cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effects of An Antistick Phospholipid Solution on Pediatric Electrocautery Adenoidectomy

We conducted a study to determine if coating a suction cautery tip with an antistick phospholipid solution would decrease the amount of time required to complete primary pediatric adenoidectomies. The aim of the study was focused on two main criteria: the amount of surgical time required to complete each procedure and the number of times an operation had to be interrupted because the suction cautery tip needed to be cleaned (each interruption was called a “handback”). We obtained data prospectively during 61 pediatric adenoidectomies performed at our institution from February through June 2009. These patients were randomized to undergo surgery either with (n = 31) or without (n = 30) the use of the antistick phospholipid solution (Electro Lube; Mectra Labs; Bloomfield, Ind.). The overall mean amount of time needed to complete an adenoidectomy was 6 minutes and 39 seconds (6:39); use of the antistick solution shortened the amount of surgical time by 1:45—a decrease of 23.2% (p = 0.0360). Likewise, surgerie...
Efficient regional information dissemination protocol for intermittently connected mobile wireless sensor networks

Regional information dissemination, information delivery to nodes in the region of interest, is a basic and important problem in mobile networks. It has been extensively studied in vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs). However, the mechanisms designed for VANETs are not suitable for intermittently connected mobile wireless sensor networks with constraints on available energy, storage space and computation capacity. In this paper, we propose a dissemination protocol for intermittently connected mobile wireless sensor networks, region restricted probability based flooding. This protocol takes advantage of the flooding mechanism to solve the uncertainty of the destinations, uses probability based mechanism to control the growth rate of the number of transmissions in a network, and adopts a restricted flooding mechanism to reduce the cost of unnecessary transmissions. This region restricted probability based flooding can provide, irrespective of the network density, low dissemination latency without consuming more energy than other flooding based mechanisms.
Quantum Dynamics With The Recursive Residue Generation Method: Improved Algorithm For Chain Propagators*

A new approach is presented for the computation of quantum mechanical time-dependent transition probabilities in systems with a large number of states. Following use of the Lanczos algorithm to produce a tridiagonal representation (J) of the perturbed Hamiltonian, a modification of the QL algorithm is introduced to compute eigenvalues and the first row (only) of the eigenvector matrix of J . All of the eigenvalues and eigenvector coefficients are used to compute transition amplitudes, even though roundoff error during Lanczos recursion causes spurious eigenvalues to appear. This contrasts with the original version of the recursive residue generation method (RRGM), where a condensed eigenvalue list was produced (via the CullumWilloughby procedure) before computing squares of eigenvector coefficients. Eigenvalues, residues, and time dependent transition probabilities computed from the two methods are found to be equivalent.
The End of the World as We Know It?: American Exceptionalism in an Age of Disruption

This essay explores the recent election of President Donald J. Trump against the background of the idea of American exceptionalism. It posits that there have been a variety of versions of the notion of exceptionalism, one of which involves the question, “Why is there no fascism in the United States?” It argues that Trump may render invalid the assumption behind that question and that at best during his tenure we are likely to have a continuation of the “bad exceptionalism” associated with the question, “Why is there no socialism in the United States?”
Assessing solar photovoltaic (PV) technology diffusion and grid stability using an agent-based modeling approach (wip)

New modeling techniques are needed to model the effect of residential solar photovoltaic (PV) system adoption on power systems. This research develops an approach to simulate the dynamics between the adoption of solar PV technology and energy infrastructure performance. An agent-based model is developed here to simulate the diffusion of rooftop solar PV technology. A cellular automata system is implemented that represents the diffusion of technology through single-family household neighborhoods. The agent-based adoption model is coupled to a power system model, and simulations are performed to determine the effects on grid stability. Residential adoption of PV technology is influenced by four major factors including household income level, economic practicality, environmental benefit, and the effect from communicating within social networks. This research aims to make predictions about the installed capacity of solar PV technology in residential neighborhoods and the effect of PV technology diffusion on grid stability.
Treatment of Bulimia Nervosa

Although symptoms of bulimia have been described for centuries (Parry-Jones & Parry-Jones, 1991), in modern times bulimia nervosa was first defined as a syndrome distinct from anorexia nervosa in the late 1970s (Boskind-Lodahl & White, 1978; Russell, 1979). Bulimia nervosa refers to a severe eating disorder in which normal-weight individuals, the vast majority women, habitually vomit or abuse laxatives after binge eating or after eating even minimal amounts of “forbidden” foods. Vomiting is self-induced, and the mean purging frequency per week reported in the treatment literature is usually between 10 and 15 times. The major complaint of patients with bulimia nervosa is that they cannot control their eating, that they binge eat and therefore “have to” vomit or otherwise purge to prevent themselves from becoming fat. People with this disorder typically have a negative body image and feel that various parts of their body are too fat even if they are in the lower end of the normal weight range. Most importantly they are terrified of gaining any weight and believe they cannot eat normally without purging or they will inexorably and very rapidly become obese.
Transforming the landscape: Cistercian nuns and the environment in the medieval Low Countries

This article investigates the extent to which women’s monastic communities intervened in the natural landscape of the southern Low Countries in the Middle Ages, irrevocably transforming the environ...
Growth response of branches to variation in the intra- and interbranch supply of photosynthate

Autonomy of mid-crown branches in supply and utilization of carbohydrates is tested using a series of defoliation and shade treatments on young loblolly pine trees (Pinus taeda L.). The response of branch extension to variation in the intra- and interbranch supply of carbohydrate was inferred in young loblolly pine trees (Pinus taeda L.). A series of defoliation and shading treatments were designed and applied on selected branches, such that the extension of their terminal buds would depend on carbohydrate stored in the target branch, and carbohydrate imported from the stem or neighboring branches. The potential carbohydrate import from neighboring branches was also reduced by defoliation or shading of branches immediately above and immediately below the target branch. All combinations of branch treatments were analyzed to suppose the net effect of carbohydrate supply and source on branch extension. Both defoliation and shading of target branches significantly reduced growth in length and diameter of target branches as compared to the control. If imported carbohydrate compensated measurably for the loss of photosynthetic potential in the target branch, then extension of treated branches would have been longer than recorded when the neighboring branches were not treated and perhaps shorter when the neighboring branches were defoliated or shaded compared to the control. Neither was the case, however, because treatments on the neighboring branches had no significant effect on extension of the target branch. The results of this study provide additional support to the theory that branches within the crown are autonomous. These results, however, do not always suggest that branches do not import carbohydrates from the stem. A companion study found significant reductions in stem diameter of the internodes adjacent to defoliated or shaded branches.
Preimplantation Genetic Screening: Not for Everyone

Preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) of embryos in assisted reproductive technology (ART) is a technique in which an embryologist removes a small number of cells from the trophectoderm, the cells destined to become the placenta, in a day 5 or 6 blastocyst to evaluate the embryo’s DNA for ploidy status. The use of this technology has become widespread, advertised as a way to maximize success rates across the general IVF population. However, the current published literature does not fully support this conclusion. Instead, the literature suggests PGS seems to be most useful in women greater than age 35 who have higher rates of aneuploidy and in women with robust ovarian reserve; those women are more likely to have enough embryos to have successful blastulation and have embryos for biopsy. Patients with low embryo numbers may not produce blastocysts to biopsy and therefore no embryo transfer and no chance of pregnancy in that cycle. The data are mixed on the benefits of PGS in the setting of other diagnoses such as recurrent pregnancy loss. Though PGS has a role in the field of assisted reproductive technology, further research is needed to clarify which specific patient populations are most likely to benefit from the technique.
"La casa de los espíritus": la historia del mito y el mito de la historia

En este articulo me propongo a examinar la concepcion de Historia subyacente a La casa de los espiritus, de lsabel Allende, subrayando el hecho de que el elemento "magico-maravilloso", presentado por la autora y por la gran parte de la critica como rasgo definidor de la escritura latinoamericana, se encuentra en verdad sometido a una vision positivista, progresiva y determinista de la Historia. Lo magico-maravilloso desprovisto de funcionalidad en el proceso de enunciacion del texto, aparece asi como ornamento exotico, en un proceso de folklorizacion de la realidad latinoamericana. This paper examines the concept of history which underlies Isabel Allende's La casa de los espiritus, emphasizing the fact that the so-called "magic-marvelous" element, as portrayed by the author and by many critics as a defining element of Latin American literature, is actually a realistic, progressive and deterministic view of history. The magic-marvelous, deprived of any functionality in this text's enunciation process, appears as an exotic ornament in the folklorization process of Latin America's reality.
Machine Learning in Handwritten Arabic Text Recognition

Abstract Automated recognition of handwritten text is one of the most interesting applications of machine learning. This chapter poses handwritten Arabic text recognition as a learning problem and provides an overview of the ML techniques that have been used to address this challenging task. The use of co-training for solving the problem of paucity of labeled training data and structural learning approaches to capture contextual information for feature enhancement have been presented. A system for recognition of Arabic PAWs using an ensemble of biased learners in a hierarchical framework and the use of techniques such as Artificial Neural Networks, Deep Belief Networks, and Hidden Markov models within this hierarchical framework to improve text recognition have been described. The chapter also describes some of the features that have been successfully used for handwritten Arabic text classification for completeness since the selection of discriminative features is critical to the success of the classification task.
Student progress in understanding energy concepts in photosynthesis using interactive visualizations

This study explores student progress in understanding energy flow in photosynthesis while studying a technology-enhanced inquiry science project using interactive visualizations. Eight classes of 7th grade students (N=220) completed the project. Students generated narrative explanations and visual representations of their ideas. Students made significant gains in understanding of energy source, energy transformation, and energy transfer in photosynthesis.
Case-Based Goal-Driven Coordination of Multiple Learning Agents

Although several recent studies have been published on goal reasoning (i.e., the study of agents that can self-select their goals), none have focused on the task of learning and acting on large state and action spaces. We introduce GDA-C, a case-based goal reasoning algorithm that divides the state and action space among cooperating learning agents. Cooperation between agents emerges because (1) they share a common reward function and (2) GDA-C formulates the goal that each agent needs to achieve. We claim that its case-based approach for goal formulation is critical to the agents’ performance. To test this claim we conducted an empirical study using the Wargus RTS environment, where we found that GDA-C outperforms its non-GDA ablation.
What Should Be the Target Blood Pressure for This Older Patient With Hypertension?: Grand Rounds Discussion From Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Hypertension is prevalent and the most important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Controversy exists regarding the optimum threshold above which to begin antihypertensive therapy and the optimum target blood pressure once medication is begun. This controversy is particularly true for older patients, who may be more likely to benefit from treatment because of their higher risk for cardiovascular events, but may also be more at risk for adverse effects of treatment. Two guidelines published in 2017 address this issue. The American College of Physicians/American Academy of Family Physicians guideline recommends initiating antihypertensive therapy for older patients (aged 60 years or older) if systolic blood pressure is 150 mm Hg or higher and to treat to the same target. They recommend a lower threshold for starting treatment and a lower target systolic blood pressure (140 mm Hg) for patients with cerebrovascular disease and potentially those at high risk for cardiovascular events. The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guideline, which is based primarily on SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial), advises a target systolic blood pressure of 130 mm Hg for community-dwelling ambulatory patients aged 65 years or older. This article presents the case of a 79-year-old man who is contemplating antihypertensive therapy. Two experts discuss the optimal approach for the patient and suggest how to apply the 2 guidelines to his care.
A running suture line for aortic valve replacement does not increase the rate of postoperative complete heart block.

Surgical implantation of a prosthetic aortic valve is typically done with multiple interrupted sutures. We adapted a running suture line technique for prostheses implantation to decrease the rate of complete heart block necessitating permanent pacemaker. 374 patients undergoing isolated aortic valve replacements were identified between 2015 and 2017. Patients with preoperative heart block, patients undergoing concomitant MAZE procedure and those undergoing multivalve procedures were excluded. Interrupted technique was performed with multiple non-pledgeted sutures. Running technique was performed with three 2–0 polypropylene sutures. Propensity-score matching (caliper distance = 0.10) was used to match based on patient age, gender, BMI, diabetes mellitus, renal failure, heart failure, arrythmias, use of anti-arrhythmics, and STS PROM. Propensity score matching yielded 103 pairs of running technique and interrupted technique patients for analysis. Within the propensity score-matched cohort, there were no differences in sustained complete heart block and need for pacemaker, 4 (3.8%) for running technique vs 3 (2.9%) for interrupted technique (p = 0.307). At 4 weeks, there was no difference in mean prosthetic aortic valve gradients calculated on transthoracic echocardiogram (6.39 ± 2.47 mmHg vs 6.46 ± 2.86, p = 0.850). There was no difference in paravalvular leak (0 (0%) vs 2 (1.9%), p = 0.070). Surgical implantation of a prosthetic aortic valve may be performed with a running suture technique without any significant increase in risk of heart block, need for permanent pacemaker or paravalvular leak. Long-term data will be critical to evaluate any development of paravalvular leaks in the future.
Performance evaluation of a metamaterial-based new cool roof using improved Roof Thermal Transfer Value model

Abstract A new cool roof with potential to generate significant energy savings in buildings has been developed from a metamaterial film named as RadiCold. Considering that the RadiCold film has unique optical and thermal characteristics and the current Roof Thermal Transfer Value model neglecting the effect of roof thermal mass that may lead to overestimating the cooling load from roofs, this work developed an improved Roof Thermal Transfer Value model and validated the model for both RadiCold cool roof and traditional roofing structures. Data from the reduced-size model building experiments showed that the improved Roof Thermal Transfer Value model can accurately describe the heat gains or losses via the roofs. Under real-world weather conditions in the United States (Tucson AZ, Los Angeles, CA, and Orlando FL), the improved Roof Thermal Transfer Value model has been applied to three types of roof exterior finishing: shingle, Thermoplastic Polyolefin (a cool roof material) and RadiCold. In a typical meteorology year, the modeling results show that the shingle and Thermoplastic Polyolefin roof transfer 78.9–294.1 kWh/(m2·yr) and 8.5–128.2 kWh/(m2·yr) of heat into the building space, respectively, but the RadiCold cool roof dissipates 137.6–268.7 kWh/(m2·yr) of heat from the building space to outdoor environment (e.g., sky). The cooling load reduction from utilizing RadiCold cool roof results in cooling electricity savings of 113.0–143.9 kWh/(m2·yr) compared to the shingle roof and 88.0–92.4 kWh/(m2·yr) compared to the Thermoplastic Polyolefin roof for the three analyzed locations with an assumed air conditioning system’s coefficient of performance of 3.0.
Intense visible upconversion luminescence from Cs3Lu2X9:Er3+ (X=CI, Br, l) excited at 1.5 μm

Near-infrared-to-visible upconversion is an ubiquitous phenomenon in Er3+ systems, and upconversion for excitation around 980 nm (4I11/2) and 805 nm (4I9/2) has been studied in detail for a large number of Er3+-doped crystals and glasses including the title compounds.
On the Correspondence Between Meta-Emotions, Cardiovascular Arousal, and Imagined Interaction Discrepancy

This research analyzed the association between relational quality, the use of evolutionary meta-emotions (sadness, surprise, anger, and jealousy), imagined interaction (II) discrepancy, and measures of cardiovascular arousal as measured through heart rate and blood pressure. A meta-emotion interview was conducted with husbands and wives about their philosophies of communicating emotions. A series of hypotheses were tested. Wives would reveal that they communicated a wider variety of evolutionary emotions than husbands and relational quality would be associated with fewer II discrepancies. Finally, the expression of evolutionary emotions (surprise, sadness, jealousy, and anger) would be associated with higher cardiovascular arousal. We used latent growth curve modeling to test the effect of discussing the basic emotions on mean arterial pressure and heart rate. Results revealed partial support for various hypotheses. The findings are discussed in terms of prototypical emotion functions and the association with cardiovascular arousal.
Growth Velocity Trends After Postnatal Steroid Exposure in the Nicu: Hydrocortisone vs. Dexamethasone

Background: Postnatal steroid exposure is associated with decreased somatic and head growth as well as neurodevelopmental impairment. DEXamethasone, a potent corticosteroid, has been associated with significant short and long-term side effects. HYDROcortisone has become the preferred steroid but little is known about its effect on growth velocity. Moreover, the effects of hydrocortisone compared to dexamethasone on growth has not been well described in critically ill neonates. Objective: To evaluate and describe growth velocity differences (from term-corrected age through corrected gestational age (CGA) of 6 months) between hydrocortisone (HYDRO) …
RESPECTING THE RIGHT VENTRICLE: RIGHT VENTRICLE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION REQUIRING MECHANICAL CIRCULATORY SUPPORT

Right ventricular myocardial infarction (RVMI) affects up to 33% of inferior STEMIs. Clinical presentation depends on the extent of RV ischemia. Early recognition and risk stratification is imperative. This has led to the implementation of standardized protocols for the management of RVMI. A 59
CHAPTER 3 – Principles of Objective Texture Measurement

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the principles of objective texture measurement. There is such a wide range in types of foods and the types of textural and rheological properties that they exhibit, and such a wide variety of methods used to measure these properties, that it becomes necessary to attempt to classify them into groups to understand the system. It is possible to classify texture measurements according to the commodity that is being tested, for example, tests that are used for cereals, meat, fish, poultry, vegetables, fruit, dairy products, fats, confectionery, beverages, legumes and oilseeds, and miscellaneous foods. The classification of texture measurements on the basis of commodity or the type of textural properties is useful but what is probably a better type of classification is based on the type of test that is used, because many tests are applicable to more than one type of food. When food is placed in the mouth, the structure is destroyed by the act of mastication until it is ready to be swallowed. The basic process of mastication occurs regardless of what kind of food is in the mouth. Therefore, it seems logical to concentrate on the type of test rather than the nature of the food. The chapter discusses the types of tests for measuring food texture.
The effects of acute physical fatigue on sauté jump biomechanics in dancers.

Dancers spend large amounts of time practicing and performing, where fatigue may occur, resulting in adverse movement patterns. The purpose of this study was to compare saute landings before and after acute physical fatigue in experienced female dancers. Twenty-one dancers completed 10 saute jumps before and after a dance-specific fatigue protocol. A 12-camera motion capture system and a force plate were utilized to collect three-dimensional kinematic and kinetic data. After fatigue, dancers demonstrated an increase in mediolateral centre of mass displacement, pelvis excursion, peak knee abduction, peak ankle eversion and external rotation, as well as decreased peak metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint extension, indicating less desirable movement patterns. Peak vertical ground reaction force was decreased after fatigue due to a softer landing strategy, demonstrated by increased peak hip flexion, knee flexion, and ankle dorsiflexion. There was some indication of shifting demands demonstrated by an increased peak knee extensor moment and decreased peak MTP flexor moment after fatigue. With jump landing kinematics and kinetics affected after only an average of 5 minutes of dancing, dancers may benefit from developing greater endurance and more eccentric strength to allow them to slow down properly while landing and to sustain the aesthetic demands throughout performance.
Longitudinal Assessment of Singing Students.

Summary Introduction Singers have unique vocal demands, and if the voice is impaired there can be a negative impact on their quality of life. While a variety of options exist to assess vocal health, the utilization of cepstral peak prominence (CPP) has increased due to his reliability in some situations. However, it has not been utilized commonly in the singing population. This study sought to assess vocal health in singing students using noninvasive measures such as singing voice handicap index (SVHI) and consensus auditory perceptual evaluation of voice (CAPE-V) as well as CPP to provide preliminary information on this measure. Methods A prospective longitudinal study of singing students independent of year of training enrolled in a 2-credit voice lesson at an undergraduate School of Music was conducted. Non-invasive measures were used to evaluate the voice. All participants recorded the same spoken sentence at four equally spaced intervals throughout the semester using a ZOOM H4n Pro (two cardioid input microphone, Hauppauge, New Year). Participants completed SVHI at the time of each recording, and CAPE-V conducted by two speech language pathologists trained in voice. CPP was determined using running speech samples. Results A total of 23 singers completed the study (11 male, 12 female). There was a significant difference in SVHI at the first recording compared to the final recording (10.6 ± 4.6 vs 9.3 ± 5.9, P= 0.008). Similarly, there was a significant difference in CPP at the first recording compared to the final recording (9 ± 3 vs 9.4 ± 1.1, P Conclusion Our results are similar to previous studies. There was no evidence in decline in objective and subjective vocal quality utilizing the measure included in our study.
An adaptive method for assigning clinical trials wait-times for controls

Wait-list control clinical trials are popular among psychologists and rehabilitation specialists partly because all participants receive the intervention. In 2 arm wait-list control trials, individuals randomized to the treatment group receive immediate treatment whereas individuals randomized to the control group wait a fixed amount of time before intervention is initiated. For interventions that have varying durations, careful consideration must be given to the period that participants in the control group have a delay until treatment begins, as incongruent wait times compared to the intervention durations of the treatment group may introduce confounding into the evaluation of the treatment differences. To alleviate this issue, we propose to adaptively assign wait times to individuals randomized to the control group based on the intervention duration of those in the treatment group. Simulations demonstrate the that our method not only results in similar timing distributions between participants in the treatment and control groups, but also allows participants in the control group to initiate treatment earlier than the traditional design. The latter characteristic may reduce dropout and result in more efficient study enrollment.
Delineation of the pH-Responsive Regulon Controlled by the Helicobacter pylori ArsRS Two-Component System.

Helicobacter pylori encounters a wide range of pH within the human stomach. In a comparison of H. pylori cultured in vitro under neutral or acidic conditions, about 15% of genes are differentially expressed, and corresponding changes are detectable for many of the encoded proteins. The ArsRS two-component system (TCS), comprised of the sensor kinase ArsS and its cognate response regulator ArsR, has an important role in mediating pH-responsive changes in H. pylori gene expression. In this study, we sought to delineate the pH-responsive ArsRS regulon and further define the role of ArsR in pH-responsive gene expression. We compared H. pylori strains containing an intact ArsRS system with an arsS null mutant or strains containing site-specific mutations of a conserved aspartate residue (D52) in ArsR, which is phosphorylated in response to signals relayed by the cognate sensor kinase ArsS. We identified 178 genes that were pH-responsive in strains containing an intact ArsRS system but not in ΔarsS or arsR mutants. These constituents of the pH-responsive ArsRS regulon include genes involved in acid acclimatization (ureAB, amidases), oxidative stress responses (katA, sodB), transcriptional regulation related to iron or nickel homeostasis (fur, nikR), and genes encoding outer membrane proteins [including sabA, alpA, alpB, hopD (labA), and horA]. When comparing H. pylori strains containing an intact ArsRS TCS with arsRS mutants, each cultured at neutral pH, relatively few genes are differentially expressed. Collectively, these data suggest that ArsRS-mediated gene regulation has an important role in H. pylori adaptation to changing pH conditions.
Touched by the Trolls

From mid-2015 through the end of 2017, the Russian-government affiliated Internet Research Agency produced nearly 2.1 million English-language tweets from accounts that purported to be operated by U.S. nationals or organizations ("trolls"). About half of the output of the troll accounts were retweets of other accounts, overwhelmingly from outside the network. We analyze the characteristics of outside accounts that were targeted by the trolls, and how those changed over the life of the operation, in order to infer what role contacts with outsiders might have played in the trolls' propaganda strategy. We introduce the the three stage life-cycle for a troll account: introduction, growth, and amplification, and document the characteristics of those stages. Finally we analyze a quasi-experiment of the amplification stage and estimate that in the month leading up to the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, the trolls may have have accounted for about 3 million additional tweets from and 4 million additional followers for the 25,000 unique accounts they amplified.
Improved polymerization and depolymerization kinetics of poly(ethylene terephthalate) by co-polymerization with 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), known for its clarity, food safety, toughness, and barrier properties, is a preferred polymer for rigid packaging applications. PET is also one of the most recycled polymers worldwide. In light of climate change, significant efforts are underway to improve the carbon footprint of PET by synthesizing it from bio-based feedstocks. Often times, specific applications demand PET to be copolymerized with other monomers. This work focuses on copolymerization of PET with a bio-based co-monomer, 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) to produce the copolyester (PETF). We report the multifunction of FDCA to influence the esterification reaction kinetics and the depolymerization kinetics (via alkaline hydrolysis) of the copolyester PETF. NMR spectroscopy and titrimetric studies revealed that copolymerization of PET with different levels of FDCA improved the esterification reaction kinetics by enhancing the solubility of monomers. During the alkaline hydrolysis, the presence of FDCA units in the backbone almost doubled the PET conversion and monomer yield. Based on these findings, it is demonstrated that the FDCA facilitates the esterification, as well as depolymerization of PET, and potentially enables reduction of reaction temperatures or shortened reaction times to improve the carbon footprint of the PET synthesis and depolymerization process.
Debating the drug war: race, politics, and the media: by Michael Rosino, New York, Routlege, 2021, 196pp., $42.95 (paperback), ISBN 9781138239692

This is the most recent offering from Routledge's Framing 21st Century Social Issues series. The goal of that series, according to the series editor, “is to offer readable, teachable ‘thinking fram...
Timing of MRI Cervical Spine and Finding Asymptomatic T2 Hyperintensities in Multiple Sclerosis Patients (S26.002)

Objective: To determine how frequently follow-up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) cervical (C) spine in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients reveals asymptomatic T2 hyperintense lesions Background: Brain MRI is one of the most important tools for monitoring disease activity in MS patients. While spinal cord imaging is useful for establishing an MS diagnosis, it is unclear whether there is utility in repeating cervical spine imaging as part of routine surveillance for subclinical disease activity Design/Methods: A query was generated in EPIC slicer dicer software. Patients aged 18–65 years who were diagnosed with relapsing remitting MS and were see at the Johns Hopkins MS Center from 2014–2018 with an MRI C spine were included in the query Results: 1739 patients were identified from the initial query; 100 patients have been phenotyped in detail to date. Of these, 87 were female, mean age was 25.7(SD=2.7) years, and 57% were Caucasian, 28% were African American and 12% were Asian. The mean disease duration was 3.9 (SD=2.5) years with a mean Expanded Disability Status Scale score of 1.2(SD=1.1). Cervical spine imaging for routine surveillance (no suspected cord relapse) was performed in 43 patients at year 1, 53 patients at year 2, 34 patients at year 3, and 16 at year 4. Of these, the corresponding numbers (percentages) of people incidental lesions discovered were 7 (16%) at year 1, 3 (6%) at year 2, 3 (9%) at year 3, and 2 (13%) at year 4 Conclusions: The utility of cervical spine MRI in surveying otherwise asymptomatic people with MS for new lesions is unclear. Our preliminary data suggest a reasonable proportion of patients evaluated to data had asymptomatic lesions. Since cord activity may confer a worse long-term prognosis but, at the same time, MRI is expensive and time-intensive for patients, evaluating its usefulness in monitoring MS patients for breakthrough disease is imperative Disclosure: Dr. Malik has nothing to disclose. Dr. Calabresi has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with consulting fees from Biogen and Disarm Therapeutics. Dr. Calabresi has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for The Journal of Clinical Investigation. Dr. Calabresi has received research support from research support to JHU from Annexon Biosciences, Biogen, MedImmune, and Novartis. Dr. Izbudak has received research support from funding from Biogen in the form of a contract with her employer, Johns Hopkins University (JHU); primary investigator on a research grant from Siemens paid to JHU. Dr. Mowry has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for UpToDate. Dr. Mowry has received research support from Biogen, Genzyme, Teva, and Sun Pharma.
Circulating Glucagon Components: Significance in Health and Disease

Plasma immunoreactive glucagon (IRG) represents a family of compounds with different molecular weights. Although the physiologic role of these fractions is largely unknown, their relative abundance may vary under different physiologic and pathologic conditions. This paper describes the pattern of IRG components in normal subjects and in patients with renal failure, diabetes mellitus, glucagonoma and other conditions. The role of the kidneys and of the liver in the metabolism of glucagon is reviewed and discussed.
An Expanded Research Agenda for Examining Country of Origin Effects

The authors propose a research agenda which moves beyond the perceptual studies which dominate the country of origin literature. Three areas are discussed which warrant investigation: 1) examining the objective quality-country of origin relationship, 2) measuring consumer awareness of and search behavior with respect to country of origin, and 3) estimating elasticities of substitution via product demand functions. This stream of research will offer researchers a more complete context within which to understand country of origin effects.
Recovery of Behavioral and Physiological Function In Vivo

Fully adult spinal-injured guinea pigs were the first test subjects for PEG application. We documented the loss and recovery of nerve impulse conduction through the lesion by SSEPs (Fig. 26). The CTM behavior was used to index functional loss and recovery (Fig. 10). These studies began with a topical application of PEG to the exposed spinal cord lesion at various times after spinal cord injury. Electrophysiological and quantitative behavioral records were obtained from each animal prior to a standardized spinal cord compression/contusion injury, immediately after the injury, and at various times after that for 1 month. The constant displacement injury (Blight 1990) was adjusted so that 100% of the control population never recovered SSEP conduction, and spontaneous recovery of the CTM occurred in less than 20% of the population of injured animals. We first applied PEG roughly 15 min after injury. This determined if the striking and rapid changes observed in vitro could be duplicated in vivo. In these studies, an aqueous PEG solution similar to that used in vitro was applied to the exposed spinal cord injury following a hemilaminectomy, durotomy, and lesioning. This was also applied for about 2 min, after which the PEG solution was aspirated and the region thoroughly lavaged with isotonic saline. In additional studies, it was found that direct application of 50% PEG to uninjured spinal cord parenchyma for extended periods exceeding 5 min produced damage to the spinal cord tissues (Fig. 31).
The disruptive anti-covering location problem

Abstract Dispersion is a desirable element inherent in many location problems. For example, dispersive strategies are used in the location of franchise stores, bank branches, defensive missile silo placement, halfway homes, and correctional facilities, or where there is need to be dispersed as much as possible in order to minimize impacts. Two classic models that capture the essence of dispersion between facilities involve: (1) locating exactly p -facilities while maximizing the smallest distance of separation between any two of them, and (2) maximizing the number of facilities that are being located subject to the condition that each facility is no closer than r -distance to its closest neighboring facility. The latter of these two problems is called the anti-covering problem, the subject of this paper. Virtually all past research has involved an attempt to solve for the “best or maximal packing” solution to a given anti-covering problem. This paper deals with what one may call the worst case solution of an anti-covering problem. That is, what is the smallest number of needed facilities and their placement such that their placement thwarts or prevents any further facility placement without violating the r -separation requirement? We call this the disruptive anti-covering location problem. It is disruptive in the sense that such a solution would efficiently prevent an optimal packing from occurring. We present an integer linear program model for this new location problem, provide example problems which indicate that very disruptive configurations exist, and discuss the generation of a range of stable levels to this problem.
Flexible support for application-sharing architecture

Current application-sharing systems support a single architecture for all collaborations, though different systems support different architectures. We have developed a system that supports a wide range of architectural mappings, which include, to the best of our knowledge, all of the existing architectures defined So far including the centralized, replicated, and hybrid architectures. Instead of being bound to a specific I/O protocol such as the X protocol, it is based on a simple abstract I/O protocol to which specific I/O protocols must be mapped by client-supplied code. We have used the system to perform experiments that compare the performance of the centralized and replicated architectures. Our experiments show that the choice of the architecture depends on the computers used by the collaborators, the speed of the connections between the computers, and the cost of the operations performed by the shared application Under some conditions the centralized architecture gives better performance, while under others the replicated architecture gives better performance. Our results contradict the popular belief that the replicated architecture always gives better performance, and show the need for supporting both architectures in a system.
The Impact of Resource Sharing Control on the Design of Multicore Processors

One major obstacle faced by designers when entering the multicore era is how to harness the massive computing power which these cores provide. Since Instructional-Level Parallelism (ILP) is inherently limited, one single thread is not capable of efficiently utilizing the resource of a single core. Hence, Simultaneous MultiThreading (SMT) microarchitecture can be introduced in an effort to achieve improved system resource utilization and a correspondingly higher instruction throughput through the exploitation of Thread-Level Parallelism (TLP) as well as ILP. However, when multiple threads execute concurrently in a single core, they automatically compete for system resources. Our research shows that, without control over the number of entries each thread can occupy in system resources like instruction fetch queue and/or reorder buffer, a scenario called "mutual-hindrance" execution takes place. Conversely, introducing active resource sharing control mechanisms causes the opposite situation ("mutual-benefit" execution), with a possible significant performance improvement and lower cache miss frequency. This demonstrates that active resource sharing control is essential for future multicore multithreading microprocessor design.
Piezoelectric properties of 3-X periodic Pb(ZrxTi1−x)O3–polymer composites

The piezoelectric properties of lead zirconate titanate (PZT)–polymer composites were studied as a function of composition and phase connectivity. PZT skeletal structures were fabricated by robotic deposition, densified at 1275 °C, and subsequently infiltrated with epoxy to produce the desired PZT–polymer composites. These 3-X structures consisted of a three-dimensional lattice of PZT rods (3–3) embedded in a polymer matrix, a PZT lattice/polymer matrix capped with PZT face plates (3–2), or PZT lattice/polymer matrix capped with PZT face plates and encircled by a solid PZT ring (3–1). The PZT:polymer ratio was varied systematically by changing the lattice (rod) spacing in each composite architecture. The concentration of PZT pillars, which formed along the poling direction at the intersections between PZT rods, varied as the PZT volume fraction squared. These 3-X composites displayed enhanced hydrostatic figures of merit relative to monolithic PZT due to stress concentration in the PZT pillars and their d...
Rangeland Conservation and Shrub Encroachment: New Perspectives on an Old Problem

Grasslands, shrublands and savannas, collectively represented in the term rangelands, constitute ca. 50% of the Earth’s land surface (Bailey 1996). Although typically characterized by low and highly variable annual rainfall, these geographically extensive arid and semi-arid landscapes represent 30–35% of terrestrial net primary productivity (NPP) (Field et al. 1998), contain more than 30% of the world’s human population and support the majority of the world’s livestock production (Safriel & Adeel 2005). As such, rangelands play an important role in global carbon, water and nitrogen cycles and human health (Campbell & Stafford Smith 2000). Their extensive airsheds and watersheds provide habitat for game and non-game wildlife and myriad ecosystem goods and services important to rapidly growing settlements and cities that may be geographically distant. Rangelands thus have considerable, multi-dimensional conservation value. Stewardship of vegetation composition, cover and production is the foundation of sustainable rangeland management. A key component of rangeland ecosystem management is maintaining vegetation within a desirable mix of herbaceous and woody plants (WPs).
Women's accounts of their prison experiences

Abstract This article examines the subjective experiences of previously imprisoned women. Their retrospective narratives of prison life reveal overt behavioral and underlying structural tensions that create an atmosphere of fear and violence. Furthermore, attitudes of indifference between inmates and correctional staff often contribute to fostering an environment of neglect. The study, based on in-depth interviews with fifty-four female subjects, describes and analyzes several aspects of the socialization process for inmates as related by women on parole. The research shows that the “pains of imprisonment” for women are suffered to a greater degree than previously acknowledged. Prison for these women is a social world filled with anxiety and, perhaps, represents a punishment well beyond what the law intended.
Linear models for cost-sensitive classification

In this paper, we investigate the performance of statistical, mathematical programming and heuristic linear models for cost-sensitive classification. In particular, we use five cost-sensitive techniques including Fisher's discriminant analysis DA, asymmetric misclassification cost mixed integer programming AMC-MIP, cost-sensitive support vector machine CS-SVM, a hybrid support vector machine and mixed integer programming SVMIP and heuristic cost-sensitive genetic algorithm CGA techniques. Using simulated datasets of varying group overlaps, data distributions and class biases, and real-world datasets from financial and medical domains, we compare the performances of our five techniques based on overall holdout sample misclassification cost. The results of our experiments on simulated datasets indicate that when group overlap is low and data distribution is exponential, DA appears to provide superior performance. For all other situations with simulated datasets, CS-SVM provides superior performance. In case of real-world datasets from financial domain, CGA and AMC-MIP hold a slight edge over the two SVM-based classifiers. However, for medical domains with mixed continuous and discrete attributes, SVM classifiers perform better than heuristic CGA and AMC-MIP classifiers. The SVMIP model is the most computationally inefficient model and poor performing model.
Configuring image and context: Writing ‘about’ pictures

Abstract Humanities texts have been little studied in ESP, and the few analyses attempted have not always been as successful as those directed at the social sciences, life sciences and natural sciences. However, in largely post-industrial communities, the growth of museums and galleries (as well as the corresponding increase in museum studies programs) suggests that humanities texts in this sector might now warrant attention. Since, outside English-speaking countries, these texts about artworks or cultural artifacts are typically produced both in English and the local language, there is clearly potential here for ESP development. In this case study of a small corpus of one-page accounts of pictures, analysis shows that the interpretations are rarely organized in a general-specific or specific-general manner, but rather oscillate between reference to the micro image and the broader context, as in this 26-sentence example (Con = Context; Image = Im): This kind of patterning is teachable, as are more specific features, such as the exegetic role of comparisons, the subdued versus prominent employment of intertextual references, and the judicious use of parenthetical information and qualifying hedges. The article closes with an illustrative learner task designed to raise awareness of the oscillating pattern.