cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Incremental Phi*: incremental any-angle path planning on grids

We study path planning on grids with blocked and unblocked cells. Any-angle path-planning algorithms find short paths fast because they propagate information along grid edges without constraining the resulting paths to grid edges. Incremental pathplanning algorithms solve a series of similar pathplanning problems faster than repeated single-shot searches because they reuse information from the previous search to speed up the next one. In this paper, we combine these ideas by making the anyangle path-planning algorithm Basic Theta* incremental. This is non-trivial because Basic Theta* does not fit the standard assumption that the parent of a vertex in the search tree must also be its neighbor. We present Incremental Phi* and show experimentally that it can speed up Basic Theta* by about one order of magnitude for path planning with the freespace assumption.
Communication over non-Gaussian channels - Part II: Channel estimation, mismatched receivers, and error performance with coding

Limited wireless spectrum coupled with the need to support co-existence mechanisms call for robust receivers and improved interference management. With a spectrum sharing operating mode, it is hard to model dynamic interference conditions in wireless networks. In the first part of this work, we have introduced an additive non-Gaussian channel (ANGC) model that captures a variety of interference sources, and presented average mutual information and average probability of error expressions when the receiver has perfect channel estimates and no knowledge of the noise statistics. The primary goal of introducing this model is to compactly represent a wide range of non-Gaussian noise sources in a robust and simple manner. As a continuation of that work, in this paper, we consider the problem of noise variance estimation, signal detection with pilot-assisted channel estimation (PACE), and coded sequence detection with a mismatched decoding metric. We derive the joint maximum-likelihood estimates of the Gaussian noise variance and the non-Gaussian parameter, and expressions for the outage probability and the average bit error probability for uncoded binary signaling. We also derive expressions for the average pairwise error probability with coding and PACE on ANGC. Numerical and simulation results are presented to validate the analysis presented in this paper.
HEARING AND LATERAL LINE | Lateral Line Structure

The mechanosensory lateral line system is composed of a spatial array of water flow detector organs (neuromasts) that are composed of directionally sensitive hair cells (like those in the inner ear). In the chondrichthyes and osteichthyes, it is well developed, with superficial neuromasts on the skin and canal neuromasts in the lateral line canals on the head and trunk, and shows morphological variation among species. In lampreys, the system is composed of superficial neuromasts on the head and trunk; it is present only in some hagfishes, where it is represented by ciliated sensory cells in a small number of grooves on the head.
Culture Change to Promote Patient Engagement It Isn't How… It's Who

Patient and family engagement is no longer a "why," "when," or even "how" conversation. So why are many health care organizations still struggling to embrace the patient as a partner? Now is the time to shift the conversation to a personal level.
Identity Hack! Is Your Company Next?

Identity theft affects the lives of countless Americans and is the fastest growing crime in America. Most instances of identity theft are attributable to breaches of privacy or confidentiality. Professional accountants, especially management accountants, internal auditors, and external auditors, are uniquely positioned to help in the design of controls that prevent or detect and correct the effects of identity theft. This paper provides an overview of identity theft and the associated risks and exposures. In addition, the paper addresses the challenges and opportunities that privacy and confidentiality issues present to management accountants and other members of the accounting profession. The paper concludes by describing procedures that organizations and individuals can use to prevent and detect identity theft, along with procedures to implement when privacy problems are discovered.
Are You Kidding

A 72-year-old male with myelodysplastic syndrome, multiply transfused with a known history of anti-E and anti-c antibodies, presents to the outpatient transfusion service. He was transfused with 2 units of red blood cells (RBCs) 5 weeks ago. The patient’s hematocrit (Hct) is now 22 % and 1 unit of RBCs is requested for the patient. A type and crossmatch sample (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, EDTA anticoagulant) is submitted to the blood bank.
Histogram derived penalty functions in gradient-based optical tomography

It is well known that the image reconstruction problem in optical tomography is ill-posed. In this work we approach the problem within a gradient-based image iterative reconstruction (GIIR) scheme. The reconstruction is considered as a minimization of an objective function. This function can be separated into a least-square-error term, which compares predicted and actual detector readings, and additional penalty terms that contain a priori information about the system. In this work penalty functions are considered that are derived from full or partial knowledge of the histogram of the image to be reconstructed.
Recent earthquakes near Whittier, California

This paper deals with recent earthquakes noted in a small area near and to the south of Whittier, California, culminating in a shock at 8:46 a.m., P.S.T., on July 8, 1929, which just barely attained destructive intensity. Since the establishment of the Seismological Laboratory and the first group of auxiliary stations of the coordinated network in southern California, installed in 1926 and 1927, earthquakes emanating from this district have been registered as follows: a sharp shock at 11:14 a.m., P.S.T., on October 8, 1927; a swarm of small shocks on December 30 and 31, 1928; and a group in May, 1929. Also, following the main shock, many aftershocks occurred within a few hours, and since then shocks have continued to occur, at increasingly long and irregular intervals, down to the time of writing.
The formation of hydroxyapatite-calcium polyacrylate composites.

Tetracalcium phosphate (TetCP, Ca4(PO4)2O) reacts rapidly with polyacrylic acid (PAA). Complete reaction results in the formation of hydroxyapatite (HAp) and calcium polyacrylate. Consequently, this combination of reactants can react to form a dental cement. However, reaction occurs so rapidly that it would be difficult to achieve a homogeneous mixture of reactants suitable for use in restorations. In order to explore extending the working time, the effects of prehydrating the TetCP to form surface layers of HAp on the TetCP particles was explored. Prehydration was found to be an effective means of allowing workability. Therefore, the effects of the proportions of TetCP and PAA, with and without HAp filler, on cement properties were investigated. The extents of the reactions were investigated by X-ray diffraction analysis; the extents of PAA neutralization were studied by Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR); pore structures were determined by mercury intrusion porosimetry; microstructures were observed by scanning microscopy, and compressive strengths were determined. After curing for 17 days at room temperature PAA neutralization was almost complete; however, residual TetCP could be detected by X-ray diffraction and PAA by FTIR. As expected, the compressive strengths of the cements showed a dependence on the liquid (water+polymer)-to-solid (TetCP+HAp filler) used. The presence of HAp filler caused a significant decrease in compressive strength and increasing the proportion of HAp filler resulted in a decrease in the compressive strength. The characteristics of the load–deflection curves showed a dependence on the presence of HAp filler. In the absence of filler, two slopes were observed in the curves whereas a linear curve, typical of a ceramic, was observed when HAp filler was present. Mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) indicated the majority of the porosity was present in pores larger than 0.1 μm. Porosity increased with increasing liquid-to-solids ratio and with an increasing proportion of HAp filler at a constant liquid-to-solids ratio. Microstructural observations indicated the effect of HAp filler on increasing porosity was the result of porosity present in the filler itself. Thus, poorly consolidated HAp filler contributed to increased porosity and reduced compressive strength. © 1999 Kluwer Academic Publishers
Direct and Indirect Economic Burden of Chronic Liver Disease in the United States.

Background & Aims Chronic liver (CLD) is a major public health concern. We assessed its effects on quality of life and work productivity, as well as its economic burden in the United States. Methods We performed a cross-sectional study of data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS; 2004–2013). We extracted participants' sociodemographic parameters and medical histories. Subjects with CLD were identified based on Clinical Classification Software codes. MEPS participants were compared between those with and without CLD, and then between employed and unemployed patients with CLD. Outcomes were quality-of-life scores, employment, and health care use. Results We collected data from 230,406 adult participants (age, ≥18 y) in the MEPS; 1846 had current CLD (36.7% with viral hepatitis and 5.3% with liver cancer). Individuals with CLD were less likely to be employed (44.7% vs 69.6% patients without CLD), were not working owing to illness/disability (30.5% vs 6.6% without CLD), lost more work because of disability (10.2 vs 3.4 d without CLD), and had more health care use, producing greater health care expenses ($19,390 vs $5567/y without CLD) (all P P P P P Conclusions In a cross-sectional analysis of MEPS participants, we associated CLD with large economic and quality-of-life burdens.
Laparoscopic Heller Myotomy and Dor Fundoplication for Esophageal Achalasia: Technique and Perioperative Management

Abstract Surgical correction of achalasia using laparoscopic Heller myotomy with Dor fundoplication is argued to be the gold standard treatment for patients with achalasia. The goal of this technical report is to illustrate our preferred approach to patients with achalasia and to provide the reader with a detailed description of our operative technique, its rationale, and our pre and postoperative management.
Technology Transfer Using XRSIM as a Training Tool

In a collaboration between Cowley County Community College and Iowa State University, unique capabilities at the institutions are being combined to develop an NDE simulation teaching tool. The tool, based on XRSIM [1–4], will allow physically accurate radiographic inspections to be simulated using a computer aided design (CAD) model of a part. XRSIM was developed primarily as an industrial problem-solving tool; however, it has much to offer as a teaching tool. Cowley County Community College is leading the effort to develop the course material that will allow instructors to use XRSIM to teach students the fundamentals of radiography.
Electromagnetically induced transparency and quantum heat engines

We describe how electromagnetically induced transparency may be used to construct a nontraditional near-ideal quantum heat engine as constrained by the second law. The engine is pumped by a thermal reservoir that may be either hotter or colder than that of an exhaust reservoir, and also by a monochromatic laser. As output, it produces a bright narrow emission at line center of an otherwise absorbing transition.
Mesh Fixation with Fibrin Sealant in Totally Extraperitoneal Hernia Repair.

Abstract Introduction: Repair of inguinal hernia is a common procedure, but there is a lack of consensus as to the optimal repair technique along with the use of mesh and methods of mesh fixation. ...
The Relationship Between Efavirenz as Initial Antiretroviral Therapy and Suicidal Thoughts Among HIV-Infected Adults in Routine Care.

Background:Evidence about the effect of initiating efavirenz-containing combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) as the first-line therapy on suicidal thoughts remains conflicting.Methods:Using data from a cohort of HIV-infected adults enrolled in routine care across 5 sites in the United States, we
Scaling accurate genetic variant discovery to tens of thousands of samples

Comprehensive disease gene discovery in both common and rare diseases will require the efficient and accurate detection of all classes of genetic variation across tens to hundreds of thousands of human samples. We describe here a novel assembly-based approach to variant calling, the GATK HaplotypeCaller (HC) and Reference Confidence Model (RCM), that determines genotype likelihoods independently per-sample but performs joint calling across all samples within a project simultaneously. We show by calling over 90,000 samples from the Exome Aggregation Consortium (ExAC) that, in contrast to other algorithms, the HC-RCM scales efficiently to very large sample sizes without loss in accuracy; and that the accuracy of indel variant calling is superior in comparison to other algorithms. More importantly, the HC-RCM produces a fully squared-off matrix of genotypes across all samples at every genomic position being investigated. The HC- RCM is a novel, scalable, assembly-based algorithm with abundant applications for population genetics and clinical studies.
Pioneering the chromatin landscape.

New genomic analyses indicate that pioneer transcription factors can sample a diverse repertoire of common binding sites among different cell types and become enriched where they cooperate with other factors specific to each cell. Pioneer-factor binding is mechanistically separate from, and is necessary for, subsequent phenomena of chromatin opening and epigenetic memory in vivo.
The Effects of Sex Differences and Hormonal Contraception on Outcomes after Collegiate Sports-Related Concussion.

Abstract There is conflicting evidence regarding whether females are more adversely affected after concussion than males. Further, recent research suggests that hormonal contraceptive (HC) use may ...
Evaluating outcomes of management targeting the recovery of a migratory songbird of conservation concern.

Background Assessing outcomes of habitat management is critical for informing and adapting conservation plans. From 2013-2019, a multi-stage management initiative, led by the American Bird Conservancy (ABC), aims to create >25,000 ha of shrubland and early-successional vegetation to benefit Golden-winged Warblers (Vermivora chrysoptera) in managed forested landscapes of the western Great Lakes region. We studied a dense breeding population of Golden-winged Warblers at Rice Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Minnesota, USA, where ABC initiative management was implemented to benefit the species. Methods We monitored abundance before (2011-2014) and after (2015-2016) management, and we estimated full-season productivity (i.e., young recruited into the fall population) from predictive, spatially explicit models, informed by nest and fledgling survival data collected at sites in the western Great Lakes region, including Rice Lake NWR, during 2011 and 2012. Then, using biologically informed models of bird response to observed and predicted vegetation succession, we estimated the cumulative change in population recruitment over various scenarios of vegetation succession and demographic response. Results We observed an 32% decline in abundance of breeding pairs and estimated a 27% decline in per-pair full-season productivity following management, compared to no change in a nearby control site. In models that ranged from highly optimistic to progressively more realistic scenarios, we estimated a net loss of 72-460 juvenile Golden-winged Warblers produced from the managed site in the 10-20 years following management. Even if our well-informed and locally validated productivity models produced erroneous estimates and the management resulted in only a temporary reduction in abundance (i.e., no change in productivity), our forecast models still predicted a net loss of 137-260 juvenile Golden-winged Warblers from the managed area over the same time frame. Conclusions Our study site represents only a small portion of a massive management initiative; however, the management at our site was conducted in accordance with the initiative's management plans, the resulting vegetation structure is consistent with that of other areas managed under the initiative, and those responsible for the initiative have described the management at our study site as successful Golden-winged Warbler management. Our assessment demonstrates that, at least for the only site for which pre- and post-management data on Golden-winged Warblers exist, the ABC management initiative is having a substantial and likely enduring negative impact on the species it purports to benefit. We suggest that incorporating region-specific, empirical information about Golden-winged Warbler-habitat relations into habitat management efforts would increase the likelihood of a positive response by Golden-winged Warblers.
Chinese Competition Law in the World

Chinese competition law has been intensely interwoven with the outside world since its inception. It was created in 2008 in the glare of globalizing markets and spurred by the opportunities Chinese decision makers believed those markets provided. They based the statute on foreign models, and in implementing it they have selectively used foreign advice and experience. Economic and political decision makers in much of the world have, in turn, paid close attention to Chinese competition law developments, and many have tried to influence decisions there. This Essay seeks to bring into sharper focus the role and place of Chinese competition law in the world. It explores elements of the relationship between competition law in China and the economic, legal and political worlds outside China. It is, in short, about “China in the world”. I have three central objectives: To identify key elements of that relationship, to uncover factors that impede and distort perceptions of Chinese competition law and of its relationship to the global context, and to at least glimpse some of the potential implications of both.
Definite and Indefinite

Noun phrases (NPs) beginning with the or a/an are prototypical definite and indefinite NPs in English. The two main theories about the meaning of definiteness are uniqueness and familiarity. Both properties characterize most occurrences of definite descriptions, although there are examples that defy one or the other or both theories. Existential sentences have become criterial for distinguishing indefinites from definites and have led to broadening of both categories to include a variety of other NP forms. Information status approaches propose a hierarchy of NP types, rather than a simple binary distinction. The expression of definiteness varies from language to language.
Overview of the Conference: Implications of Seismological Data for Astrophysics

This review of the conference will necessarily consider the seismological data implications for only stellar astrophysics. While there are some aspects of this conference that interface with subjects like relativity, gravity, stellar systems, studies of chaos, etc., these will not be discussed here. What we are doing here is discussing the interiors of stars. We want to learn about their masses and composition structures. Pulsation periods can be used to measure stellar mean densities. Further details that seem accessible are the solar rotation speed versus depth and latitude and the structure of both solar and stellar atmospheres.
Disagreement over Resuscitation.

Physicians should fully understand the ethical principles and professional standards involved in making decisions for the treatment of impaired newborns. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Therapeutic Change in Clinical Case Reports and on the Rorschach

This chapter will consider the evaluation of therapeutic change as expressed in ratings of clinical behavior described in the clinical case reports prepared on each patient after the first 6 weeks of hospitalization and then again, on average, after 15 months of intensive treatment including psychoanalytically oriented individual psychotherapy four times weekly. The case records were rated for manifest clinical symptoms of psychosis, neurosis, and labile and flattened affect, as well as for the quality of social interactions with other patients and members of the clinical staff. In addition, Rorschach protocols administered at these same two times in the treatment process were independently evaluated for a variety of dimensions including thought disorder and the quality of the representation of the human figure and the nature of its interactions.
Phospholipids from the chemoautotroph Ferrobacillus ferrooxidans.

The chemoautotroph Ferrobacillus ferrooxidans like other gram-negative bacteria possesses a multi-layered cell envelope (Remsen & Lundgren 1966) which is believed to be involved in Fe++ ion oxidation-the primary energy yielding reaction of the organism (Dugan and Lundgren, 1965). This report presents a phase of our study concerning the characterization of phospholipids in membranes of F. ferrooxidans. Reports of phospholipids in other chemoautotrophs have been published (Schaeffer and Umbreit, 1962; Jones and Benson, 1965; Hagen, Goldfine, and Williams, 1966).
Macular Degeneration—An Addendum

In the last decade there has been an increasing focus on developing new treatments for age-related macular degeneration because of the burgeoning aging population in the Western world. Many attempts have been made to find genes important to the onset of macular degeneration in the hope that we will understand the biological mechanisms and pathways that trigger the disease so that we can develop the most effective intervention strategies. Linkage and candidate gene studies have indicated that macular degeneration is a multigenic disease. In chapter 2,Wang et al. describe the evidence for a possible role of the ABCA-4, a retina-specific ATP-binding cassette transporter protein and the Apo-E gene, which encodes for a lipoprotein that maintains normal levels of cholesterol, as two genes that are risk factors for AMDR when they are dysfunctional. A recent review provides more details of the linkage studies that suggest a role for these genes and lists others that have been proposed (1). ABCA-4 is clearly involved in the early onset Stargardt’s disease but has a less clearly defined role in adult AMD. Different alleles of Apo-E can confer risk for or protection from AMD but the effect is relatively minor. Hemicentin-1, a gene on chromosome 1 encoding an extracellular matrix protein, was previously thought to be important in AMD but is now viewed as a marker for real AMD risk genes in the same region of chromosome 1. The linkage and candidate gene studies have resulted in our understanding of how the dysfunction of some genes may be risk factors for the pathogenesis of AMD. However, these do not account for a significant number of the diseased cases or provide a clear indication of the causes of AMD.
Institutional Arrangements in Digital Government Success: The Case of State Government Web Portals in Mexico

Digital government research suggests that successful digital government projects are characterized by specific factors and processes. Institutional arrangements constitute a specific set of factors that are particularly relevant for digital government projects and are the formal and informal rules that shape organizations and organizational activity. These rules can be either rigid or flexible in a manner that impacts other factors as technology, organization, and environmental issues is adapted and adopted by organizations. Although there is general agreement regarding the influence of IAs on project success, little is known regarding the specific mechanisms by which they operate. This research used qualitative methods and the case of the State Government Portals in Mexico to uncover some of these mechanisms.
The Latest Results from the Focal L-Band Array for the Green Bank Telescope (FLAG), the World's Most Senstive Phased Array Feed

The ability to significantly increase the survey speed makes Phased Array Feeds (PAFs) the next revolution in radio astronomy instrumentation. This paper will present the latest commissioning and science results from the Focal L-Band Array for the Green Bank telescope (FLAG), which holds the current world record for PAF sensitivity. Since we are able to operate at system temperatures comparable with the traditional GBT single pixel L-Band feed, the increase in the field-of-view provided by the beamforming capabilities of PAFs results in a dramatic (∼ a factor of 5-7) increase in survey speeds. In particular, FLAG can probe similar neutral hydrogen column density regimes over a 4 sq. deg region in ∼ 30 minutes as opposed to four hours in an equivalent single pixel map. The multi-beam nature of PAFs also benefit radio transient science such as pulsar timing, blind pulsar surveys, and the search for elusive Fast Radio Bursts.
The Sustainable City: Practical Planning and Design Approaches

The concept of sustainability continues to be of paramount importance to our cities (United Nations, 2015; Zolli, 2012). Planners, architects, economists, environmentalists, and politicians persist...
Pregnancy after Aortic Root Replacement in Marfan's Syndrome: A Case Series and Review of the Literature.

Objectives We sought to characterize pregnancy-related aortic complications in women with Marfan's syndrome who had prior aortic root replacement. Study Design This is a retrospective case series study and literature review of women with Marfan's syndrome with pregnancy after aortic root replacement. We surveyed women with Marfan's syndrome who had successful pregnancy after aortic root replacement using the Marfan Foundation Website and from two large tertiary care Marfan's clinics. Clinical data, counseling information, and details of pregnancy-related aortic complications were compiled. A literature review was performed assessing aortic outcomes in women with Marfan's syndrome with pregnancy after aortic surgery. Results Fourteen women with 20 pregnancies were identified. Two women had three pregnancies following root replacement for aortic dissection. There were no aortic dissections during the 20 pregnancies. In contrast, aortic dissection was frequently reported in the literature. Conclusions Women with Marfan's syndrome who become pregnant following aortic root replacement remain at risk for distal aortic dissection related to pregnancy. The exact risk is difficult to quantify but is not zero and women should be counseled accordingly.
Throughput Scalability Analysis of Fork-Join Queueing Networks

Parallel and distributed processing systems have expanded in size as technology advances in cloud computing and big data analytics. A critical issue concerns throughput scalability: whether through...
Notch sensitivity of A Ceramic Composite with A Circular Hole

Silicon carbide matrix reinforced with silicon carbide fabric with a circular hole was studied for its tensile fracture behavior. Hole diameter to specimen width ratios ranged from 0.1 to 0.4. The ...
CHAPTER 4 – Terrestrial Feeding in Salamanders

This chapter deals with feeding by metamorphosed individuals, or the free-living stage of direct-developing species. Much basic information concerning morphology and diversity applies to both aquatic and terrestrial salamanders. Research effort has been unevenly distributed to salamander clades. Biomechanical models of tongue protraction have been produced and tested for plethodontids and ambystomatids, but are largely lacking for other taxa. Detailed morphological studies date to the early part of this century and do not include several families, including Dicamptodontidae, Hynobiidae, and Rhyacotritonidae. However, comparative anatomical studies of some of the larger families, including Ambystomatidae, Plethodontidae, and Salamandridae, are relatively complete. What is needed is a broad and integrated comparative anatomical analysis of the musculoskeletal system of all the families, with special attention given to the establishment of homologies. Quantitative studies of kinematics are limited to only a few species and have been conducted in artificially controlled conditions and with limited, sometimes unnatural, prey. The modulation of behavior has been investigated in only a handful of species, even though most species feed on a diversity of prey and under a variety of conditions. Diet and foraging need further study in most taxa. Two families, the Dicamptodontidae and the Rhyacotritonidae, are especially understudied with respect to kinematics.
Developments in Illinois and Indiana in 1951

In all, 3,702 wells were drilled for oil and gas in Illinois and Indiana in 1951 as compared with 4,424 in 1950, a decrease of 16.5 per cent. Total oil production decreased 2.6 per cent from 72,725,000 barrels in 1950 to 70,823,000 barrels in 1951. Wildcat drilling increased from 1,334 completions in 1950 to 1,483 completions in 1951. Sixty-nine new pools, 76 extensions, and 52 new producing zones were discovered in the two states in 1951. As in previous years, most of the discoveries in 1951 were in Mississippian formations. Six new pools were discovered in Pennsylvanian sandstones, 7 in Devonian or Silurian limestones, and 1 in Ordovician limestone.
The changing landscape of live kidney donation in the United States from 2005 to 2017.

The number of live kidney donors has declined since 2005. This decline parallels the evolving knowledge of risk for biologically related, black, and younger donors. To responsibly promote donation, we sought to identify declining low-risk donor subgroups that might serve as targets for future interventions. We analyzed a national registry of 77 427 donors and quantified the change in number of donors per 5-year increment from 2005 to 2017 using Poisson regression stratified by donor-recipient relationship and race/ethnicity. Among related donors aged <35, 35 to 49, and ≥50 years, white donors declined by 21%, 29%, and 3%; black donors declined by 30%, 31%, and 12%; Hispanic donors aged <35 and 35 to 49 years declined by 18% and 15%, and those aged ≥50 increased by 10%. Conversely, among unrelated donors aged <35, 35 to 49, and ≥50 years, white donors increased by 12%, 4%, and 24%; black donors aged <35 and 35 to 49 years did not change but those aged ≥50 years increased by 34%; Hispanic donors increased by 16%, 21%, and 46%. Unlike unrelated donors, related donors were less likely to donate in recent years across race/ethnicity. Although this decline might be understandable for related younger donors, it is less understandable for lower-risk related older donors (≥50 years). Biologically related older individuals are potential targets for interventions to promote donation.
A phase I pharmacokinetic study of belinostat in patients with advanced cancers and varying degrees of liver dysfunction

Aims The histone deacetylase inhibitor belinostat has activity in various cancers. Because belinostat is metabolized by the liver, reduced hepatic clearance could lead to excessive drug accumulation and increased toxicity. Safety data in patients with liver dysfunction are needed for this drug to reach its full potential in the clinic. Methods We performed a phase 1 trial to determine the safety, maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and pharmacokinetics of belinostat in patients with advanced cancer and varying degrees of liver dysfunction. Results Seventy-two patients were enrolled and divided into cohorts based on liver function. In patients with mild dysfunction, the MTD was the same as the recommended phase 2 dose (1000 mg/m2 /day). Belinostat was well tolerated in patients with moderate and severe liver dysfunction, although the trial was closed before the MTD in these cohorts could be determined. The mean clearance of belinostat was 661 mL/min/m2 in patients with normal liver function, compared to 542, 505 and 444 mL/min/m2 in patients with mild, moderate and severe hepatic dysfunction. Although this trial was not designed to assess clinical activity, of the 47 patients evaluable for response, 13 patients (28%) experienced stable disease. Conclusion While a statistically significant difference in clearance indicates increased belinostat exposure with worsening liver function, no relationship was observed between belinostat exposure and toxicity. An assessment of belinostat metabolites revealed significant differences in metabolic pathway capability in patients with differing levels of liver dysfunction. Further studies are needed to establish formal dosing guidelines in this patient population.
SMT-based Robot Transition Repair.

State machines are a common model for robot behaviors. Transition functions often rely on parameterized conditions to model preconditions for the controllers, where the correct values of the parameters depend on factors relating to the environment or the specific robot. In the absence of specific calibration procedures a roboticist must painstakingly adjust the parameters through a series of trial and error experiments. In this process, identifying when the robot has taken an incorrect action, and what should be done is straightforward, but finding the right parameter values can be difficult. We present an alternative approach that we call, interactive SMT-based Robot Transition Repair. During execution we record an execution trace of the transition function, and we ask the roboticist to identify a few instances where the robot has transitioned incorrectly, and what the correct transition should have been. A user supplies these corrections based on the type of error to repair, and an automated analysis of the traces partially evaluates the transition function for each correction. This system of constraints is then formulated as a MaxSMT problem, where the solution is a minimal adjustment to the parameters that satisfies the maximum number of constraints. In order to identify a repair that accurately captures user intentions and generalizes to novel scenarios, solutions are explored by iteratively adding constraints to the MaxSMT problem to yield sets of alternative repairs. We test with state machines from multiple domains including robot soccer and autonomous driving, and we evaluate solver based repair with respect to solver choice and optimization hyperparameters. Our results demonstrate that SRTR can repair a variety of states machines and error types 1) quickly, 2) with small numbers of corrections, while 3) not overcorrecting state machines and harming generalized performance.
The Impact of Previous Obstetric History on the Risk of Spontaneous Preterm Birth in Women with a Sonographic Short Cervix.

Objective The natural history of women with a short cervix and a low-risk obstetric history remains poorly defined. In our study, we sought to better characterize the impact of previous obstetric history on the delivery outcomes in women diagnosed with a mid-trimester sonographic short cervix. Study Design We performed a retrospective cohort study of women with singleton gestations who underwent transvaginal cervical length screening between 16 and 24 weeks at two urban hospitals in Philadelphia between January 2013 and March 2018 and were found to have a short cervix (defined as ≤2 cm). Women were excluded from the cohort if there were major fetal anomalies noted or if delivery outcome information was not available. The cohort was then divided into three groups based on obstetric history: nulliparous, history of full-term birth only, or history of spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB). The primary outcome was sPTB Results Our cohort included a total of 384 singleton pregnancies that were diagnosed with a sonographic short cervix: 165 women were nulliparous, 119 women had a history of full-term birth, and 100 women with a history of sPTB. We found that women with a short sonographic cervix had a sPTB rate of 39.6% with no differences found between the three groups. Only two-thirds of nulliparous women and women with a history of full-term birth received the recommended preventative treatment, compared with almost 100% of women with a history of sPTB. Conclusion Women with and without a history of sPTB are at comparable risk of sPTB in the presence of a sonographically short cervix. Preventative therapies should be recommended to both nulliparous women and women with a history of full-term birth since uptake in this population are not as high.
Discerning the diets of sweep-feeding eurypterids: assessing the importance of prey size to survivorship across the Late Devonian mass extinction in a phylogenetic context

Eurypterids are generally considered to comprise a mixture of active nektonic to nektobenthic predators and benthic scavenger-predators exhibiting a mode of life similar to modern horseshoe crabs. However, two groups of benthic stylonurine eurypterids, the Stylonuroidea and Mycteropoidea, independently evolved modifications to the armature of their anterior appendages that have been considered adaptations toward a sweep-feeding life habit, and it has been suggested the evolution toward sweep-feeding may have permitted stylonurines to capture smaller prey species and may have been critical for the survival of mycteropoids during the Late Devonian mass extinction. There is a linear correlation between the average spacing of feeding structures and prey sizes among extant suspension feeders. Here, we extrapolate this relationship to sweep-feeding eurypterids in order to estimate the range of prey sizes that they could capture and examine prey size in a phylogenetic context to determine what role prey size played in determining survivorship during the Late Devonian. The mycteropoid Cyrtoctenus was the most specialized sweep-feeder, with comblike appendage armature capable of capturing mesoplankton out of suspension, while the majority of stylonurines possess armature corresponding to a prey size range of 1.6–52 mm, suggesting they were suited for capturing small benthic macroinvertebrates such as crustaceans, mollusks, and wormlike organisms. There is no clear phylogenetic signal to prey size distribution and no evolutionary trend toward decreasing prey sizes among Stylonurina. Rather than prey size, species survivorship during the Late Devonian was likely mediated by geographic distribution and ability to capitalize on the expanding freshwater benthos.
Shining more light on photoinduced segregation.

Light is known to induce segregation of iodine and bromine in mixed-halide perovskites. Counterintuitively, it is now shown that irradiation at higher intensity reverses this process, leading to halide remixing.
Enhancing Preparedness for Emergency Alternative Modes of Instruction: Construction and Evaluation of a Remote Teaching Curriculum

The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated safety recommendations of social distancing provoked an unprecedented shift from primarily in-person to online educational instruction. This paper details a curriculum of eight professional workshops designed to help faculty develop the knowledge and skills to meet their instructional learning goals and students’ accessibility needs in these unique and challenging circumstances. Results identified a number of digital tools and strategies that faculty and students found useful for both synchronous and asynchronous learning contexts. A detailed description of each module as well as faculty-provided recommendations are included herein for the benefit of instructors designing future online courses for alternative modes of instruction.
Plastic waste upcycling toward a circular economy

Abstract Large amounts of plastics are discarded worldwide each year, leading to a significant mass of waste in landfills and pollution to soil, air, and waterways. Upcycling is an efficient way to transform plastic waste into high-value products and can significantly lessen the environmental impact of plastic production/consumption. In this article, current advances and future directions in plastic waste upcycling technologies are discussed. In particular, this review focuses on the production of high-value materials from plastic waste conversion methods, including pyrolysis, gasification, photoreforming, and mechanical reprocessing. Plastic waste compositions, conversion products, reaction mechanisms, catalyst selection, conversion efficiencies, polymer design, and polymer modification are also explored. The main challenges facing the adoption and scale-up of these technologies are highlighted. Suggestions are given for focusing future research and development to increase the efficiency of upcycling practices.
A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Physician Abortion Practice After Residency.

Background and objectives In the United States, 89% of counties have no clinics providing abortion care. Though training residents increases intention to provide abortion care, rates of postresidency abortion provision are low. This study, conducted at one family medicine residency program in the Southwest United States, examines graduates' postresidency practice of abortion care in the context of their intent to provide during residency training. Methods We collected cross-sectional data from a survey of graduates of University of New Mexico Family Medicine Residency from 2005 to 2017. We performed a mixed-methods analysis using descriptive statistics and conceptual content analysis, including a new methodology of performing content analysis of four subgroups based on intention to provide abortion care at different time points. Results The response rate was 46%, with 54 responses to 115 surveys. Only 35% residents who intended to provide abortion care had done so after graduation from residency. Barrier analysis revealed that the three most frequent barriers were structural, with 52% of respondents saying that their workplace would not allow abortion care. The two most frequent themes affecting intention were "competence" and feeling that abortion care was "medically necessary." However, the two most common themes affecting actual practice were "workplace support" and local "patient access." Conclusions This study provides information about the themes associated with changing intentions and practice of abortion care, which may help elucidate new strategies for training residents to anticipate and address challenges to postresidency provision. The study also provides some insight into residents with no intention to provide abortion care in residency who develop an intention to provide abortion care after graduation, which is a group of people for whom there is little information.
A Cold Peace, or War by Other Means?

During the 1970s, the two power blocs moved toward more peaceful relations through detente and arms limitation. That had a special impact on the two Germanies, and Central and Eastern Europe. However, the Soviets gained many victories worldwide, building up their nuclear arsenals and weapons systems, and also expanding Communist influence in several parts of Africa. US weakness was further aggravated by the loss of the wars in Indo-China and the domestic crises of the Watergate affair. The US felt a growing sense of global threat and even encirclement, which provoked the rise of a new and more determined right-wing and anti-Communist militancy. At the same time, the Soviets were challenged by economic weakness and by human rights movements.
Summary of the Session by the Rapporteur

At this session, papers were presented which described five of the nine active solar central receiver projects (besides the six currently operating pilot plants, the 5MWt test facility at Albuquerque, the 1 MWt solar furnace at Odeillo and the numerous smaller test facilities) There projects vary widely in size, objective, project phase, working fluid cost funding status, etc. In Table I, we list these nine plants in order of current design maturity (as perceived by the Rapporteur) along with the main parameters describing each. However, it must be recognized that important design parameters are subject to change until a final disign is under way. Important information is currently being developed tests, by the various operating CR systerms, by special heliostat and receiver tests by component tests, and by computational modeling. Thus, reduced he lostat costs or more cost optimal designs can lead to reduced tower heights; the surprisingly high loss figures and high costs derived for cavity receivers can lead to the adoption of external receivers, either flat plates or cylinders (as used effectively in Solar One); ect.
Cerebral spinal fluid studies in eclampsia

Abstract During the 5 year period 1966–1970, 94 eclamptic patients were delivered of infants at the City of Memphis Hospitals. The cerebrospinal fluid of the last 21 patients was studied in an attempt to clarify the various neurological manifestations of this syndrome. The results were compared with cerebral spinal fluid obtained at delivery from 25 patients with severe pre-eclampsia, 10 with chronic hypertensive vascular disease, 9 with documented seizure disorders, and 35 patients with normal term pregnancies. Nineteen of the 21 eclamptic patients had bloody spinal fluid (hematorrhachis), and this finding, in addition to others, is correlated with neurological deficits and prognosis.
Operational Taxonomy for Physical Education Objectives

(1978). Operational Taxonomy for Physical Education Objectives. Journal of Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 49, No. 1, pp. 54-55.
A matricial corona theorem

We show that a usual corona-type theorem on a space of functions automatically extends to a matrix version.
High power microwave generation with pulse compression

Chirped pulse compression is achieved in transmit modes with wideband antennas, such as log periodic dipole arrays (LPDA), where the matched filters are the antennas. In this paper, a modulation technique is described which compresses ultra wideband (UWB) signals on conventional LPDAs. In transmit modes, high power microwaves (HPM) applications are found with wideband transmitting antennas, such as LPDA, where the matched filters are the antennas. The strong phase dispersion usually encountered with LPDAs creates substantial distortion in the shape of wideband signals or pulses. This distortion is greatly reduced with either a change in the FM from linear to exponential or with a modification in the log periodicity of the array elements to a linear periodicity.
The Process of Negotiation: An Exploratory Investigation in the Context of No-Fault Divorce

This article explores the process of negotiation in the context of no-fault divorce. Its purpose is twofold: (1) to increase understanding of the general process of negotiation by examining it in the context of divorce; and (2) to examine an important component of the divorce process, support for the children of divorcing parents, as a negotiated outcome.