cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantification of renal function following stereotactic body radiotherapy for pancreatic cancer: secondary dosimetric analysis of a prospective clinical trial

This is the first known study examining renal function following stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for pancreatic head adenocarcinoma. Thirty-eight borderline-resectable/unresectable patients, part of an ongoing prospective trial, underwent 3 cycles of gemcitabine/5-fluorouracil followed by SBRT (5 daily fractions of 5/6/7/8 Gy) and concurrent nelfinavir. Thereafter, in resectable cases, surgery was performed within 4–8 weeks. The last available pre-SBRT creatinine was recorded, along with the highest post-SBRT value. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was calculated by the commonly-utilized Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formula. GFR decline was defined as the post-SBRT nadir GFR minus the pre-SBRT GFR. Correlations with the V5–V30, and mean/maximum kidney doses was performed. Statistics included Pearson correlation, Mann-Whitney, and Fisher’s exact tests. The median total kidney volume was 355 cm3. Median dosimetric values were as follows: V5 (209 cm3), V10 (103 cm3), V15 (9 cm3), V20 (0 cm3), V25 (0 cm3); and mean (6.7 Gy) & maximum kidney dose (18.3 Gy). Median GFR change was −23 (range, −105 to 25) mL/min/1.73 cm2. Of all dosimetric parameters, only V5 was significantly associated with changes in GFR (Pearson r = −0.40, p = 0.012). In patients with V5 23 mL/min/1.73 cm2. If V5 is kept <210 cm3, median GFR decline was only 11.8 mL/min/1.73 cm2. Further validation is needed to ascertain definite dose-volume parameters and examine late renal decline.
The emergence of chaos on non-uniformly timed systems

This paper is motivated by the problems posed in control design when actuators, sensors, and/or computational nodes connect via unreliable or unpredictable communications channels. In these cases, non-uniformities are introduced into the underlying time domain of the system. Our central question is whether chaos can emerge in a system as a result of changing only the time domain. We answer the question in the positive by producing an example. Additionally, we find fractal structure in the emergence of chaos in this example.
RealityConvert: a tool for preparing 3D models of biochemical structures for augmented and virtual reality

Motivation There is a growing interest for the broad use of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) in the fields of bioinformatics and cheminformatics to visualize complex biological and chemical structures. AR and VR technologies allow for stunning and immersive experiences, offering untapped opportunities for both research and education purposes. However, preparing 3D models ready to use for AR and VR is time-consuming and requires a technical expertise that severely limits the development of new contents of potential interest for structural biologists, medicinal chemists, molecular modellers and teachers. Results Herein we present the RealityConvert software tool and associated website, which allow users to easily convert molecular objects to high quality 3D models directly compatible for AR and VR applications. For chemical structures, in addition to the 3D model generation, RealityConvert also generates image trackers, useful to universally call and anchor that particular 3D model when used in AR applications. The ultimate goal of RealityConvert is to facilitate and boost the development and accessibility of AR and VR contents for bioinformatics and cheminformatics applications. Availability and implementation http://www.realityconvert.com. Contact dfourch@ncsu.edu. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Mitochondrial Haplogroups Modify the Effect of Diabetes Duration and HbA1c on Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy Risk in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes.

Purpose We previously demonstrated an association between European mitochondrial haplogroups and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). The purpose of this study was to determine how the relationship between these haplogroups and both diabetes duration and hyperglycemia, two major risk factors for diabetic retinopathy (DR), affect PDR prevalence. Methods Our population consisted of patients with type 2 diabetes with (n = 377) and without (n = 480) DR. A Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare diabetes duration and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) among mitochondrial haplogroups. Logistic regressions were performed to investigate diabetes duration and HbA1c as risk factors for PDR in the context of European mitochondrial haplogroups. Results Neither diabetes duration nor HbA1c differed among mitochondrial haplogroups. Among DR patients from haplogroup H, longer diabetes duration and increasing HbA1c were significant risk factors for PDR (P = 0.0001 and P = 0.011, respectively). Neither diabetes duration nor HbA1c was a significant risk factor for PDR in DR patients from haplogroup UK. Conclusions European mitochondrial haplogroups modify the effects of diabetes duration and HbA1c on PDR risk in patients with type 2 diabetes. In our patient population, longer diabetes duration and higher HbA1c increased PDR risk in patients from haplogroup H, but did not affect PDR risk in patients from haplogroup UK. This relationship has not been previously demonstrated and may explain, in part, why some patients with nonproliferative DR develop PDR and others do not, despite similar diabetes duration and glycemic control.
Model Realizations and Reduction

In this chapter we start our investigation of quantitative input and output properties of systems. To do this we will require the state space systems theory of Chapter 2 combined with the new viewpoint and framework gained in the preceding chapter. We first consider issues related to the relative controllability and observability of system states, and their relationships with the overall input-output characteristics of a system. We then turn to the important question of systematically finding reduced order approximations to systems. We will develop a powerful technique to accomplish this, and the operator perspective of the previous chapter will play a central role.
Anatomical Landmark Based Deep Feature Representation for MR Images in Brain Disease Diagnosis

Most automated techniques for brain disease diagnosis utilize hand-crafted (e.g., voxel-based or region-based) biomarkers from structural magnetic resonance (MR) images as feature representations. However, these hand-crafted features are usually high-dimensional or require regions-of-interest defined by experts. Also, because of possibly heterogeneous property between the hand-crafted features and the subsequent model, existing methods may lead to sub-optimal performances in brain disease diagnosis. In this paper, we propose a landmark-based deep feature learning (LDFL) framework to automatically extract patch-based representation from MRI for automatic diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. We first identify discriminative anatomical landmarks from MR images in a data-driven manner, and then propose a convolutional neural network for patch-based deep feature learning. We have evaluated the proposed method on subjects from three public datasets, including the Alzheimer's disease neuroimaging initiative (ADNI-1), ADNI-2, and the minimal interval resonance imaging in alzheimer's disease (MIRIAD) dataset. Experimental results of both tasks of brain disease classification and MR image retrieval demonstrate that the proposed LDFL method improves the performance of disease classification and MR image retrieval.
EFFECTS OF MOTIVATION IN PARTICIPATING TO CROSSFIT CENTERS WITH THE PURPOSE OF RECREATIVE EXERCISE

The purpose of this research is to determine the factors of influence of the individuals who do exercise in the Crossfit centers in Istanbul for recreational purposes and to relate these factors to some variables. The sample group of this experiment consists of individuals that do exercise in the Crossfit centers in Istanbul for recreational purposes. For the means of collecting data, “Recreational Exercise Motivation Scale” (REMM), which is developed to determine the factors of motivation for individuals to do recreational exercise, is used. To determine the recreational exercise motivations of participants, t-test is used for Independent Groups according to their gender variable. T-test for Independent Groups has been used to determine the recreational exercise motivation of participants with regard to gender type variable. A difference has been found in rivalry sub-dimension of REMM scale according to gender variable in the participants that go to the crossfit centers (p<0.05). When the data from this research have been examined, male individuals who go to the CrossFit centers participate more to the exercises with competitive reasons than female individuals. Article visualizations:
Earlier Treatment of Acute Relapses in Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder Leads to Better Outcomes (P6.385)

Objective: To determine the outcome of immunosuppressive treatment of acute neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) relapses stratified by start time of treatment relative to relapse onset. Background: Neuromyelitis optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD) is a rare, autoimmune disease that preferentially causes optic neuritis and transverse myelitis leading to blindness and paralysis. The standard of care for treatment of acute NMOSD relapses is immunosuppression with high dose corticosteroids and/or plasma exchange. The optimal timing for initiation of treatment is thought to be “sooner than later” but data are lacking regarding the outcomes based on treatment start times. Design/Methods: This is a retrospective study of 51 NMOSD relapses treated at the Johns Hopkins Hospital between 2009 and 2016. Subjects were divided into three groups based on start time of treatment: within 72 hours of relapse onset, 3–7 days and > 7 days. Expanded disability status scores (EDSS) were calculated for baseline, presentation, discharge and follow up after 6–12 months. Relapses were defined as new symptoms associated with new examination finding and a new or enhancing MRI lesion. Results: Twenty-one subjects were treated within 72 hours, 15 were treated between 3–7 days and 15 were treated > 7 days after relapse onset. There was no difference in anti-AQP4 seropositivity, age at relapse, duration of disease, sex, race or location of lesion (optic nerve/spinal cord). Treatment included high dose corticosteroids for 5 days in all patients, with plasma exchange required in 43%, 40% and 60% of subjects in each group, respectively. There was no difference in the baseline EDSS prior to admission, nor in the degree of severity of the relapse. However, there were significantly poorer outcomes in the groups with delay in treatment beyond 72 hours. On average, EDSS scores improved by 1.5 points in the 7 days groups. Similarly, patients in the Conclusions: Early treatment within 72 hours of onset to suppress inflammation in acute NMOSD relapses leads to improved neurological outcomes. Disclosure: Dr. Coleman has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ng has nothing to disclose. Dr. Mealy has received personal compensation for activities with Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers as a speaker. Dr. Levy has received personal compensation from Alexion, Guidepoint Global, Genzyme and Acorda.
What defines national interest for India and Pakistan: Economy, politics or religion?

Abstract. Recent political history of India suggests that religion has become a dominant force in country’s politics. Here lies the irony the world has put a deaf year to by still accepting India as being secular democracy instead of a country dominated by Hindu identity. This Hindu identity defines India’s security agenda as well as its relationship with the world. Country like US is comfortable with India under every President irrespective of being a Republican or a Democrat. Keywords. South Asia, Politics, Religion. JEL. A10.
Differential Graded Algebras

This chapter introduces (commutative) differential graded algebras (DGAs). The notion of a minimal DGA is introduced. These are constructed using Hirsch extensions. Hirsch extensions, up to isomorphism, are classified by a cohomology group. Lastly, the minimal model of a general simply connected DGA is defined and proved to exist by an inductive construction whose inductive step is a Hirsch extension.
Security and Technology

Security rests on economic foundations, on the ability to focus as well as to generate resources. It seems evident that in the long run power and wealth depend on each other. The ability to focus resources on security concerns is, evidently, a political matter. The capacity to generate these resources turns on how we structure and organize our market economy. That capacity is a matter of political economy.
Fabrication and performance assessment of coprecipitation-based YAG:Ce nanopowders for white LEDs

Abstract The quality of YAG:Ce phosphors will influence the luminescent performance of white LEDs devices. Therefore, in this study, we attempted to synthesis high quality YAG:Ce phosphors using coprecipitation method. YAG:Ce precursors were synthesized through coprecipitation at different rotational speeds of an electromagnetic stirrer and then heated at different calcination temperatures ranging from 900 to 1300 °C. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that phase-pure phosphors could be obtained from the precursors synthesized at 400 rpm and then calcined at 1300 °C. The emission intensity of Ce-doped YAG phosphor increased with the calcination temperature, owing to the higher crystallinity of the YAG phase. Moreover, at the same calcination temperature from 900 to 1300 °C, the maximum fluorescence intensity at approximately 540 nm of the YAG:Ce nanopowders synthesized at 400 rpm increased three to five times that of the YAG:Ce nanopowders synthesized at 200 rpm. The optimal luminescence performance of the YAG:Ce nanopowders was obtained at 400 rpm and at a calcination temperature of 1300 °C. The results of luminescence performance indicated YAG:Ce nanopowders has a great potential for development of white LEDs devices.
Measuring Pedestrian Collision Detection With Peripheral Field Loss and the Impact of Peripheral Prisms.

Purpose Peripheral field loss (PFL) due to retinitis pigmentosa, choroideremia, or glaucoma often results in a highly constricted residual central field, which makes it difficult for patients to avoid collision with approaching pedestrians. We developed a virtual environment to evaluate the ability of patients to detect pedestrians and judge potential collisions. We validated the system with both PFL patients and normally sighted subjects with simulated PFL. We also tested whether properly placed high-power prisms may improve pedestrian detection. Methods A virtual park-like open space was rendered using a driving simulator (configured for walking speeds), and pedestrians in testing scenarios appeared within and outside the residual central field. Nine normally sighted subjects and eight PFL patients performed the pedestrian detection and collision judgment tasks. The performance of the subjects with simulated PFL was further evaluated with field of view expanding prisms. Results The virtual system for testing pedestrian detection and collision judgment was validated. The performance of PFL patients and normally sighted subjects with simulated PFL were similar. The prisms for simulated PFL improved detection rates, reduced detection response times, and supported reasonable collision judgments in the prism-expanded field; detections and collision judgments in the residual central field were not influenced negatively by the prisms. Conclusions The scenarios in a virtual environment are suitable for evaluating PFL and the impact of field of view expanding devices. Translational Relevance This study validated an objective means to evaluate field expansion devices in reproducible near-real-life settings.
Kinematic and Kinetic Validation of an Improved Depth Camera Motion Assessment System Using Rigid Bodies

The study of joint kinematics and dynamics has broad clinical applications, including the identification of pathological motions or compensation strategies and the analysis of dynamic stability. High-end motion capture systems, however, are expensive and require dedicated camera spaces with lengthy setup and data processing commitments. Depth cameras, such as the Microsoft Kinect, provide an inexpensive, marker-free alternative at the sacrifice of joint-position accuracy. In this work, we present a fast framework for adding biomechanical constraints to the joint estimates provided by a depth camera system. We also present a new model for the lower lumbar joint angle. We validate key joint position, angle, and velocity measurements against a gold standard active motion-capture system on ten healthy subjects performing sit to stand (STS). Our method showed significant improvement in mean absolute error and intraclass correlation coefficients for the recovered joint angles and position-based metrics. These improvements suggest that depth cameras can provide an accurate and clinically viable method of rapidly assessing the kinematics and kinetics of the STS action, providing data for further analysis using biomechanical or machine learning methods.
The Role of Chain-End Association Lifetime in Segmental and Chain Dynamics of Telechelic Polymers

Broadband dielectric spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and rheology were employed to study the impact of hydrogen (H)-bonding end-groups on segmental and chain dynamics of telechelic polypropylene glycol (PPG) and poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS). Polymer chains with three types of H-bonding end-groups possessing different interaction strengths and a non-H-bonding end-group as reference were compared. The glass transition temperature (Tg) of H-bonding PPG systems with low molecular weight increases compared to the reference, and the Tg difference varies with chain-end interaction strength. In contrast, their shear viscosities (for Tg-scaled temperature, i.e., when the shift in Tg is accounted for) are similar to that one of the reference. This is in strong contrast to the behavior of telechelic PDMS with the same set of end-groups, where the Tg increase of all H-bonding systems is independent of H-bond strengths, while shear viscosity increases significantly only for the strongest H-bonding en...
Calibration of Gigahertz Microwave Generator for the Programmable Josephson Voltage Standard at NRC

A frequency calibration method is developed to characterize the frequency accuracy of the commercial microwave generator (MWG) used in the programmable Josephson voltage standard at the National Research Council Canada. The approach allows the evaluation of the MWG performance at 9.2 and 18.4 GHz with fractional frequency uncertainty at 10−14. The method also validates the MWG frequency resolution and setting accuracy from millihertz to megahertz to gigahertz.
The geographies of intermediation: Labor intermediaries, labor migration, and cane harvesting in rural western India:

In this paper, I explain the role of labor intermediaries in the weaving of capital–labor relations in capitalist agro-business. I do so by focusing on migration infrastructure or the vertical netw...
Early childhood preservice teachers’ debugging block-based programs: An eye tracking study

Learning computational skills such as programming and debugging is very important for K-12 students given the increasing need of workforce proficient in computing technologies. Programming is an intricate cognitive task that entails iteratively creating and revising programs to create an artifact. Central to programming is debugging, which consists of systematically identifying and fixing program errors. Given its central role, debugging should be explicitly taught to early childhood preservice teachers so they can support their future students’ learning to program and debug errors. In this study, we propose using eye-tracking data and cued retrospective reporting to assess preservice teachers’ cognitive strategies while debugging. Several eye-tracking studies have investigated learners’ debugging strategies though the literature lacks studies (a) conducted with early childhood preservice teachers and (b) that focus on block-based programming languages, such as Scratch. The present study addresses this gap in the literature. This study used mixed methods to triangulate quantitative findings from eye movement analysis and qualitative findings about employed debugging strategies into the creation of descriptive themes. Results showed that participants developed strategies such as simultaneous review of output and code, use of beacons to narrow down the area to be debugged, and eye fixation on output to form hypotheses. But most often, debugging was not informed by a hypothesis, which led to trial and error. Study limitations and directions for future research are discussed.
Adverse Effects of Autoclaved Diets on the Progression of Chronic Kidney Disease and Chronic Kidney Disease-Mineral Bone Disorder in Rats.

Background: Autoclaving rodent diets is common in laboratory animals, but autoclaving increases the formation of dietary advanced glycation end-products (AGE). We studied the effect of autoclaved (AC) diet alone or in combination with a diet high in bioavailable phosphorus on biochemistries of chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD), intestinal gene expression, and oxidative stress. Methods: Male CKD rats (Cy/+) and normal littermates were fed 1 of 3 diets: AC 0.7% phosphorus grain-based diet for 28 weeks (AC); AC diet for 17 weeks followed by non-autoclaved (Non-AC) 0.7% phosphorus casein diet until 28 weeks (AC + Casein); or Non-AC diet for 16 weeks followed by a Non-AC purified diet until 30 weeks (Non-AC + Casein). Results: AC diets contained ~3× higher AGEs and levels varied depending on the location within the autoclave. Rats fed the AC and AC + Casein diets had higher total AGEs and oxidative stress, irrespective of kidney function. Kidney function was more severely compromised in CKD rats fed AC or AC + Casein compared to Non-AC + Casein. There was a disease-by-diet interaction for plasma phosphorus, parathyroid hormone, and c-terminal fibroblast growth factor-23, driven by high values in the CKD rats fed the AC + Casein diet. Compared to Non-AC + Casein, AC and AC + Casein-fed groups had increased expression of receptor of AGEs and intestinal NADPH oxidase dual oxidase-2, independent of kidney function. Conclusions: Autoclaving rodent diets impacts the progression of CKD and CKD-MBD, highlighting the critical importance of standardizing diets in experiments.
DyCRS: Dynamic Interpretable Postoperative Complication Risk Scoring

Early identification of patients at risk for postoperative complications can facilitate timely workups and treatments and improve health outcomes. Currently, a widely-used surgical risk calculator online web system developed by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) uses patients’ static features, e.g. gender, age, to assess the risk of postoperative complications. However, the most crucial signals that reflect the actual postoperative physical conditions of patients are usually real-time dynamic signals, including the vital signs of patients (e.g., heart rate, blood pressure) collected from postoperative monitoring. In this paper, we develop a dynamic postoperative complication risk scoring framework (DyCRS) to detect the “at-risk” patients in a real-time way based on postoperative sequential vital signs and static features. DyCRS is based on adaptations of the Hidden Markov Model (HMM) that captures hidden states as well as observable states to generate a real-time, probabilistic, complication risk score. Evaluating our model using electronic health record (EHR) on elective Colectomy surgery from a major health system, we show that DyCRS significantly outperforms the state-of-the-art ACS calculator and real-time predictors with 50.16% area under precision-recall curve (AUCPRC) gain on average in terms of detection effectiveness. In terms of earliness, our DyCRS can predict 15hrs55mins earlier on average than clinician’s diagnosis with the recall of 60% and precision of 55%. Furthermore, Our DyCRS can extract interpretable patients’ stages, which are consistent with previous medical postoperative complication studies. We believe that our contributions demonstrate significant promise for developing a more accurate, robust and interpretable postoperative complication risk scoring system, which can benefit more than 50 million annual surgeries in the US by substantially lowering adverse events and healthcare costs.
Decrease in tumor content assessed in biopsies is associated with improved treatment outcome response to pembrolizumab in patients with rare tumors

Background Decreased tumor content (TC) in resection specimens after neoadjuvant therapy is used to predict prognosis. We investigated whether TC assessed in biopsy specimens or the shift in TC from baseline to on-treatment can be used accordingly to predict response in patients with rare tumors who were treated with pembrolizumab. Methods A total of 57 tumors (represented by 173 baseline and 179 on-treatment biopsies) from 57 patients with rare tumors participating in an ongoing phase II clinical trial of pembrolizumab were evaluated. TC was estimated on H&E-stained slides and tumors were dichotomized into low and high TC according to a cut-off of 10%. Necrosis, proliferative fibrosis (PF) and normal tissue were assessed in on-treatment biopsies. TC at baseline and on-treatment, as well as the shift in TC from baseline to on-treatment, was correlated with clinical response defined according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. Results A decrease in TC was seen in 14% (n=8); no change in TC was seen in 75% (n=43); and an increase in TC from baseline to on-treatment was seen in 11% (n=6). Objective response was significantly associated with decrease in TC from baseline to on-treatment (38%, 3/8) compared with no change/increase in TC (6%, 3/49) (p=0.031). Patients with a decrease in TC had a significantly increased time to progression (TTP) (75% probability) compared with patients with an increase (20% probability) or no change in TC (19% probability) (p=0.0042). Low TC was seen in 23% (13/57) of the tumors at baseline and in 26% (15/57) on-treatment. High TC was seen in 77% (44/57) of tumors at baseline and in 74% (42/57) on-treatment. No significant associations with response were seen for necrosis, PF or normal tissue in on-treatment biopsies. Conclusion Patients with a decrease in TC from baseline to on-treatment had a significant improvement in objective response and a longer TTP. Our data suggest that the shift in TC might be used to predict response to pembrolizumab in rare tumors. However, further investigations in larger cohorts are needed to determine the clinical value of TC, the shift in TC and the cut-off of 10% assessed in biopsies. Trial registration number NCT02721732
Base-Assisted Nitrate Mediation as the Mechanism of Electrochemical Benzyl Alcohol Oxidation

Nitrate anion (NO3–) oxidation to nitrate radical (NO3•) is chemically irreversible in acetonitrile (MeCN) solvent due to solvent-based hydrogen-atom transfer (HAT). Introducing benzyl alcohol (PhC...
Pediatric dyslipidemias: lipoprotein metabolism disorders in children

Abstract Atherosclerosis is the main process underlying the development of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death worldwide. Abnormalities in lipid metabolism are key players in the development of atherosclerosis. The transport and metabolism of lipids within the body is orchestrated by complex interactions between lipoproteins, membrane receptors, and specialized enzymes. Any defect in any of these components can result in abnormal lipid metabolism, promoting the development of atherosclerosis. However, atherosclerosis is a chronic and slowly progressive process that usually begins during childhood or adolescence, much earlier than the time it manifests as cardiovascular disease. As a result, early identification of children with risk factors for atherosclerosis is key for early intervention to interrupt the process and prevent disease progression. This chapter provides a detailed description of the absorption, packaging, transport and metabolism of lipids in children, and their role in atherosclerosis development and progression. We also discuss the different disorders resulting in abnormal levels of one or more of these lipids, providing updates on evidence-based methods for screening and treating children affected by these disorders. We finally conclude with a list of the most common confounding (i.e., secondary) causes of abnormal lipid concentrations in children, highlighting the importance of ruling out these confounders, before making any diagnosis.
The Role of Telemedicine in Surgical Specialties During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the current body of evidence on the use of telemedicine in surgical subspecialties during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was a scoping review conducted in compliance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR). MEDLINE via Ovid, PubMed, and EMBASE were systematically searched for any reports discussing telemedicine use in surgery and surgical specialties during the first period (February 2020–August 8, 2020) and second 6-month period (August 9–March 4, 2021) of the COVID-19 pandemic. Of 466 articles screened through full text, 277 articles were included for possible qualitative and/or quantitative data synthesis. The majority of publications in the first 6 months were in orthopedic surgery, followed by general surgery and neurosurgery, whereas in the second 6 months of COVID-19 pandemic, urology and neurosurgery were the most productive, followed by transplant and plastic surgery. Most publications in the first 6 months were opinion papers (80%), which decreased to 33% in the second 6 months. The role of telemedicine in different aspects of surgical care and surgical education was summarized stratifying by specialty. Telemedicine has increased access to care of surgical patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, but whether this practice will continue post-pandemic remains unknown.
Extractions and reactions of coals below 100 °C: 2. Reactions of the toluene-insoluble, pyridine-soluble fraction of Illinois No. 6 coal

The toluene-insoluble, pyridine-soluble (TIPS) fractions of an Illinois No. 6 coal were investigated as a model for the insoluble portion of coal. Various TIPS fractions had number-average molecular weights (Mn) in pyridine of 9080 to 1380. These fractions were treated with a variety of reagents known to cleave ester and ether bonds. The abilities of these reagents were measured by decrease in Mn of the TIPS products. The order was found to be: ZnCl2> LiI · H2O > pyridine · HI > benzylamine > alcoholic KOH > toluene sulphonic acid. Ester groups were determined from saponification equivalents and the effects of alcoholic KOH. Evidence for ethers came from effects of amines, HI and sodium on the Mn. HI appears to cleave more bonds and more phenyl alkyl and benzyl ether than dialkyl ether bonds.
Nuclear emulsion measurements of the dose contribution from tissue disintegration stars on the Apollo-Soyuz mission

A total of 996 disintegration stars were prong-counted in two 100 micron llford K.2 emulsions from the dosimeter of the Docking Pilot on Apollo-Soyuz. The change of slope of the distribution at a prong number of about 6 or 7 indicates 219 stars as originating in gelatin. Applying the QF values set forth in official regulations to the energy spectra of the proton and a alpha prongs of the gelatin stars leads to a tissue star dose of 7.8 millirad or 45 millirem. The quoted values do not include the dose contribution from star-produced neutrons since neutrons do not leave visible prongs in emulsion. Nuclear theory, in good agreement with measurements of galactic radiation in the earth's atmosphere, indicates that the dose equivalent from neutrons is about equal to the one from all ionizing secondaries of stars. Application of this proposition to the star prong spectrum found on Apollo-Soyuz would set the total tissue star dose for the mission at approximately 90 millirem.
Cloning and comparison of the DNA encoding ammelide aminohydrolase and cyanuric acid amidohydrolase from three s-triazine-degrading bacterial strains.

Abstract DNA encoding the catabolism of the s-triazines ammelide and cyanuric acid was cloned from Pseudomonas sp. strain NRRLB-12228 and Klebsiella pneumoniae 99 with, as a probe, a 4.6-kb PstI fragment from a third strain, Pseudomonas sp. strain NRRLB-12227, which also encodes these activities. In strains NRRLB-12228 and 99 the ammelide aminohydrolase (trzC) and cyanuric acid amidohydrolase (trzD) genes are located on identical 4.6-kb PstI fragments which are part of a 12.4-kb DNA segment present in both strains. Strain NRRLB-12227 also carries this 12.4-kb DNA segment, except that a DNA segment of 0.8 to 1.85 kb encoding a third enzyme, ammeline aminohydrolase (trzB), has been inserted next to the ammelide aminohydrolase gene with the accompanying deletion of 1.1 to 2.15 kb of DNA. In addition, the s-triazine catabolic genes are flanked in strain NRRLB-12227 by apparently identical 2.2-kb segments that are not present in the other two strains and that seem to cause rearrangements in adjacent DNA.
Growth rates of rainbow smelt in Lake Champlain: effects of density and diet

We estimated the densities of rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) using hydroacoustics and obtained specimens for diet analysis and groundtruthed acoustics data from mid-water trawl sampling in four areas of Lake Champlain, USA-Canada. Densities of rainbow smelt cohorts alternated during the 2-year study; age-0 rainbow smelt were very abundant in 2001 (up to 6 fish per m 2 ) and age-1 and older were abundant (up to 1.2 fish per m 2 ) in 2002. Growth rates and densities varied among areas and years. We used model selection on eight area-year-specific variables to investigate biologically plausible predictors of rainbow smelt growth rates. The best supported model of growth rates of age-0 smelt indicated a negative relationship with age-0 density, likely associated with intraspecific competition for zooplankton. The next best-fit model had age-1 density as a predictor of age-0 growth. The best supported models (N = 4) of growth rates of age-1 fish indicated a positive relationship with availability of age-0 smelt and resulting levels of cannibalism. Other plausible models were contained variants of these parameters. Cannibalistic rainbow smelt consumed younger conspecifics that were up to 53% of their length. Prediction of population dynamics for rainbow smelt requires an understanding of the relationship between density and growth as age-0 fish outgrow their main predators (adult smelt) by autumn in years with fast growth rates, but not in years with slow growth rates.
RDW as an additional marker in inflammatory bowel disease/undifferentiated colitis.

Background Anemia is a common complication in inflammatory bowel disease patients. We postulate that the distribution of lesions in Crohn’s disease is more likely than ulcerative colitis to lead to malabsorption as an additional cause of anemia. RDW, a simple and inexpensive test could be an additional differentiating test. Methods and Results Retrospective review of 284 cases of which 156 cases were diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and 128 cases were diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. There was a significant difference in the mean RDW between the Crohn’s and the ulcerative colitis cases (14.9 vs. 14.3, P = .027). Conclusions We conclude there is a statistical significance between the two groups though this may not represent a clinically significant difference. From our analysis we conclude that RDW is statistically significant and with the implementation of a more rigorous study design and analysis of further data RDW may prove to be a clinically effective marker in differentiating Crohn’s disease from ulcerative colitis.
Advanced Systems to Assess Colonoscopy

Colorectal cancer is the second major cause of cancer-related death in the United States. The long time involved in progression of mucosal dysplasia from a small polyp to an invasive cancer and the ability to image the colon mucosa are features that make early detection and prevention of colorectal cancer by colonoscopy possible. Although colonoscopy has contributed to a marked decline in the number of colorectal cancer-related deaths, the protective effect of colonoscopy, when used in routine clinical practice, has not lived up to the expectations raised by carefully controlled prospective research studies. Therefore new systems that assess quality of colonoscopy are needed.
Quantitative structural analysis of the myocardium during physiologic growth and induced cardiac hypertrophy: A review

The quantitative structural properties of the ventricular myocardium during postnatal physiologic growth are compared with those accompanying an increased load in the adult rat heart to determine whether induced cardiac hypertrophy is a pathologic condition or simply a form of well compensated accelerated growth. The expansion of the ventricular myocardium during maturation shows a remarkable degree of well balanced compensatory response, because the capillary microvasculature, parenchymal cells and subcellular components of myocytes all grow in proportion to the increase in cardiac mass. In contrast, the increases in myocyte diameter and length caused by pressure hypertrophy, volume hypertrophy and infarction-induced hypertrophy are consistent with concentric, eccentric and a combination of concentric and eccentric hypertrophic growth of the whole ventricle, respectively. These cellular shape changes may represent a compensatory response of the myocardium at the cellular level of organization that tends to minimize the effects of an increased pressure or volume load, or both, on the heart. Cardiac hypertrophy, however, may also show alterations affecting capillary luminal volume and surface and the mitochondrial to myofibril volume ratio, which indicate an inadequate growth adaptation of the component structures responsible for tissue oxygenation and energy production. Thus, hypertrophy of the adult heart differs from that during physiologic growth, and the hypertrophied myocardium may exhibit structural abnormalities that can be expected to increase its vulnerability to ischemia.
The Impact of Surface Ligands and Synthesis Method on the Toxicity of Glutathione-Coated Gold Nanoparticles.

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are increasingly used in biomedical applications, hence understanding the processes that affect their biocompatibility and stability are of significant interest. In this study, we assessed the stability of peptide-capped AuNPs and used the embryonic zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a vertebrate system to investigate the impact of synthesis method and purity on their biocompatibility. Using glutathione (GSH) as a stabilizer, Au-GSH nanoparticles with identical core sizes were terminally modified with Tryptophan (Trp), Histidine (His) or Methionine (Met) amino acids and purified by either dialysis or ultracentrifugation. Au-GSH-(Trp)2 purified by dialysis elicited significant morbidity and mortality at 200 µg/mL, Au-GSH-(His)2 induced morbidity and mortality after purification by either method at 20 and 200 µg/mL, and Au-GSH-(Met)2 caused only sublethal responses at 200 µg/mL. Overall, toxicity was significantly reduced and ligand structure was improved by implementing ultracentrifugation purifications at several stages during the multi-step synthesis and surface modification of Au-GSH nanoparticles. When carefully synthesized at high purity, peptide-functionalized AuNPs showed high biocompatibility in biological systems.
Interactions of highly regenerative genotypes of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and tissue culture protocols

Highly regenerative alfalfa genotypes selected in three different laboratories from ‘Regen-S’/ ‘Saranac’ (3 genotypes) and ‘Rangelander’ (1 genotype) were culture using tissue culture and regeneration protocols from two of the laboratories. Regeneration of progerny from crosses among the genotypes indicated that genotypes from Regen-S/Saranac have the same genetic control of regeneration, but the Regen-S/Saranac system may be at least partially different from the one in Rangelander. Significant interactions occurred between genotypes and culture protocols for both embryoid formation and conversion into plantelts. Moreover, interactions involving genotypes from Regen-S/Saranac were as different from each other as they were from the Rangelander genotype. The hypothesis that genotypes from the Saranac genetic background would regenerates equally well on both protocols was rejected. Factors in addition to genes controlling regeneration clearly influence genotype X culture-protocol interactions. The importance of evaluating final plantlet formation along with embryoid formation is discussed. A hybrid of two Rege-S derivatives in which 90% of the F1 progeny regenerate was identified and the hybrid seed is available to interested scientists.
Are surgical trials with negative results being interpreted correctly

Background Many published accounts of clinical trials report no differences between the treatment arms, while being underpowered to find differences. This study determined how the authors of these reports interpreted their findings. Study Design We examined 54 reports of surgical trials chosen randomly from a database of 110 influential trials conducted in 2008. Seven that reported having adequate statistical power (β ≥ 0.9) were excluded from further analysis, as were the 32 that reported significant differences between the treatment arms. We examined the remaining 15 to see whether the authors interpreted their negative findings appropriately. Appropriate interpretations discussed the lack of power and/or called for larger studies. Results Three of the 7 trials that did not report an a priori power calculation offered inappropriate interpretations, as did 3 of the 8 trials that reported an a priori power Conclusions Negative findings in underpowered trials were often interpreted as showing the equivalence of the treatment arms with no discussion of the issue of being underpowered. This may lead clinicians to accept new treatments that have not been validated.
The Eagle or the Snake: Platforms for NOTES and Radical Endoscopic Therapy

It has only been about 3 years since natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) first began to gather the attention of the medical and surgical community at large. The concepts behind NOTES, however, have been under development for almost a decade. It is important to revisit some basic concepts regarding therapeutic flexible endoscopy and in the process understand the fundamental premises on which a sound technology development program for NOTES should be built. This article provides such a review and emphasizes general principles rather than specific embodiments, which are very much at a nascent stage.
Static electric field effects at the surface of a metallic cluster

Abstract A jellium/free-electron model is used to estimate the static electric field at the surface of a metal cluster. The electric field near a cluster with a radius of 10–50 au is found to deviate significantly from the field at the same distance from an infinite metallic plane. This will influence several adsorbate properties, including bonding. At a smooth planar surface the field is sufficiently strong to cause significant contributions to the dipole and transition moments of an admolecule. These contributions become even more important at the surface of a cluster. It is postulated that microscopic roughness may enhance the electron-transfer contribution to surface-enhanced Raman scattering, since the Fermi energy of electrons in a protuberance is increased relative to the bulk. Moreover, for the same reason, the molecule-metal interaction is increased when the molecule is adsorbed at a protuberance. Finally, by means of a WKB formula derived from the model, an accurate prediction can be made of the “magic numbers” which refer to the enhanced abundances of certain clusters when formed in an atomic beam. Therefore these numbers are likely to be determined by the symmetry of the problem and not by the detailed nature of the one-electron potential.
Inverted Xenopus eye primordia develop into anatomically inverted eyes

Abstract Stage 23–24 Xenopus eye primordia were inverted (rotated 180°) and transplanted to the flanks of host embryos of the same age. Inverted eyes developed inverted anatomies. Specifically inverted were: the anterodorsal to posteroventral sequence of corneal clearing, the anterodorsal to posteroventral sequence of pigment epithelium development, and the spatial patterns formed by the various optic tissues. More variation than normal was found in the precise location of entry of retinal ganglion cell axons into the optic stalk and in the position of the first fascicle of axons within the stalk. No tissue patterns appeared to realign themselves to a normal orientation with respect to the remainder of the body, and determinants of most of the anatomy of the mature eye were already stable in the Xenopus eye primordia by stage 23. Anatomically, the early eye primordia behaved like stable autonomous embryonic fields.
Selective targeting of gene products with the megakaryocyte platelet factor 4 promoter.

Abstract We have used the 1.1 kilobases of the 5' upstream region of the platelet factor four (PF4) gene coupled to the prokaryotic beta-galactosidase gene to generate two lines of transgenic mice that express this construct. Studies of blood, bone marrow, spleen, and thymus reveal that platelets are the only circulating blood cells and megakaryocytes are the only hematopoietic precursor cells that possess the prokaryotic enzyme. The lack of transgene expression in brain, heart, intestine, kidney, liver, lung, and skeletal muscle was established by in situ staining of tissue sections as well as kinetic assay of tissue homogenates. These data suggest that this domain of the PF4 promoter contains most, if not all, of the tissue-specific region of the gene. Unexpectedly, the adrenal gland exhibits approximately 2% of the levels of beta-galactosidase possessed by megakaryocytes and the distribution of the prokaryotic enzyme corresponds to the location of mineralocorticoid-secreting cells. This result implies that either the PF4 gene is transcribed at low levels in specialized adrenal cells or that these specialized endocrine cells possess trans-acting factors similar to those that control the megakaryocyte promoter. The selective high-level expression of transgenes linked to the PF4 promoter should allow us to augment or suppress the in vivo levels of critical components in megakaryocytes and platelets and subsequently ascertain the effects of these modifications.
Virtual Floating-Point Units for Low-Power Embedded Processors

Floating-point (FP) arithmetic is becoming increasingly common in many embedded applications. Typically these applications execute in battery-powered, energy-constrained environments. Due to their tight area and power constraints, however, embedded processors often do not incorporate dedicated FP hardware. Instead, they only support fixed-point (FxP) arithmetic at the expense of considerably increased programming complexity and longer runtimes. In this paper, we propose low-overhead approaches to support FP arithmetic (addition, subtraction, multiplication, fused multiply-add) without incurring the high area and power penalties of dedicated FP hardware. Our approaches utilize the existing FxP execution resources in processors plus a small amount of additional hardware to support FP operations. Compared to a baseline processor with dedicated FP hardware, a processor with our approaches can reduce the area and power consumption by 24% and 31%, respectively. We also demonstrate that a processor using our approaches improves energy efficiency and performance by nearly 30%.