band-edge transitions indicate significant variations in the defect recombination activity at the micron and sub-micron scales within grains, from grain to grain, throughout the film depth, and between films with different processing histories. We estimated the grain-interior sulfur-alloying fraction in the interdiffused CdTe/CdS region of the CdCl2-treated films from a sample of 35 grains and found that it is not strongly correlated with CL intensity. A kinetic rate-equation model was used to simulate grain-boundary (GB) and grain-interior CL spectra. Simulations indicate that the large reduction in the exciton band intensit...
The transient potassium outward current has different roles in modulating the pyloric and gastric mill rhythms in the stomatogastric ganglion.

The crustacean stomatogastric nervous system is a classic model for understanding the effects of modulating ionic currents and synapses at both the cell and network levels. The stomatogastric ganglion in this system contains two distinct central pattern generators: a slow gastric mill network that generates flexible rhythmic outputs (8–20 s) and is often silent, and a fast pyloric network that generates more consistent rhythmic outputs (0.5–2 s) and is always active in vitro. Different ionic conductances contribute to the properties of individual neurons and therefore to the overall dynamics of the pyloric and gastric mill networks. However, the contributions of ionic currents to different dynamics between the pyloric and gastric mill networks are not well understood. The goal of this study is to evaluate how changes in outward potassium current (I A) in the stomatogastric ganglion affect the dynamics of the pyloric and gastric mill rhythms by interfering with normal I A activity. We bath-applied the specific I A blocker 4-aminopyridine to reduce I A’s effect in the stomatogastric ganglion in vitro and evaluated quantitatively the changes in both rhythms. We found that blocking I A in the stomatogastric ganglion alters the synchronization between pyloric neurons, and consistently activates the gastric mill rhythm in quiescent preparations.
Monoclonal Antibodies to Human Melanoma-Associated Antigens: Elicitation and Evaluation with Immunochemically Defined Antigen Preparations

Rapid advancements have been made in the production of monoclonal antibodies with the advent of hybridoma technology, originally described by Kohler and Milstein (1975). Among these advances has been the production of monoclonal reagents to viral antigens (Wiktor and Koprowski, 1978), histocompatibility antigens (Galfre et al., 1977), haptens (Kohler and Milstein, 1976; Bottcher et al., 1980), and other cell-surface antigens (Milstein et al., 1979). The latter category includes antibodies to human tumor-associated antigens (TAAs); the production of such antibodies is a prominent goal of many investigators. The use of intact tumor cells for both elicitation and evaluation of hybridoma products has been a hallmark of most of these research efforts.
Cohort study of immediate implant exchange during acute infection in the setting of breast reconstruction

Summary Background Implant infections in the setting of breast reconstruction present a significant setback for patients with breast cancer. Traditional management of implant infections is predicated on the operative removal of the implant and delayed replacement. Another option for implant infection management has emerged in which the soft tissue infection is neutralized, the implant is removed, the surgical site is washed out, and a new implant replaced immediately. In this study, we present our findings with the implementation of this technique and an algorithm for choosing which patients are the most appropriate candidates on the basis of a retrospective review. Methods A retrospective chart review of patients who underwent operative removal of infected expanders from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2015 was performed at the University of Michigan by the senior authors. The final reconstructive outcome, time to reconstruction, and infection recurrence were evaluated. Results Twenty patients with clinical signs of implant infections were identified. Of them, 16 patients with clinical signs of implant infection underwent immediate implant exchange; 15 remained infection free, while 1 patient developed recurrent infection within a month, which was treated with device removal. The mean time to final reconstruction in the 15 infection free patients was 207 days, and the 4 patients who underwent removal without immediate replacement had a 75% rate of non-completion at over 500 days. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that immediate implant exchange safely offers patients the opportunity to remain on a path toward reconstruction. These findings offer support for a paradigm shift in our management of implant infections in breast reconstruction patients who already face challenges associated with breast cancer care.
Der „Fundamentalbegriff des Mir-Eigenen“ als Grund und als Abstraktum

Die „Ironie“ der Diskussionskonstellation zwischen Systemtheorie und kommunikationstheoretisch gewendeter kritischer Theorie erscheint als durchaus sachhaltig, wenn man die Interpretationsthese zugrundelegt, es gehe in beiden Theorien darum, eine kritische Reformulierung transzendentaler Subjektivitat zu leisten im Abstos von dem, was als sozialtheoretisches Defizit der transzendentalphanomenologischen Subjekttheorie erscheint. Das gemeinsame Grundanliegen ist, in der Perspektive dieser Interpretationsthese betrachtet, der Versuch, einen Begriff transzendentaler Subjektivitat zu gewinnen, die Aporie der transzendentalphanomenologischen Intersubjektivitatstheorie vermeidet. Als inakzeptabel gilt beiden Positionen die Subjekttheorie in der Form, wie sie paradigmatisch in der Kritik Michael Theunissens an Husserl erscheint: der Ansatz beim „Fundamentalbegriff des Mir-Eigenen“ (I/131), dem individuellen Einzelich, das in seinem monologischen Selbstverhaltnis als konstitutiven „Trager“ von Sozialitat fungiert. Sozialitat konne so — als vom Einzelich konstitutiv abhangige Intersubjektivitat — nicht angemessen verstanden werden.
DAILY TEMPERATURE FLUCTUATIONS AND MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION: IMPLICATIONS OF GLOBAL WARMING ON CARDIAC HEALTH

Global Warming is projected to result in extreme weather events. Myocardial infarction can be triggered by environmental stress but there are few data on the impact of outdoor temperature on the risk of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We identified all STEMI patients treated with
Machine Learning for the Classification of Obesity from Dietary and Physical Activity Patterns

Conventional epidemiological analyses in health-related research have been successful in identifying individual risk factors for adverse health outcomes, e.g. cigarettes’ effect on lung cancer. However, for conditions that are multifactorial or for which multiple variables interact to affect risk, these approaches have been less successful. Machine learning approaches such as classifiers can improve risk prediction due to their ability to empirically detect patterns of variables that are “diagnostic” of a particular outcome, over the conventional approach of examining isolated, statistically independent relationships that are specified a priori. This chapter presents a proof-of-concept using several classifiers (discriminant analysis, support vector machines (SVM), and neural nets) to classify obesity from 18 dietary and physical activity variables. Random subsampling cross-validation was used to measure prediction accuracy. Classifiers outperformed logistic regressions: quadratic discriminant analysis (QDA) correctly classified 59% of cases versus logistic regression’s 55% using original, unbalanced data; and radial-basis SVM classified nearly 61% of cases using balanced data, versus logistic regression’s 59% prediction accuracy. Moreover, radial SVM predicted both categories (obese and non-obese) above chance simultaneously, while some other methods achieved above-chance prediction accuracy for only one category, usually to the detriment of the other. These findings show that obesity can be more accurately classified by a combination or pattern of dietary and physical activity behaviors, than by individual variables alone. Classifiers have the potential to inform more effective nutritional guidelines and treatments for obesity. More generally, machine learning methods can improve risk prediction for health outcomes over conventional epidemiological approaches.
Dopamine Transporter Dynamics of N -Substituted Benztropine Analogs with Atypical Behavioral Effects.

Atypical dopamine transporter (DAT) inhibitors, despite high DAT affinity, do not produce the psychomotor stimulant and abuse profile of standard DAT inhibitors such as cocaine. Proposed contributing features for those differences include off-target actions, slow onsets of action, and ligand bias regarding DAT conformation. Several 3α-(4',4''-difluoro-diphenylmethoxy)tropanes were examined, including those with the following substitutions: N-(indole-3''-ethyl)- (GA1-69), N-(R)-2''-amino-3''-methyl-n-butyl- (GA2-50), N-2''aminoethyl- (GA2-99), and N-(cyclopropylmethyl)- (JHW013). These compounds were previously reported to have rapid onset of behavioral effects and were presently evaluated pharmacologically alone or in combination with cocaine. DAT conformational mode was assessed by substituted-cysteine accessibility and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. As determined by substituted-cysteine alkylation, all BZT analogs except GA2-99 showed bias for a cytoplasmic-facing DAT conformation, whereas cocaine stabilized the extracellular-facing conformation. MD simulations suggested that several analog-DAT complexes formed stable R85-D476 "outer gate" bonds that close the DAT to extracellular space. GA2-99 diverged from this pattern, yet had effects similar to those of other atypical DAT inhibitors. Apparent DAT association rates of the BZT analogs in vivo were slower than that for cocaine. None of the compounds was self-administered or stimulated locomotion, and each blocked those effects of cocaine. The present findings provide more detail on ligand-induced DAT conformations and indicate that aspects of DAT conformation other than "open" versus "closed" may facilitate predictions of the actions of DAT inhibitors and may promote rational design of potential treatments for psychomotor-stimulant abuse.
Benign Anorectal Disorders

This chapter describes common benign anorectal disorders and their medical (and surgical) treatment. These disorders include anal fissure, anal stenosis, anal abscess, constipation, fecal incontinence, hemorrhoids, hidradenitis suppurativa, nonrelaxing puborectalis syndrome, perianal Crohn’s disease, perianal fistula, proctalgia fugax, pruritis ani, radiation proctopathy, rectal prolapse, rectovaginal fistula, solitary rectal ulcer syndrome, and ulcerative proctitis.
The use of a large-scale surveillance system in Planned Parenthood Federation of America clinics to monitor cardiovascular events in users of combination oral contraceptives.

BACKGROUND The publication of a series of papers based on three large, case-controlled studies raised questions about the safety of oral contraceptives (OCs) containing either desogestrel or gestodene as the progestational agent. In light of these studies, the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) assessed the risk of thromboembolic events in patients who attended its clinics in the United States (U.S.). These PPFA patients were prescribed contraceptives containing one of the following progestins: desogestrel, levonorgestrel, norethindrone, or norgestimate. All of the contraceptives used contained either 30 or 35 microg of estrogen. METHODS In this retrospective analysis, the association between the occurrence of a thromboembolic event, OC use, and progestin type was assessed in a group of PPFA patients. These patients were prescribed 2,265,087 woman-years (WY) of OCs from January 1, 1993 to December 31, 1995. RESULTS Seventy events (deep vein thromboses [DVTs], pulmonary emboli [PEs], myocardial infarctions [MIs], and cerebral-vascular accidents [CVAs] were reported; a rate of 3 events per 100,000 WY of use. Five deaths occurred, at a rate of 0.22 per 100,000 WY of use. This low rate of incidents appears to be related to the younger age of PPFA patients and to the use of uniform guidelines for the selection and follow-up patients. Only the lower relative risk of PE reached statistical significance, when either norethindrone or norgestimate was compared to desogestrel-containing pills, but the absolute risk of these events was lower than in other published studies. Though the overall risk varied from a low of 1.895 events per 100,000 WY for norgestimate OC users to a high of 3.969 events per 100,000 WY for desogestrel OC users, these differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS This study supports the conclusion that OCs containing 30 or 35 microg of estrogen, combined with one of the four previously identified progestins, carry an extremely low risk of a thromboembolic event, particularly when prescribing is based on a defined medical protocol. Overall, these four groups of low-dose estrogen-containing OCs appear safer than any previously published study has indicated.
The Hidden Benefits of Facilitated Dialogue

Studies of alternative dispute resolution demonstrate how interest-based tradeoffs contribute to joint gains, yet facilitators do more than just broker deals between adversaries. This paper explore...
Partisan Rivalry Between Government and Business in Puebla, 1981–1993

The relationship between state governments and organized business in Puebla was highly contentious throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Business associations responded to the economic shock of 1982 by supporting opposition PAN candidates for local office, leading to attempts by PRI governors Guillermo Jimenez Morales and Mariano Pina Olaya to co-opt and confront private sector leaders. In this context, coordinated efforts to respond to economic change in Puebla failed. Instead, adjustment to Mexico’s trade liberalization occurred through firm and industry-specific actions, with limited inputs from local government. This pattern of government-business relations can be explained by the organization of the private sector. A traditional, conservative elite dominated local business associations, making organized business a political threat rather than a developmental partner for local governments. Meanwhile, Volkswagen and other large firms did not participate in business associations and instead pursued unilateral actions to adjust to economic change, largely outside of local institutions.
Gapless spin excitations in superconducting La 2 -x Ca 1 +x Cu 2 O 6 with T c up to 55 K

We report inelastic neutron scattering on single crystals of the bilayer cuprate family ${\mathrm{La}}_{2\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Ca}}_{1+x}{\mathrm{Cu}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{6+\ensuremath{\delta}}$, including two crystals made superconducting (transitions at 45 and 55 K) by high-pressure annealing in an oxygen-containing atmosphere. The magnetic excitations in the nonsuperconducting crystal have a similar temperature dependence as those in weakly hole-doped cuprates. In the superconducting crystals, there is a near-uniform suppression of the magnetic spectral weight with increasing temperature; in particular, there are no signs of a spin gap or ``resonance'' peak. This is different from the temperature dependence seen in many optimally doped cuprates but similar to the behavior seen in certain underdoped cuprates. We discuss the possible connection with pair-density-wave superconductivity.
Communicating Concern about Early Signs of Autism to Parents.

In treating children with autism, physicians should focus on involving parents in a shared decision making partnership and seeking safe, evidence-based, and medically and cost-effective treatments.
Measurement of Three-Dimensional Structural Displacement Using a Hybrid Inertial Vision-Based System

Accurate three-dimensional displacement measurements of bridges and other structures have received significant attention in recent years. The main challenges of such measurements include the cost and the need for a scalable array of instrumentation. This paper presents a novel Hybrid Inertial Vision-Based Displacement Measurement (HIVBDM) system that can measure three-dimensional structural displacements by using a monocular charge-coupled device (CCD) camera, a stationary calibration target, and an attached tilt sensor. The HIVBDM system does not require the camera to be stationary during the measurements, while the camera movements, i.e., rotations and translations, during the measurement process are compensated by using a stationary calibration target in the field of view (FOV) of the camera. An attached tilt sensor is further used to refine the camera movement compensation, and better infers the global three-dimensional structural displacements. This HIVBDM system is evaluated on both short-term and long-term synthetic static structural displacements, which are conducted in an indoor simulated experimental environment. In the experiments, at a 9.75 m operating distance between the monitoring camera and the structure that is being monitored, the proposed HIVBDM system achieves an average of 1.440 mm Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) on the in-plane structural translations and an average of 2.904 mm RMSE on the out-of-plane structural translations.
Exploring Spatial-Temporal Patterns From Individual User Cellular Traffic

While traffic modeling and prediction are at the heart of providing high-quality telecommunication services in cellular networks and have attracted much attention, they have been proved as extremely challenging tasks. Due to the diverse network demand of Internet-based apps, the cellular traffic from an individual user can have a wide dynamic range. Given the observation, we propose to leverage deep learning techniques to explore latent features in individual user’s cellular traffic. However, it is unclear what kind of features are explorable. To answer this question, we conducted a one-month data collection campaign and carried out a thorough analysis over the generated dataset. We find that user traffic demonstrates clear spatial-temporal patterns which are essential to our future study that leverages these characteristics for traffic forecasting.
Second order threshold dynamics schemes for two phase motion by mean curvature

Abstract The threshold dynamics algorithm of Merriman, Bence, and Osher is only first order accurate in the two-phase setting. Its accuracy degrades further to half order in the multi-phase setting, a shortcoming it has in common with other related, more recent algorithms such as the equal surface tension version of the Voronoi implicit interface method. As a first, rigorous step in addressing this shortcoming, we present two different second order accurate versions of two-phase threshold dynamics. Unlike in previous efforts in this direction, we present careful consistency calculations for both of our algorithms. The first algorithm is consistent with its limit (motion by mean curvature) up to second order in any space dimension. The second achieves second order accuracy only in dimension two, but comes with a rigorous stability guarantee (unconditional energy stability) in any dimension – a first for high order schemes of its type.
Catalytically inactive T7 DNA polymerase imposes a lethal replication roadblock

Bacteriophage T7 encodes its own DNA polymerase, the product of gene 5 (gp5). In isolation, gp5 is a DNA polymerase of low processivity. However, gp5 becomes highly processive upon formation of a complex with Escherichia coli thioredoxin, the product of the trxA gene. Expression of a gp5 variant in which aspartate residues in the metal-binding site of the polymerase domain were replaced by alanine is highly toxic to E. coli cells. This toxicity depends on the presence of a functional E. coli trxA allele and T7 RNA polymerase-driven expression but is independent of the exonuclease activity of gp5. In vitro, the purified gp5 variant is devoid of any detectable polymerase activity and inhibited DNA synthesis by the replisomes of E. coli and T7 in the presence of thioredoxin by forming a stable complex with DNA that prevents replication. On the other hand, the highly homologous Klenow fragment of DNA polymerase I containing an engineered gp5 thioredoxin-binding domain did not exhibit toxicity. We conclude that gp5 alleles encoding inactive polymerases, in combination with thioredoxin, could be useful as a shutoff mechanism in the design of a bacterial cell-growth system.
Abstract IA12: Metabolic barriers to effective immunotherapy of cancer

The tumor microenvironment presents a number of barriers to antitumor immunity, both immunologic and nonimmunologic in nature. It is now appreciated that, driven by the deregulated energetics of the cancer cells, the tumor microenvironment possesses a distinct metabolic landscape that may be detrimental to immune function, thus acting as a resistance mechanism to immunotherapy. I will discuss the metabolic defects present in tumor-infiltrating T cells and highlight the mechanistic underpinnings that drive these deficiencies. Further, I will discuss how genetic engineering, pharmacologic intervention, and costimulatory immunotherapy can be employed to modulate the metabolism of infiltrating T cells. Finally, I will describe how profiling the metabolism of patient tumor cells can yield insight into the regulation of immunity and the response to immunotherapy. Citation Format: Greg M. Delgoffe. Metabolic barriers to effective immunotherapy of cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-AHNS Head and Neck Cancer Conference: Optimizing Survival and Quality of Life through Basic, Clinical, and Translational Research; 2019 Apr 29-30; Austin, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2020;26(12_Suppl_2):Abstract nr IA12.
Newer Biological Agents in the Treatment of Severe Asthma: Real-World Results from a Tertiary Referral Center

To determine the efficacy of IL-5 inhibitory therapy in severe, refractory asthma in a real-world clinical setting from a tertiary referral center. A retrospective chart review of patients with severe asthma treated with IL-5 biologic therapy for ≥ 6 months at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota between January 1, 2013 and August 31, 2019. Over the study period, we identified 63 patients with a mean age of 54 who received an IL-5 inhibitor for ≥ 6 months. A total of 55 patients received mepolizumab, 2 received benralizumab, and 9 patients received both. Patients were followed up for a mean of 25 months. The mean number of months of oral prednisone use prior to biologic initiation was 64. There was a significant reduction in the median dose of prednisone in the 24 months after drug initiation (15 mg vs. 0 mg; p = < 0.0001). Similarly; there was a significant decline in the median number of asthma exacerbations in the 24 months before and after drug initiation (7 vs. 2; p = < 0.0001). The mean number of emergency room (ER) visits and hospitalizations decreased from 5.1 and 2.0 to 1.6 and 0.4 in the 24 months before and after therapy initiation (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.007, respectively) IL-5 inhibitory therapy is associated with significant and long-term sustained reductions in asthma exacerbation frequency, ER visits, hospitalizations, as well as oral steroid usage in a patient population with refractory steroid-dependent asthma referred to a tertiary referral center.
Ureteral Stent Placement following Ureteroscopy Increases Emergency Department Visits in a Statewide Surgical Collaborative

Purpose:Ureteral stents are commonly placed after ureteroscopy. Although studies indicate that stents are associated with patient discomfort, their impact on downstream health services use is uncle...
Performance of 4 Automated SARS-CoV-2 Serology Assay Platforms in a Large Cohort Including Susceptible COVID-19-Negative and COVID-19-Positive Patients.

Background Anti-SARS-CoV-2 serological responses may have a vital role in controlling the spread of the disease. However, the comparative performance of automated serological assays has not been determined in susceptible patients with significant co-morbidities. Methods In this study, we used a large number of COVID-19 negative patient samples (n = 2030) as well as COVID-19 positive patient samples (n = 112) to compare the performance of four serological assay platforms; Siemens Healthineers Atellica IM Analyzer, Siemens Healthineers Dimension EXL Systems, Abbott ARCHITECT, and Roche cobas. Results All four serology assay platforms exhibited comparable negative percent agreement with negative COVID-19 status ranging from 99.2-99.7%, and positive percent agreement from 84.8-87.5% with positive real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results. Of the 2142 total samples, only 38 samples (1.8%) yielded discordant results on one or more platforms. However, only 1.1% (23/2030) of COVID-19 negative cohort results was discordant whereas discordance was 10-fold higher for the COVID-19 positive cohort at 11.3% (15/112). Of the total 38 discordant results, 34 were discordant on only one platform. Conclusion Serology assay performance was comparable across the four platforms assessed in a large population of COVID-19 negative patients with relevant comorbidities. The pattern of discordance shows that samples were discordant on a single assay platform, and discordance rate was 10-fold higher in the COVID-19 positive population. Impact statement High negative percent agreement reinforces the reliability of serology testing especially in a cohort of at-risk patients. Serology platform discordance highlights the importance of a two-test strategy for properly identifying seroconverted patients.
The Production System Frontier

This technical note covers the concept of the production system frontier. This includes understanding how best practices influence the production system frontier, and providing some examples of how you can manage the production system frontier in any setting. Excerpt UVA-OM-1588 Dec. 7, 2017 The Production System Frontier In this note, we will discuss the concept of the production system frontier. This includes understanding how best practices influence the production system frontier, and providing some examples of how you can manage the production system frontier in any setting. We know that efficiency, productivity, and effectiveness are critical elements for operations management. Let's dive a little bit deeper into effectiveness, because this is element that is directly related to customer value. The Frontier: Quality for a Given Price As a reminder, effectiveness is about designing processes that create value for customers. And effectiveness is often depicted as a frontier. We see in Figure 1 that on one axis would be anything that the customer considers to be quality. For example, product quality, service quality, speed, timeliness, flexibility—all of these factors are depicted on one axis as a general “quality” attribute. On the other axis is the price associated with delivering that quality to customers (or the cost that the firm bears to deliver the quality). In this context, we assume that price and cost are closely related. If the firm has a high cost, then it's going to have to transfer some of that cost onto the customers in terms of price. If it has low cost, it can offer a lower price to customers. . . .
Comparison of Sixth-Month Post-Transplant Survival before and after Implementation of the 2018 UNOS Allocation Policy Change in Patients with Restrictive Cardiomyopathy

Purpose The intent of the UNOS allocation system change was to better prioritize heart transplantation (HT) for the most critically ill patients. Here, we explore six-month post-transplant survival of HT patients with a pre-transplant diagnosis of restrictive cardiomyopathy one year before (PRE) and after (POST) the allocation change (10/18/2018). Methods We identified all adult patients (N=205) with RCM that underwent HT between 10/18/2017 to 10/17/2019. There were 93 patients in the PRE group and 112 patients in the POST group. Baseline clinical characteristics were compared using Mann-Whitney U test and Chi-square test as appropriate. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier (KM) analysis and both Univariate and Multivariate Cox Proportional Hazards (PH) regression analysis adjusted for policy change, recipient age, donor age, gender mismatch, bilirubin, creatinine, dialysis status, ischemic time, and ventilator use. Results There was no significant difference in 6-month survival between the groups by KM analysis (p=0.58). Policy change was not a significant predictor of mortality by univariate analysis (HR 1.29 [0.53, 3.15]) and multivariate analysis (HR 1.8 [0.67,4.81]). Median ischemic time (3.6 hrs vs. 2.8 hrs, p Conclusion The 2018 policy change did not affect 6-month post-transplant survival or mortality for patients with RCM.
Using a deterministic systems model to examine the effects of the postpartum period on cow-calf productivity over 10 years

The duration of postpartum anestrus is important to consider for reproductive momentum and efficiency in cow~calf operations. It is challenging to fully understand the long-term impacts that the average duration of postpartum anestrus has on production. We developed a deterministic model of cow-calf production over 10 years using the software program Stella Professional to model the effects that various postpartum anestrus lengths have on measures of herd productivity, including the percent of cows pregnant at pregnancy diagnosis and the pounds of calf weaned per cow exposed.
Hyper-CVAD in 2021: Lessons Learned and New Approaches

Abstract The hallmark of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treatment is the use of multi-agent chemotherapy based on a backbone including vincristine, anthracyclines, and corticosteroids. Hyper-fractionated cyclophosphamide, vincristine, adriamycin, and dexamethasone (hyper-CVAD) alternating with high-dose methotrexate (MTX) and cytarabine for a total of an 8-intensive-course regimen, developed at MD Anderson Cancer Center in 1992,1,2 was inspired by a Burkitt lymphoma regimen developed in the 1980s by the pediatric oncology group at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and incorporated basic therapeutic principles of pediatric regimens, with reduced reliance on asparaginase during remission induction.3 The initial regimen, limited by infectious complications, induction mortality, and high rates of relapse in select populations have since been modified to improve outcomes and safely incorporate the newest agents in the anti-leukemic armamentarium. These changes, which include modifying maintenance and intensification therapy, incorporating novel monoclonal antibodies, BCR-ABL1 tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), and the use of growth factors, have resulted in improved complete remission rates, overall survival, and decreased induction mortality.4–9
Continuous-Time Stochastic Processes

In this chapter we consider families of random variables \((f_t)_{t\in T}\) where time T is continuous, either \({T=\,{\textsf {I\!\!\!R}}}\) or \({T=\,{\textsf {I\!\!\!R}}_+}\). We call these families continuous stochastic processes.
Experimental model of alcohol-related peripheral neuropathy.

Alcohol-related peripheral neuropathy (ALN) is an underrecognized, chronic, and potentially debilitating disease that lacks effective treatment, because the mechanism of injury is poorly understood.1,2 The development of new treatments for ALN depends partly on the understanding of causative mechanisms in a validated rat model of chronic alcoholism. Although alcohol exposure is clearly the critical variable, considerable attention has been paid to thiamine deficiency because of the similarities of the clinical presentation and electrophysiology of the associated neuropathies. Studies have shown that alcohol impairs thiamine absorption through the gastrointestinal tract,3–5 its utilization in tissues,6 its hepatic storage,7,8 and the phosphorylation of thiamine, thus reducing the availability of the active form, thiamine pyrophosphate.9–11 This concept of thiamine as the main etiologic factor causing ALN has lost support, because results from controlled clinical trials and a recent Cochrane Database Review demonstrated that ALN was not abated significantly or reversed by thiamine supplementation.12–14 Therefore, additional research is needed to better understand the mechanisms of ALN, particularly with regard to the potential roles of ethanol, nutritional deficiency, and genetic factors that increase risk for developing ALN. The primary objectives of this study were to determine whether chronic ethanol feeding in a nutritionally balanced rat model of alcoholism would produce a neuropathy consistent with features of ALN. The expectation is that this model can be utilized to understand the underlying mechanism(s) that cause ALN and can help with development of new treatments for this potentially debilitating disease.
Los servicios de la lengua

Baldomero Sanin Cano. Jorge Eliecer Ruiz. Jorge Gaitan Duran. Pedro Gomez Valderrama. Coleccion Clasicos Colombianos, Procultura, Bogota, 1991.
Diastolic suction during acute coronary occlusion.

To the Editor: We congratulate Bell et al on the recent publication of their study1 that presents evidence indicating a decrease in forces responsible for diastolic suction during an acute occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery in dogs. Their experimental preparation is elegant, and we agree with their principal interpretation of their data: the acute loss of regional cardiac contractile function due to myocardial ischemia can result in a decrease in the mechanical generation and storage of elastic forces available to induce ventricular suction during early diastole. In our view, the authors’ introductory remark that “One determinant of filling that may be altered during coronary occlusion but has not previously been studied is the ability of the LV to fill by suction” is an incomplete representation of the literature. In a previous publication,2 we described in detail the form of intraventricular pressure gradients found in the normal canine left ventricle during early diastole. In that report, we argued that the pattern of these early diastolic pressure gradients could only be present in a structure that filled by the process of mechanical suction. In a follow-up to that study, we hypothesized …
Robot hand-eye coordination: shape description and grasping

The successful execution of grasps by a robot hand requires a translation of visual information into control signals to the hand which produce the desired spatial orientation and preshape for an arbitrary object. An approach to this problem, based on separation of the task into two modules, is presented. A vision module is used to transform an image into a volumetric shape description using generalized cones. The data structure containing this geometric information becomes an input to the grasping module, which obtains a list of feasible grasp modes and a set of control signals for the robot hand. Various features of both modules are discussed. >
Diel Division Cycle and Growth Rates of Synechococcus in Lakes Huron and Michigan1

A clone of Synechococcus isolated from Lake Huron and natural populations of Synechococcus from lakes Huron and Michigan were studied in 1989 to examine the diel division cycle and to provide estimates of the in situ growth rate based on the frequency of dividing cells (FDC) method. Cultured populations of Synechococcus exhibited a consistent diel division pattern with a midday/afternoon (1100–1800 h) peak in the percent of dividing cells. The maximum percent of dividing cells varied among cultures (8-27%) and was related to the growth rate. A small fraction of dividing cells (3-5%) remained throughout the dark period, suggesting that some cells were arrested in the doublet stage prior to division. The duration of division (td) ranged from 2.6-4.9 h, with a 3.7 h mean for cultures with growth rates ≥0.34 d−1 but increased to 8 h at a lower growth rate of 0.20 d−1. The diel division pattern for natural populations was very similar to the laboratory clone; an afternoon peak (1400-2100 h) in dividing cells and a small fraction of dividing cells (2-5%) remained during the dark period. The maximum percent of dividing cells for natural populations ranged from 6-10%. In situ growth rates, determined from the FDC and assuming a constant td of 3.7 h, ranged from 0.30-0.42 d−1. The FDC method may provide accurate estimates of in situ growth, particularly in environments where the growth rate is >0.34 d−1, but in lakes Huron and Michigan where growth rates can be lower and td values may increase, FDC-growth rates must be viewed with caution.
FLAVOR AND CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CONVENTIONALLY AND MICROWAVE REHEATED PORK

Sensory evaluations and chemical measurements were made on freshly cooked (conventionally heated), conventionally-reheated (after 5 wk frozen storage), and microwave-reheated pork loin muscle. Freshly cooked and microwave-reheated pork had sweeter aroma and less metallic flavor than conventionally-reheated pork. Microwave reheated pork was less juicy than pork heated by the other treatments. Freshly cooked pork had the lowest TBA values and the highest moisture content. Heating treatment did not affect ninhydrin-reactive compounds or nitrogen content in the various extracted protein fractions.
Surface characterization of (AgCu)(InGa)Se 2 thin films for solar cells

AgCu(InGa)Se 2 alloy absorber layers with various Ga/(Ga+In) and Ag/(Ag+Cu) ratios were deposited using multi-source elemental evaporation and analyzed by glancing incidence x-ray diffraction and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. All films exhibit satellite chalcopyrite reflections in the x-ray diffraction pattern and films with 0.5 ≤ Ga 0.5 have additional reflections consistent with an ordered defect phase which is limited to the near-surface region of the film. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results show that all films have low (Ag+Cu)/Se ratios near the surface, consistent with an ordered defect compound. Films with 0 5 Se 8 ordered defect phases. Additionally the near-surface region of (AgCu)(InGa)Se 2 films contains a higher Ag/(Ag+Cu) ratio than the bulk and the Ag(InGa)Se 2 film contains excess Ag near the surface.
Interparticle bond energy and rheological properties of clay suspensions

Abstract A new method was developed for measuring the heat released when the interparticle bonds in a clay suspension reform after being broken by a shearing stress. In this method, the rotor and cup of a Stormer viscometer were located within one of the microcalorimetric elements of a Calvet microcalorimeter. After filling the annulus between the rotor and cup with a clay suspension and establishing thermal equilibrium, a brake was released and the rotor was activated for a few seconds by a falling weight. The weight was attached to a string that was wound around a drum geared to the rotor. A stopwatch was used to measure the time of shear, i.e., the rotation time, and the microcalorimeter was used to measure the heat generated. In a related experiment, the rheological properties of the suspension were determined with a Fann viscometer. The product of shear stress, shear rate, and time of shear equals the heat dissipated by viscous flow. When the value of this product was substracted from the corresponding value fo the total heat dissipated, the result was the heat dissipated by the formation of bonds that were broken in the process of shear. We calculated an average value for the latter quantity by averaging the results obtained at various combinations of shear stress, shear rate, and time of shear. The procedure-described above was repeated for several suspensions of different clay and electrolyte concentrations. It was found that the heat of bond formation increased in magnitude as the clay concentration increased but decreased in magnitude as the electrolyte concentration increased. Also, it was found that the heat of bond formation was correlated with the extrapolated shear stress of the suspension.
ON FORMULATIONS AND SOLUTIONS OF SIMPLEX EQUATIONS

A version of the tetrahedral equation is formulated using a pictorial interpretation of the Frenkel-Moore equation. The picture gives a solution that is a product of quantum Yang-Baxter solutions. Higher-dimensional variants of the Frenkel-Moore equations are found from this pictorial interpretation, and the pictures reduce their solvability to the solvability of lower-dimensional equations.
Behavior of early life intervals of Klamath River green sturgeon, Acipenser medirostris, with a note on body color

We studied ontogenetic behavior, migration, and wintering behavior of young Klamath River green sturgeon, Acipenser medirostris, in the laboratory to provide insight into likely behavior of wild sturgeon. Hatchling free embryos preferred cover but were poor swimmers and could not move farther than a few centimeters to cover. The poor swimming ability and cover preference of hatchlings suggests evolution for habitat selection of females to place eggs in habitat with cover for eggs (and hatchlings), and for egg characteristics (large, dense, and weakly adhesive) to cause rapid sinking into cover without drifting. A day or so after fish developed into larvae (first life interval feeding exogenously), day-12 larvae initiated a 12-day downstream nocturnal migration. A totally nocturnal migration is unlike other Acipenser migrants yet studied. Migrant larvae had a dark-colored body typical of other Acipenser species that migrate as larvae. Tail color was a dark black (black-tail phenotype) only during the early larva period, suggesting a morphological adaptation for migration, foraging, or both. Post-migrant larvae and early juveniles to day 84 foraged diurnally with a nocturnal activity peak. Day 110–181 juveniles moved downstream at night until water temperature decreased to about 8°C, indicating wild juveniles migrate downstream to wintering habitat. Habitat preference of month 9–10 wintering juveniles suggests wild juveniles are in deep pools with low light and some rock structure. Wintering juveniles were only active at night. Initiation and cessation of daily activity was at dusk and dawn during illumination changes of <1.0lx. This sensitivity to illumination has not been found before in sturgeons. During the first 10months of life, nocturnal activity of early life intervals is a dominant feature of migration, foraging, and wintering.
Power Distribution on the World Stage: The Impact of the Crimean Crisis

This article examines the power distribution on the world stage and emphasizes the Russia-US relationship as its essential element. The article approaches the crisis in Crimea from the system level perspective and seeks to answer the question of its impact on the distribution of power in the world order. Furthermore, the paper examines the interpretation of the uni/multipolarity as expressed by the US and Russia. The article concludes that the crisis did not change the distribution of power on the global stage and became a concentrated expression of the dispute about the multipolar world.
Clinical Equivalence of Generic and Brand-Name Drugs Used in Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Context Use of generic drugs, which are bioequivalent to brand-name drugs, can help contain prescription drug spending. However, there is concern among patients and physicians that brand-name drugs may be clinically superior to generic drugs. Objectives To summarize clinical evidence comparing generic and brand-name drugs used in cardiovascular disease and to assess the perspectives of editorialists on this issue. Data Sources Systematic searches of peer-reviewed publications in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts from January 1984 to August 2008. Study Selection Studies compared generic and brand-name cardiovascular drugs using clinical efficacy and safety end points. We separately identified editorials addressing generic substitution. Data Extraction We extracted variables related to the study design, setting, participants, clinical end points, and funding. Methodological quality of the trials was assessed by Jadad and Newcastle-Ottawa scores, and a meta-analysis was performed to determine an aggregate effect size. For editorials, we categorized authors' positions on generic substitution as negative, positive, or neutral. Results We identified 47 articles covering 9 subclasses of cardiovascular medications, of which 38 (81%) were randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Clinical equivalence was noted in 7 of 7 RCTs (100%) of β-blockers, 10 of 11 RCTs (91%) of diuretics, 5 of 7 RCTs (71%) of calcium channel blockers, 3 of 3 RCTs (100%) of antiplatelet agents, 2 of 2 RCTs (100%) of statins, 1 of 1 RCT (100%) of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and 1 of 1 RCT (100%) of α-blockers. Among narrow therapeutic index drugs, clinical equivalence was reported in 1 of 1 RCT (100%) of class 1 antiarrhythmic agents and 5 of 5 RCTs (100%) of warfarin. Aggregate effect size (n = 837) was −0.03 (95% confidence interval, −0.15 to 0.08), indicating no evidence of superiority of brand-name to generic drugs. Among 43 editorials, 23 (53%) expressed a negative view of generic drug substitution. Conclusions Whereas evidence does not support the notion that brand-name drugs used in cardiovascular disease are superior to generic drugs, a substantial number of editorials counsel against the interchangeability of generic drugs.
Quantum dot active regions based on diblock copolymer nanopatterning and selective MOCVD growth

Structural and optical properties of quantum dots fabricated using diblock copolymer lithography and selective MOCVD growth are reported. Tensile-strained (In x Ga 1−x As) and compressively-strained (InAs) QDs on InP exhibit luminescence near 1.4 and 2.1 µm respectively.
Core ionization energies of amides as a probe of structure and bonding

Abstract Core orbital energies are computed for planar ground-state and rotational transition-state structures for formamide and N,N-dimethylacetamide using ab initio molecular orbital calculations at the 6-31G∗ level. Distortion of the amide linkage decreases the core ionization energy of nitrogen and increases the core ionization energies of oxygen and the carbonyl carbon. Similar trends are observed for bridgehead bicyclic lactams and are corroborated by the limited experimental data available. A simple interpretation can be made in the language of resonance theories through reference to contributions of three canonical structures ( 1A–1C ) and in particular, the reduced contribution of 1B in distorted amides.