cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The design of the POSTGRES storage system

Abstract : This paper presents the design of the storage system for the POSTGRES data base system under construction at Berkeley. It is novel in several ways. First, the storage manager supports transaction management but does so without using a conventional write ahead log (WAL). In fact, there is no code to run at recovery time, and consequently recovery from crashes is essentially instantaneous. Second, the storage manager allows a user to optionally keep the entire past history of data base objects by closely integrating an archival storage system to which historical records are spooled. Lastly, the storage manager is consciously constructed as a collection of asynchronous processes. Hence, a large monolithic body of code is avoided and opportunities for parallelism can be exploited. The paper concludes with a analysis of the storage system which suggests that it is performance competitive with WAL systems in many situations.
Post global routing RLC crosstalk budgeting

Existing layout optimization methods often assume a set of interconnects with given RLC crosstalk bounds in a routing region. RLC crosstalk bound partitioning is critical for effectively applying these methods at the full-chip level. In this paper, we develop an optimal crosstalk budgeting scheme based on linear programming (LP) formulation, and apply it to shield insertion and net ordering at the full-chip level. Experiment results show that compared to the best alternative approach, the LP based method reduces the total routing area by up to 7.61% and also uses less runtime. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first in-depth work that studies the RLC crosstalk budgeting problem.
The 21st-century impact of European Muslim minorities on ‘Official Islam’ in the Muslim-majority world:

The article argues that the growth of religious service provision directed at the Muslim diaspora in Europe has led to greater professionalization and pluralism within the Islam state in Muslim cou...
Sodium beacon laser system for the Lick Observatory

The installation and performance characteristics of a 20 W sodium beacon laser system for the 3 m Shane telescope at the Lick Observatory are presented.
Towards batched linear solvers on accelerated hardware platforms

As hardware evolves, an increasingly effective approach to develop energy efficient, high-performance solvers, is to design them to work on many small and independent problems. Indeed, many applications already need this functionality, especially for GPUs, which are known to be currently about four to five times more energy efficient than multicore CPUs for every floating-point operation. In this paper, we describe the development of the main one-sided factorizations: LU, QR, and Cholesky; that are needed for a set of small dense matrices to work in parallel. We refer to such algorithms as batched factorizations. Our approach is based on representing the algorithms as a sequence of batched BLAS routines for GPU-contained execution. Note that this is similar in functionality to the LAPACK and the hybrid MAGMA algorithms for large-matrix factorizations. But it is different from a straightforward approach, whereby each of GPU's symmetric multiprocessors factorizes a single problem at a time. We illustrate how our performance analysis together with the profiling and tracing tools guided the development of batched factorizations to achieve up to 2-fold speedup and 3-fold better energy efficiency compared to our highly optimized batched CPU implementations based on the MKL library on a two-sockets, Intel Sandy Bridge server. Compared to a batched LU factorization featured in the NVIDIA's CUBLAS library for GPUs, we achieves up to 2.5-fold speedup on the K40 GPU.
Trunk Muscle Composition as a Predictor of Reduced Functional Capacity in the Health, Aging and Body Composition Study: The Moderating Role of Back Pain

Background. Cross-sectionally, lower trunk muscle attenuation (higher fat infiltration) has been associated with poorer physical function in older adults. We hypothesize that lower trunk muscle attenuation will be associated with lower functional capacity 3 years later and that back pain status will moderate this relationship. Methods. The study sample consisted of a biracial cohort of well functioning men (739) and women (788) aged 70‐79 years from the Pittsburgh site of the Health, Aging and Body Composition (Health ABC) study. Computed tomography was used to measure trunk muscle area and attenuation of the lumbar paraspinal, lateral abdominal, and rectus abdominus muscles at baseline. The Health ABC Physical Performance Battery (usual and narrow walk, chair stands, and standing balance) was used to measure functional capacity at the first and fourth annual clinic visits. Results. Regardless of back pain status, average trunk muscle attenuation (but not muscle area) was positively associated with overall physical performance, particularly balance (p , .01), in a fully adjusted model. The association between trunk attenuation and functional capacity was significantly stronger in participants with at least moderate back pain in the year prior to baseline (p , .05 for interaction; attenuation 3back pain). Participants with moderate to extreme back pain had a greater decline in function over time (p , .05). Conclusions. Older adults with poorer trunk muscle composition (higher fat infiltration) exhibit reduced functional capacity, especially balance, 3 years later. Improving trunk muscle composition may be an important yet overlooked approach to maintain function and potentially reduce balance impairments, particularly in persons with a history of back pain.
Lenalidomide Combined With R-CHOP Overcomes Negative Prognostic Impact of Non–Germinal Center B-Cell Phenotype in Newly Diagnosed Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma: A Phase II Study

Purpose Lenalidomide has significant single-agent activity in relapsed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). We demonstrated that lenalidomide can be safely combined with R-CHOP (rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone); this new combination is known as R2CHOP. The goal of this phase II study was to evaluate the efficacy of this combination in newly diagnosed DLBCL. Patients and Methods Eligible patients were adults with newly diagnosed untreated stages II to IV CD20 DLBCL. Patients received lenalidomide 25 mg orally per day on days 1 through 10 with standard-dose R-CHOP every 21 days for six cycles. All patients received pegfilgrastim on day 2 of each cycle and aspirin prophylaxis throughout. DLBCL molecular subtype was determined by tumor immunohistochemistry and classified as germinal center B-cell (GCB) versus non-GCB in the R2CHOP patients and 87 control patients with DLBCL from the Lymphoma Database who were treated with conventional R-CHOP. Results In all, 64 patients with DLBCL were enrolled, and 60 were evaluable for response. The overall response rate was 98% (59 of 60) with 80% (48 of 60) achieving complete response. Event-free survival and overall survival (OS) rates at 24 months were 59% (95% CI, 48% to 74%) and 78% (95% CI, 68% to 90%), respectively. In R-CHOP patients, 24-month progression-free survival (PFS) and OS were 28% versus 64% (P .001) and 46% versus 78% (P .001) in non-GCB DLBCL versus GCB DLBCL, respectively. In contrast, there was no difference in 24-month PFS or OS for R2CHOP patients on the basis of non-GCB and GCB subtype (60% v 59% [P .83] and 83% v 75% [P .61] at 2 years, respectively). Conclusion R2CHOP shows promising efficacy in DLBCL. The addition of lenalidomide appears to mitigate a negative impact of non-GCB phenotype on patient outcome.
Region Does Not Mean “Race”—Reality Versus Convention in Forensic Anthropology

Norman Sauer has posed the rhetorical question: if races do not exist, how come forensic anthropologists are so good at identifying them? The simple answer is that, as members of the society that poses the question, they are inculcated into the social conventions that determine the expected answer. They should also be aware of the biological inaccuracies contained in that “politically correct” answer. Skeletal analysis provides no direct assessment of skin color, but it does allow an accurate estimate of original geographical origins. African, eastern Asian, and European ancestry can be specified with a high degree of accuracy. Africa of course entails “black,” but “black” does not entail African. The significant identifying features of a given region then are stochastically determined and are not the products of natural selection. If they are valuable for purposes of identification, they have no coherent adaptive, that is, biological, significance. Neither individual traits nor a configuration of them associated with a given region have any adaptive significance and thus have no comparative worth. Traits of adaptive value however are not constrained by region and cannot be used to identify “race.”
The Visual Economy of Andean Childhood Poverty: Interpreting Postcards in Cusco, Peru

espanolEste articulo examina la produccion, circulacion y consumo de tarjetas postales con representaciones de "ninos andinos pobres" en mercados turisticos de Cusco, Peru. Se sostiene que una serie de actores que participan en esta cadena de productos?que incluye a los productores de las imagenes, turistas y consumidores locales, ninos vendedores y coordinadores de voluntarios?estan involucrados en la negociacion de significados sobre la ninez y la pobreza. Sobre la base de trabajo de campo etnografico y entrevistas, hacemos hincapie en que, aun cuando las condiciones politico-economicas y las desigualdades estructurales permiten la reificacion de imagenes de maneras estereotipadas, es importante prestar atencion a las formas en las que, de manera creativa, productores, vendedores y consumidores se apropian de ideologias, se resisten a ellas y las adaptan, a traves de sus interacciones unos con otros y con las imagenes mismas. Es en la circulacion de ideologias y la flexibilidad de la practica que la gente re-crea continuamente el discurso y la representacion social, y las transacciones relacionadas con estas imagenes en el mercado turistico andino pueden determinar no solo lecturas de imagenes y perspectivas sobre la pobreza infantil sino tambien medios economicos de subsistencia EnglishThis article examines the production, circulation, and consumption of postcards featuring depictions of "poor Andean children" in tourist markets in Cusco, Peru. We argue that a range of actors participating in this commodity chain�including image producers, tourist and local consumers, child vendors, and volunteer coordinators�are involved in negotiating meanings of childhood and poverty. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork and interviews, we emphasize that even as political and economic conditions and structural inequalities allow for the reification of images in stereotypical ways, it is important to pay attention to how producers, vendors, and consumers creatively appropriate, resist, and rework ideologies through their interactions with each other and with the images themselves. It is in the circulation of ideology and flexibility of practice that people perennially re-create social discourse and representation, and transactions involving these images in the Andean tourist market can shape not just readings of images and perspectives about childhood poverty, but economic livelihoods as well
A combined-transform coding (CTC) scheme for medical images

A combined-transform coding (CTC) scheme is proposed to reduce the blocking artifact of conventional block transform coding and hence to improve the subjective performance. The proposed CTC scheme is described and its information-theoretic properties are investigated. Computer simulation results for a class of chest X-ray images are presented. A comparison between the CTC scheme and the conventional discrete cosine transform (DCT) and discrete Walsh-Hadamard transform (DWHT) demonstrates the performance improvement of the proposed scheme. In addition, combined coding can also be used in noiseless coding, yielding a slight improvement in the compression performance if it is used properly. >
Multicriteria optimal control in dynamical systems

Linear dynamical controllable systems with subsystems are considered. The behavior of each subsystem is characterized by a quadratic integral criterion. The problem of multicriteria optimal control in such systems is formulated and solved. The solution obtained is based on the principle of proportional damages, which ensures the following properties: the control law is synthesized in linear form as in monocriterion optimization problems; the solution is invariant to the view of metrics which characterizes the distance between vector-criteria current values and their ideal values; and optimal values of criteria of quality have relative losses (damages) inversely proportional to the weight coefficients. >
A cross-sectional analysis of video games and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms in adolescents

Background: Excessive use of the Internet has been associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but the relationship between video games and ADHD symptoms in adolescents is unknown. Method: A survey of adolescents and parents (n = 72 adolescents, 72 parents) was performed assessing daily time spent on the Internet, television, console video games, and Internet video games, and their association with academic and social functioning. Subjects were high school students in the ninth and tenth grade. Students were administered a modified Young's Internet Addiction Scale (YIAS) and asked questions about exercise, grades, work, and school detentions. Parents were asked to complete the Conners' Parent Rating Scale (CPRS) and answer questions regarding medical/psychiatric conditions in their child. Results: There was a significant association between time spent playing games for more than one hour a day and YIAS (p < 0.001), overall grade point average (p ≤ 0.019), and the "Inattention" and "ADHD" components of the CPRS (p ≤ 0.001 and p ≤ 0.020, respectively). No significant association was found between body mass index (BMI), exercise, number of detentions, or the "Oppositional" and "Hyperactivity" components of CPRS and video game use. Conclusion: Adolescents who play more than one hour of console or Internet video games may have more or more intense symptoms of ADHD or inattention than those who do not. Given the possible negative effects these conditions may have on scholastic performance, the added consequences of more time spent on video games may also place these individuals at increased risk for problems in school.
Pedestrian versus motor vehicle accidents: an analysis of 5,000 patients.

Background Pedestrian versus motor vehicle accidents are associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Previous studies have examined pedestrian injury profiles on an individual hospital basis and have been limited by small patient populations. The objective of this study was to examine the demographics and injury profiles of pedestrian versus motor vehicle accidents in a large trauma system. Study design Five thousand pedestrians injured by motor vehicles whose records were entered in a centralized county trauma database were reviewed retrospectively over 3 years. Patients were grouped by age: pediatric (less than 15 years), adult (15 to 65 years), and elderly (older than 65 years). The main outcome measures included mortality, hospital stay, ICU stay, Injury Severity Score, Glasgow Coma Scale, Revised Trauma Score, level of residual disability, and payer source. Results The pediatric group represented 38.1% of the study population, adults 53.9%, and the elderly 8.0%. Mortality was highest among the elderly (27.8%), followed by adults (8.1%) and children (3.1%). Overall, the pediatric group had the lowest Injury Severity Score (6.8 +/- 0.2, mean +/- SEM), the highest Revised Trauma Score (7.5 +/- 0.9), and the highest Glasgow Coma Scale (13.9+/-0.1). Hospital stay (4.9+/-0.2 days) and ICU stay (4.6 +/- 0.3 days) were also shortest in this age group. Among all patients, injuries included musculoskeletal (34.3%), head and neck (30.0%), external (24.4%), abdomen and pelvis (3.9%), chest (2.4%), spine (1.8%), and other (3.2%). Operations were required in 11%: orthopaedic (67%), thoracic (2%), abdominal (11%), neurosurgical or head (6%), and other (14%). At the time of discharge, 78% of patients had a temporary disability, 4% had a permanent handicap, and only 16% were functioning at preadmission capacity. Among those with identifiable payer sources, 45% were state or federal, 25% were cash or self-pay, 18% of patients belonged to an HMO or had a group carrier, and 12% were from other sources. Conclusions This study contributes the largest database reported on motor vehicle versus pedestrian accidents and finds that these accidents are common in a large urban trauma system. Hospital stay, Injury Severity Score, Revised Trauma Score, Glasgow Coma Scale, and the mortality rate worsen with age. The high mortality rate among the elderly indicates the need for more aggressive and effective prevention efforts.
Molecular actuators - designing actuating materials at the molecular level

Nature evolved an elegant actuating system, muscle, which can be controlled by a relatively small molecule, myosin. We briefly introduce herein an artificial approach based on applying molecular actuating building blocks to mimic the function of muscle. A particular focus of this review is the design of a molecular hinge. Designed molecular mechanisms have great potential to produce quick responses and large deformations.
Cytologic diagnosis: expression of probability by clinical pathologists.

Background: Clinical pathologists use descriptive terms or modifiers to express the probability or likelihood of a cytologic diagnosis. Words are imprecise in meaning, however, and may be used and interpreted differently by pathologists and clinicians. Objectives: The goals of this study were to 1) assess the frequency of use of 18 modifiers, 2) determine the probability of a positive diagnosis implied by the modifiers, 3) identify preferred modifiers for different levels of probability, 4) ascertain the importance of factors that affect expression of diagnostic certainty, and 5) evaluate differences based on gender, employment, and experience. Methods: We surveyed 202 clinical pathologists who were board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Pathologists (Clinical Pathology). Surveys were distributed in October 2001 and returned by e-mail, fax, or surface mail over a 2-month period. Results were analyzed by parametric and nonparametric tests. Results: Survey response rate was 47.5% (n = 96) and primarily included clinical pathologists at veterinary schools (n = 58) and diagnostic laboratories (n = 31). Eleven of 18 terms were used “often” or “sometimes” by 50% of respondents. Broad variability was found in the probability assigned to each term, especially those with median values of 75 to 90%. Preferred modifiers for 7 numerical probabilities ranging from 0 to 100% included 68 unique terms; however, a set of 10 terms was used by 50% of respondents. Cellularity and quality of the sample, experience of the pathologist, and implications of the diagnosis were the most important factors affecting the expression of probability. Conclusion: Because of wide discrepancy in the implied likelihood of a diagnosis using words, defined terminology and controlled vocabulary may be useful in improving communication and the quality of data in cytology reporting.
Design and perception: Making the zoo experience real

The purpose of this paper is to encourage the application of theories of human behavior to zoo design so that zoo visitors are environmentally predisposed to learn from and enjoy what they experience. The ultimate goal is to increase public awareness and appreciation of the importance of habitat and its protection to wildlife conservation and to present zoo animals in such a way that their reason for being and rights to existence are intuitively self-evident to viewers. Many of the concepts and guidelines presented appear to be suitable subjects of behavioral research, whose findings would assist designers and other zoo professionals in continued improvement of the zoo visitor's experience.
The effect of certain sedatives and analgesics on uterine contractions

Abstract The method of internal hysterography furnishes the best method for study of uterine activity. Patients in the immediate postpartum period were observed. Uterine activity was initiated with ergonovine and the action of certain drugs commonly employed during labor was studied. While the force of the uterine contractions was not measured, the graphs show that changes were noted. Further studies along these lines are needed and a safe and sound method for recording uterine activity during labor must be evolved in order that observations on the action of drugs during parturition may receive a direct interpretation and be valuable for clinical application.
Bridges Between Virtue Epistemology and Philosophy of Science

The essays collected here seek to establish bridges between virtue epistemology and philosophy of science (broadly construed, including the history of science, the use of specific scientific results to construct naturalistic philosophical theories, formal epistemology, modeling, theory choice, etc.). Since Ernest Sosa’s ground breaking essay “The Raft and the Pyramid” (1980) and Linda Zagzebski’s Virtues of The Mind (1996), epistemologists have become increasingly interested in the normative aspects of knowledge, justification, understanding and other epistemic states. Virtue epistemologists seek to ground the epistemic norms used to evaluate human cognition in a general commitment to aretaic (or virtue theoretic), rather than deontological or consequentialist, forms of normativity. Two broad defining features of this movement are often seen through a commitment to the following principles: (a) Knowledge and other important epistemic concepts are essentially normative and (b) epistemically valuable states of agents confer epistemically valuable properties on their beliefs, not the other way around. Virtue epistemology thus borrows liberally from the rich tradition in virtue ethics for a range of normative resources that have proven quite useful for epistemologists interested in addressing traditional problems regarding epistemic luck and epistemic value. While much more will be said about virtue epistemology below, and there are indeed many species of virtue epistemology on offer in contemporary literature, what unifies this movement can fruitfully be seen through the unique way virtue epistemology foregrounds the normativity of knowledge and places the agent at the center of the analysis.
Long-term outcomes after autologous stem cell transplantation for patients with POEMS syndrome (osteosclerotic myeloma): a single-center experience

The POEMS syndrome (polyradiculoneuropathy, organomegaly, multiple endocrinopathies, monoclonal protein, skin changes) is a rare disease associated with a plasma cell dyscrasia. Patients with disseminated POEMS can be treated with high-dose therapy and autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). While clinical improvement is nearly universal in these patients, the long-term outcomes after transplantation are unclear. We therefore assessed the long-term clinical outcomes of 59 POEMS patients treated with ASCT at our institution. With a median follow-up of 45 months, 14 patients have progressed with a progression-free survival of 98% and 75% at 1 and 5 years, respectively. Factors associated with progression have included an IgG-λ monoclonal component (hazard ratio [HR] 7.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.3-28.3; P = .0008), fluorodeoxyglucose-avid lesions on baseline positron emission tomography (HR 6.4; 95% CI, 1.2-120; P = .03), lack of complete hematologic response (HR 5.4; 95% CI, 1.8-16.7; P = .003), and patients aged 50 years or younger at transplantation (HR 4.4; 95% CI, 1.3-20; P = .01). The most common progression events have been radiologic followed by rising VEGF. Symptomatic progression has been rare. Most patients could be salvaged with immunomodulatory drugs or radiation. The 5-year survival is 94%. Herein, we describe a system of monitoring response and progression among patients with POEMS after ASCT.
Persistent myocardial ischemia following chronic hyperoxia in conscious dogs

Following acute occlusion of the proximal left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery, dogs were exposed continuously for 4 days in an environmental chamber to either 21% or 40% oxygen. Regional transmural myocardial blood flow was then determined by means of radioactive microspheres (8 to 10 μD) while each animal breathed room air (≌ 21% oxygen). Blood flows in the anterolateral and apical regions of the left ventricle in normoxic animals (n = 5) averaged 0.95 ± 0.03 and 0.69 ± 0.13 ml/min · gm-1, respectively. In hyperoxic dogs (n = 5), blood flows in these regions were significantly lower, averaging 0.71 ± 0.07 and 0.28 ± 0.08 ml/min · gm-1, respectively in the anterolateral free wall, the greatest disparity in perfusion between experimental groups occurred in the subendocardial layers, and macroscopic evidence of necrosis was more widespread after hyperoxia.
The natural history of fetal long QT syndrome

Abstract Introduction Fetal magnetocardiography (fMCG), the magnetic analog of ECG, has provided invaluable insight into the mechanisms of fetal arrhythmias. In the past 15 years, we have evaluated over 300 fetuses with arrhythmia by fMCG. We review the unique characteristics and natural history of the long QT syndrome (LQTS) rhythms. Methods We reviewed the fMCGs of subjects referred with suspected LQTS based on either a positive family history or echo diagnosis of the LQTS rhythms (sinus bradycardia, ventricular tachycardia, or 2:1 AV conduction) to the Biomagnetism laboratory in the Department of Medical Physics, UW-Madison. We recorded fMCGs using a 37-channel (Magnes, 4D Neuroimaging, Inc., San Diego, CA) superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) biomagnetometer, housed in a magnetically-shielded room for 1200–6000 s. Signal processing was used to remove maternal interference. Cardiac intervals (R-R, p, QRS, QT) were measured and compared to published normals. We correlated fetal heart rate (FHR) patterns and effects of fetal movement on FHR and rhythm using actocardiography. Results Thirty-nine fetuses were studied at a mean of 28 (19–38) weeks of gestation. All had structurally normal hearts. One was on amiodarone for suspected supraventricular tachycardia and hydrops. Five had serial fMCGs. Isolated sinus bradycardia with a QTc >490 ms was found in 35: 33 had a KCNQ1 mutation There was one false positive and one false negative LQTS diagnosis. Four fetuses had torsades de pointes (TdP) and 3 had periods of 2:1 conduction and either KCNH2 or SCN5A mutations. TdP was rarely initiated with a preceding long-short pattern and did not degenerate into ventricular fibrillation. One fetus with TdP died in utero, 2 with fetal TdP had postnatal cardiac arrest. Conclusion Fetal LQTS is diagnosed by an fMCG QTc >490 ms with an 89% sensitivity and specificity. TdP are seen with uncharacterized, KCNH2 or SCN5A R1623q mutations. Fetal TdP occurs when QTc ≥620 ms. Identifying fetal LQTS and defining its rhythms by fMCG risk stratifies postnatal management.
Biomedical Applications of Polysaccharides

Progress has been made in correlating physical properties of soluble, insoluble, gel-, film-, and fiber-forming polysaccharides with their molecular and supermolecular structure and conformation.
The Stability of Several Triply Periodic Surfaces

The stability of six triply periodic surfaces of constant mean curvature (CMC) is investigated. The relative energy and curvature values of the surfaces comprising the P (Pm3¯m), I-WP (Im3¯m), and G (I4132) families are numerically calculated with K. Brakke's Surface Evolver. Regions where the I-WP surface can exist metastable to a complementary I-WP surface are found. This type of metastability is also found in the F-RD surface. Bifurcation points marking the stability limits of the P, I-WP, and G families are also calculated with Evolver. Modes of instability which may occur in the six CMC families are classified. Bifurcations in the P, G, I-WP, C(P), D, and F-RD families are attributed to fundamental instabilities. Lattices of spheres (LOS) are possible extremal surfaces at the bifurcations. It is determined that both the CMC surfaces and the LOS configurations are unstable to coarsening. Because the variation in curvature is lowest for the G family, it is the most robust of the six families to coarsening when the surfaces are otherwise equivalent.
Numerical Computation of Parameter-Space Stability/Instability Partitions for Induction Motor Stalling

Abstract: Electrical power distribution networks are susceptible to Fault Induced Delayed Voltage Recovery (FIDVR). Such events are usually initiated by faults at substations and lead to sustained low voltages throughout the distribution grid. The mechanism underpinning this phenomenon is known to be the stalling of induction motors in residential air conditioners. It is useful to be able to partition parameter space into parameters that induce motor stalling versus those for which the motors recover for a particular fault. Novel algorithms are presented for numerically computing the border that separates such parameter-space partitions, and for finding the point on the border that is closest to a given point in parameter space. These algorithms are justified by theoretical results which exploit the presence of a special equilibrium point on the state-space stability boundary, called the controlling unstable equilibrium point. The key idea is to vary parameters in order to drive the trajectory to spend a fixed amount of time inside a ball centered at the controlling unstable equilibrium point, and then to maximize the amount of time inside that ball. The algorithms are applied to a modified version of the IEEE 37-bus test feeder.
Short Communication: The Impact of Viral Suppression and Viral Breakthrough on Limited-Antigen Avidity Assay Results in Individuals with Clade B HIV Infection

We analyzed the impact of HIV viral load on the performance of a limiting antigen avidity enzyme immunoassay (LAg-Avidity assay) and determined if this assay could be used to identify viral breakthrough. Three groups of samples were tested: (1) 18 individuals (30 samples) previously identified as elite suppressors; (2) 18 individuals (72 samples) who were continually suppressed on antiretroviral treatment (ART) with 1 sample before and 2-6 samples (one/year) after ART initiation; and (3) 20 individuals (179 samples) on ART who had evidence of viral breakthrough (>400 copies/ml) with subsequent viral suppression. Elite suppressors had the lowest LAg-Avidity assay values. Among those who were continually suppressed on ART, 83% (15/18) had LAg-Avidity assay values that decreased over time. Although the LAg-Avidity assay on a single sample cannot identify when a viral breakthrough occurs, paired longitudinal samples could identify viral breakthrough (sensitivity: 65%, specificity: 84%).
First year student career conference to promote advising

Our data shows that over the past 15 years over 75% of the entering first year students change their selected major between the start of classes in August and the time they need to register for the second year classes in March. To help improve the retention of engineering students in the freshman year we created a number of writing assignments in the first year Introduction to Engineering course to facilitate students' choosing their majors wisely during or immediately after the freshman year. These writing assignments were designed to engage students in researching various crucial aspects of the field of engineering in which they were interested. To encourage the students to put more effort into the assignments, we created the Freshman Career Conference. We brought in practicing engineers from Pennsylvania corporations; these engineers talked to students about their education and their work; gave professional development workshops; and spoke to students about the importance of beginning their career development plans now as freshman. This paper discusses the factors around creating the conference and its impact.
The Logic of Research and the Scientific Status of the Law of Effect

The scientific status of the law of effect and applied research that involves the law of effect are examined through a falsificationist analysis of the logic of research and the demarcation question, that is, what should be regarded as scientific. Some logical and epis-temological problems of a nonfalsificationist, inductivist conceptualization of science are reviewed. A falsificationist demarcation criterion is discussed as an alternative that is free of such logical and philosophical difficulties. A brief review of the history of the law of effect and criticisms of the law of effect is presented. It is concluded that the law of effect is in principle falsifiable and, hence, it is scientific. However, questions are raised regarding the extent to which the law of effect actually has been tested, given the Duhem-Quine thesis and problems with independent and valid means of identifying reinforcers. Minimally, practical questions are raised regarding what the law of effect is and how it is to be tested.
CITED2 attenuates macrophage recruitment concordant with the downregulation of CCL20 in breast cancer cells

The transcriptional co-regulator Cbp/p300-interacting transactivator with Glu/Asp-rich carboxy-terminal domain-2 (CITED2) may promote breast tumor growth; however, the mechanisms by which its effects are mediated remain to be fully elucidated. Tumor-associated macrophages serve an important function in tumor development and progression and are recruited by chemotactic factors produced by cells within the tumor microenvironment. The present study assessed the effects of CITED2 silencing on macrophage recruitment in two xenograft mouse models of human breast cancer, one in which tumor growth was sensitive to CITED2 silencing (MDA-MB-231) and one in which it was insensitive (MDA-MB-468). The present study identified that silencing CITED2 significantly attenuated macrophage infiltration in MDA-MB-231 but not MDA-MB-468 orthotopic tumors, concordant with its effect on tumor growth. Correspondingly, conditioned media obtained from CITED2-silenced MDA-MB-231 cells exhibited a significantly decreased ability to induce macrophage recruitment by Transwell migration assay, whereas the chemotactic effect of MDA-MB-468 conditioned media was unaffected. Examining the expression of macrophage chemoattractants within orthotopic tumors and tumor cell-conditioned media revealed a significant decrease in C-C motif chemokine ligand (CCL)20 mRNA and protein expression following CITED2-silencing in MDA-MB-231 cells, compared with that in cells transfected with scramble shRNA. However, mRNA and protein expression was unaffected by CITED2-silencing in MDA-MB-468 cells. Furthermore, chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that CITED2 was localized to the CCL20 promoter in MDA-MB-231 cells, suggesting that it serves a direct function in its regulation, which is consistent with the effect of CITED2 silencing on CCL20 expression. Lastly, neutralizing CCL20 in the conditioned media of MDA-MB-231 cells significantly inhibited macrophage recruitment. Collectively, these results suggest that CITED2 is involved in modulating macrophage recruitment, representing a novel mechanism through which it may influence tumor growth. This may be partly mediated by regulating tumor cell production of the chemokine CCL20.
Collaboration during IEP and IFSP Meetings in a Refugee Resettlement Community: Lessons from Cultural Liaisons.

Teachers working with refugee families who are culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) and receiving special education services often rely on cultural liaisons to provide interpreter and translator services during Individualized Educational Program (IEP) and Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) meetings. The purpose of this qualitative study was to interview nine cultural liaisons, who live in a refugee resettlement community, regarding their experiences and advice for teachers when conducting IEP and IFSP meetings with refugee families. Semistructured interviews resulted in themes or suggestions for teachers on how to prepare for the meetings, conduct the meetings, and communicate with families through the cultural liaison in addition to an appeal for teachers to learn about the cultures and consistently demonstrate respect. Implications for future research and teacher preparation are discussed.
Preoperative Angioinfarction of Localized Renal Cell Carcinoma Using Absolute Ethanol

AbstractA total of 25 patients with renal cell carcinoma underwent angioinfarction of the tumor using absolute ethanol An average of 15ml. absolute ethanol was injected into the main renal artery through a balloon occlusion catheter. Complete cessation of renal arterial flow could be demonstrated in all cases. The post-embolization syndrome of pain, nausea, vomiting, hypertension and fever was minimal compared to other methods of renal artery occlusion.Of the patients 21 underwent post-infarction transabdominal radical nephrectomy without intraoperative or postoperative complications attributable to the injection of absolute ethanol. No damage to extrarenal tissue was noted at operation. Subsequent surgical dissection was facilitated, particularly in cases of large tumors when control of the renal pedicle often is difficult. Median blood loss was 725ml.In light of recent reports concerning the benefit of angioinfarction and nephrectomy in metastatic disease a similar approach may be applicable to localize...
Isolation and characterization of ribonucleic acid from cerebral cortex of rat.

Abstract Ribonucleic acid isolated from cerebral cortex of mature male and female rats was fractionated by chromatography on methylated albumin Kieselguhr columns or by sucrose gradient centrifugation. Three principal fractions were obtained with analytical ultracentrifuge s20,w0 values of 4, 17, and 28. By comparison with ribonucleic acid prepared from purified rat brain ribosomes, the 17 S and 28 S fractions were shown to be predominantly ribosomal ribonucleic acid. Differences in base analyses between the three fractions were small but significant. Compositions of all fractions were markedly complementary with G ≈ C and A ≈ U.
Interstitial Thermoradiotherapy in the Treatment of Malignant Tumors

The history of using heat to treat diseases (tumors) dates back as far as 400 b.c. Recent interest, however, in using heat to treat human malignancies is based on biological and clinical research of the past 2 decades. Most of the current experience with hyperthermia is with external local hyperthermia and superficial tumors (Perez and Emami 1989). Significant problems exist with this type of heating such as: The inability of external applicators to achieve the correct temperature within the target volume and a lack of adequate depth of penetration. Interstitial hyperthermia appears to be a suitable alternative in certain clinical situations. It has several advantages (Emami et al. 1987): (a) More uniform heating within the target volume, (b) more accurate and comprehensive temperature measurement, (c) there is probably better sparing of normal tissue due to the fact that the elements are implanted within the tumor only, and (d) suitable for both deep and superficial tumors.
Synthesis of [18F]Favipiravir and Biodistribution in C3H/HeN Mice as Assessed by Positron Emission Tomography.

Favipiravir (T705; 6-fluoro-3-hydroxypyrazine-2-carboxamide) is a pyrazine analog that has demonstrated potent antiviral activity against a broad spectrum of viruses in multiple in vivo disease models. To better understand the compounds anti-viral activity, assessment of the drug’s biodistribution and kinetics in vivo may lend insight into how best to evaluate the compound efficacy preclinically and to contribute to the design of clinical studies to take into account the compound’s pharmacokinetic distribution and kinetics. In the current study, a method for synthesis of [18F]favipiravir was developed and the biodistribution in mice naive to and pre-dosed with favipiravir was assessed by PET and gamma counting of tissue samples. Fluorine-18 labeling of favipiravir was achieved in a one-pot, two-step synthesis using a commercially available precursor, methyl-5-chloroisoxazolo[4,5-b]pyrazine-3-carboxylate, with an overall radiochemical yield of 15–24%, a molar activity of 37–74 GBq/µmol in a 70 minute synthesis time. [18F]favipiravir tissue uptake and distribution was similar in naive and pre-dosed mice; however, in the pre-dosed animals plasma clearance was more rapid and tissue clearance appeared to be prolonged. In conclusion, application of PET to the evaluation of favipiravir has demonstrated the importance of dosing regimen on the distribution and tissue uptake and clearance of the molecule. Favipiravir is cleared through the kidney as previously reported but the liver and intestinal excretion may also play an important role in compound elimination. Measurement of the tissue uptake of favipiravir as determined by PET may be a more important indicator of a compound’s potential efficacy than purely monitoring plasma parameters such as viremia and drug levels.
The role of elementary school and home quality in supporting sustained effects of pre-K

Using data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (NICHD SECCYD), we used 2-level random effects models to examine whether the quality of school and home environments during elementary school moderated associations between pre-K quality and math, reading, and vocabulary achievement from first through fifth grade. Results showed that the quality of the home environment moderated the association between pre-K quality and children’s vocabulary achievement. Supportive home environments during elementary school had an additive effect over and above the positive effects of pre-K quality in predicting children’s vocabulary achievement. In contrast, when children experienced high levels of pre-K quality and lower quality home learning environments, the positive effects of pre-K were less likely to be sustained. Findings suggest the importance of considering programs and policies to support home-based learning as one potential mechanism to sustain early effects of pre-K. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)
Meta-analysis of the effects of lidocaine on postoperative reflux in the horse.

Objective To determine the efficacy of lidocaine at reducing incidence of postoperative reflux (POR) in horses by using quantitative statistical analysis. Study design Systematic meta-analytical review. Sample population Studies on horses undergoing gastrointestinal surgery for small intestinal lesions, identified by systematic search between 2001 and 2017. Methods A search with PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Google Scholar was performed, followed by secondary searches of veterinary trade journals and bibliographies of relevant articles. The primary outcome measure for this study was the effect of lidocaine therapy on the odds of POR. Subgroup analysis assessed included the timing of lidocaine therapy, incidence of mortality, and incidence of repeat celiotomy. A meta-analysis was performed with a random effects model, with the effect size calculated as an odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Statistical significance was set at P Results Among 1933 peer reviewed publications that met the initial search criteria, 12 relevant studies were available for analysis. Lidocaine was associated with an increased incidence of diagnosis of POR (OR 6.3, 95% CI [1.4, 27.0], P = .01). Horses treated with lidocaine were more likely to survive to discharge (OR 6.8, 95% CI [3.9, 11.7], P Conclusion Lidocaine was associated with an increased survival rate in horses undergoing exploratory celiotomy for small intestinal disease according to this meta-analysis of the recent literature. Clinical significance This body of published evidence provides support to administer lidocaine in horses to improve survival rather than preventing POR.
Critical Participatory Action Research: A Feminist Project for Validity and Solidarity:

We present critical participatory action research as an enactment of feminist research praxis in psychology. We discuss the key elements of critical participatory action research through the story ...
Teaching NeuroImages: Failing to see blood on susceptibility-weighted imaging.

A 49-year-old woman with depression on citalopram presented with the worst headache of her life and seizures while taking decongestants for sinusitis. Head CT 22 hours after ictus showed bilateral convexity subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Initial MRI 34 hours after headache showed T2 fluid-attenuated inversion recovery sulcal hyperintensity; however, the susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) was negative for blood products (figure 1). Repeat MRI on day 3 confirmed the presence of convexity SAH (figure 2). SWI is sensitive for the detection of deoxyhemoglobin, hemosiderin, and ferritin. A higher concentration of oxyhemoglobin in early hemorrhage may limit the sensitivity of SWI in detecting acute blood products.1
Improved outcomes after live donor renal transplantation for septuagenarians

The average age of renal transplant recipients in the United States has increased over the past decade. The implications, however, have not been fully investigated. We explored predictors of success and demographic variables related to outcomes in elderly live donor transplantation. Retrospective analysis was performed using the UNOS database between 2001 and 2016. Donor characteristics and the graft failure rate of recipients above and below 70 years of age were compared across four eras: 2001-2004, 2005-2008, 2009-2012, and 2013-2016. There was a steady increase in average donor age from the first era to the fourth era (40-44) which was more evident among the septuagenarian patients (43-50) (P 70 population (87%-93%) (P 70 recipients were more likely to be non-Hispanic white (80.1% vs 65.1%, P 70 population. Live donation in the elderly is justified based on graft survival and patient survival. However, racial and gender differences exist in septuagenarian recipients and their donors.
Interaction of Phenyl-Substituted Diazaperylenium with Cucurbit[n]uril: Complex versus Supramolecular Polymer

A phenyl-substituted diazaperylenediium dication (DAP) was synthesized that shows concentration-dependent aggregation in water. The host–guest complexation of DAP was studied with the macrocyclic h...