cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Variational Recurrent Adversarial Deep Domain Adaptation

We study the problem of learning domain invariant representations for time series data while transferring the complex temporal latent dependencies between the domains. Our model termed as Variational Recurrent Adversarial Deep Domain Adaptation (VRADA) is built atop a variational recurrent neural network (VRNN) and trains adversarially to capture complex temporal relationships that are domain-invariant. This is (as far as we know) the first to capture and transfer temporal latent dependencies in multivariate time-series data. Through experiments on real-world multivariate healthcare time-series datasets, we empirically demonstrate that learning temporal dependencies helps our model's ability to create domain-invariant representations, allowing our model to outperform current state-of-the-art deep domain adaptation approaches.
Heritage Bim, Numerical Simulation and Decision Support Systems: an Integrated Approach for Historical Buildings Retrofit

Abstract The article describes an integrated, holistic and multi-scalar methodology to address the theme of energy efficiency of historic fabrics, supported by the use of technologies in the field of Heritage BIM, numerical simulations and decision support systems, carried out in the old town of Frigento in Italy. Both at the urban and the building scale, a combination of traditional and innovative analyses were integrated into a Heritage-BIM platform of the historic centre. The use of ICT technologies helped to improve interoperability between Heritage-BIM and numerical simulations to streamline the operational workflow by avoiding redundant steps through the use of computational design and graphical algorithmic modelling as an intermediate step between the two software environments. The Analytical Hierarchy Process, a Multicriteria analysis application tool, based on four key criteria (compatibility with restoration principles, economic affordability, energy efficiency and environmental sustainability), was used to select the best retrofit solution for a pilot historical building among a set of alternatives proposed by the research and design team, including all the stakeholders involved in the process.
Acoustic energy enabled dynamic recovery in aluminium and its effects on stress evolution and post-deformation microstructure

Abstract It is now well established that simultaneous application of acoustic energy during deformation results in lowering of stresses required for plastic deformation. This phenomenon of acoustic softening has been used in several manufacturing processes, but there is no consensus on the exact physics governing the phenomenon. To further the understanding of the process physics, in this manuscript, after-deformation microstructure of aluminium samples deformed with simultaneous application of kilohertz range acoustic energy was studied using Electron-Backscatter Diffraction analysis. The microstructure shows evidence of acoustic energy enabled dynamic recovery. It is found that the subgrain sizes increase with an increase in acoustic energy density applied during deformation. A modified Kocks-Mecking (KM) model for crystal plasticity has been used to account for the observed acoustic energy enabled dynamic recovery. Using the modified KM model, predicted stress versus strain curves were plotted and compared with experimental results. Good agreements were found between predictions and experimental results. The manuscript identifies an analogy between microstructure evolution in hot deformation and that in acoustic energy assisted deformation.
Re-Evaluating the Returns to Language Skills Using Latent Trait Estimates

Constructs more robust latent trait measures of language fluency using well-established psychometric methods, and re-evaluates the evidence for the wage premium.
Multimodal Named Entity Disambiguation for Noisy Social Media Posts

We introduce the new Multimodal Named Entity Disambiguation (MNED) task for multimodal social media posts such as Snapchat or Instagram captions, which are composed of short captions with accompanying images. Social media posts bring significant challenges for disambiguation tasks because 1) ambiguity not only comes from polysemous entities, but also from inconsistent or incomplete notations, 2) very limited context is provided with surrounding words, and 3) there are many emerging entities often unseen during training. To this end, we build a new dataset called SnapCaptionsKB, a collection of Snapchat image captions submitted to public and crowd-sourced stories, with named entity mentions fully annotated and linked to entities in an external knowledge base. We then build a deep zeroshot multimodal network for MNED that 1) extracts contexts from both text and image, and 2) predicts correct entity in the knowledge graph embeddings space, allowing for zeroshot disambiguation of entities unseen in training set as well. The proposed model significantly outperforms the state-of-the-art text-only NED models, showing efficacy and potentials of the MNED task.
Methods of Detecting Ketosis in Jersey and Holstein Herds

Page 3 Introduction Page 4 Materials and Methods Page 6 Results and Discussion Page 7 Conclusion Page 8 References Page 9 List of Tables Table 1. Average blood s-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), urine ketones, and milk fat (right forequarter stripping) values for cows with ketosis. Table 2. Correlation between urine ketones, blood s-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), and milk fat from fore-quarter strippings for Holstein cows Table 3. Correlation between urine ketones, blood s-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) and milk fat from fore-quarter strippings for Jersey cows
An Overview of Orthodox Christian Religious Education

One of the great struggles that the North American Orthodox Christian Churches have had in the area of Christian religious education has been the rush and pressure to organise programs and prepare materials for educating the next generation. The discipline of Christian religious education is a relatively new phenomenon, emerging in the twentieth century, but not becoming more systematic until the last few decades. In traditionally ‘Orthodox countries,’ without the experience of Communist rule, such as Greece, Orthodox Christianity has been part of the public school curriculum without interruption since 1833 (Perselis, 1984). There it has the same relative position as mathematics or history. In the former Soviet-bloc nations, the teaching of Orthodox Christianity is returning to public education, with large investments from both Church and State. In Greece, the challenge is to develop meaningful programs within the context of public education. In the former Soviet union and Soviet republics, the challenge is the same, coupled with building the infrastructure—intellectual, practical, programmatic—for the return of religious education. Throughout the Orthodox world, issues of globalization, secularisation, modernity and post-modernity, and especially religious pluralism have made dealing with these matters more complex. The still relatively few professional scholars and researchers—five to ten globally—in Orthodox Christian religious education also have hampered responding to these immense challenges. In North America, especially the United States, Orthodox Christianity is a tiny minority, comprising less than one percent of the U.S. population, despite the claims and rhetoric of a much larger population (Hartford, 2003). In the United States, the environment with which I am most familiar, religion is not taught in public schools. Thus, Orthodox Christian religious education is a parochial, parishbased, program: the Sunday or Church school. In the United States, the pressure to
Natural Selection: A Deselection vs Proselection Analysis

Since the dawn of Darwinian evolution theory evolutionists have assumed that evolution favors adaptive traits. In this analysis article the author explores the usefulness of assuming that natural selection works only by disfavoring deleterious traits.
Yale School Forests, New England, United States of America

The Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies manages 10,880 acres (4403 hectares) of forestland in Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The goals of this ownership are to provide educational, research, and professional opportunities for faculty and students as well as to serve as an asset to the School’s investment portfolio. Most of the School Forests are mixed hardwoods (central hardwoods in the south and northern hardwoods in Vermont), but extensive stands of conifers exist, including some plantations mostly in New Hampshire. Almost all New England soil conditions are found throughout these forests from wetlands to droughty alluvial sand deposits. Faculty and students use the School Forests as a laboratory for teaching, management, and research. A member of the faculty serves as director. A forest manager and students working as interns in an apprentice forester program carry out all management activities. The forest is maintained as a working forest, which includes selling timber and non-timber forest products from the land.
Planning a Total Treatment Program for the Hospitalized Depressed Patient

It has been estimated that each year some 20 million persons in the United States suffer from depression. In 1971 there were 275,555 admissions for depression to inpatient psychiatric facilities accounting for 22.5% of the total admissions. At 135.3 admissions per 100,000 population, depression was second only to schizophrenia as a cause for psychiatric hospitalization. More than twice as many patients were admitted to outpatient facilities; it is difficult to determine how many were treated by private practitioners and one can only guess how many millions suffering from depression went untreated.
Role of Monokines in Control of Anterior Pituitary Hormone Release

It has been known as far back as 1936 from the pioneering work of Selye (1) that noxious stimuli of one type or another, activate the release of ACTH which in turn releases adrenal cortical steroids. These then bring about a series of reactions in the body which consist of thymic involution, decrease in size of lymph nodes, lymphopenia, and eosinopenia (1). The role of the nervous system in these phenomena was not established at that time; however, in the early ’50s it became apparent that hypothalamic lesions, particularly in the median eminence of the tuber cinereum would abolish the release of ACTH and adrenal steroids resulting from stress (2). Conversely, stimulation of the hypothalamus could evoke release of ACTH followed by release of adrenal steroids (3).
When the Start Matters: Investor Sentiment and Hedge Fund Inceptions

We examine whether investor sentiment affects hedge fund companies’ decision to start new funds. We find significantly more fund inceptions in hot markets than in cold markets. Moreover, funds opened in hot markets exhibit weaker subsequent performance, higher risk of fraud, and shorter survival. Further evidence indicates that more rookie managers open funds in hot markets, and they “contribute” more to the subsequent underperformance relative to seasoned managers. Investor clientele appears to vary with market conditions, and we find a dumb-money effect for hot-market incepted funds. Overall, inceptions due to high investor sentiment are not in the best interest of investors.
Tidal Marsh Creation

Abstract Salt and brackish water tidal marshes are productive wetlands that provide ecosystem services including habitat, food energy for the estuarine food web, maintenance of water quality, storage of storm water, buffering storm waves and reducing shoreline erosion, carbon sequestration, and socioeconomic benefits. Loss of tidal marshes occurs as a result of dredging, filling, tidal restrictions, subsidence, sea level rise, and erosion. To mitigate those losses, techniques have been developed to create marshes on sites where they did not previously exist. The goal of tidal marsh creation is to provide habitats similar in structure and function to natural marshes. Because tides are the controlling abiotic factor of tidal marshes, the most critical requirement for creating new marshes is constructing sites at the correct elevation relative to the local tidal regime. Other important site-related factors that must be considered to insure successful marsh creation are slope, drainage, wave climate, currents, salinity, and soil physicochemical properties. Cultural practices that are important to establishment of vegetation include selection of native plant species, seed collection and storage, seedling production, site preparation, soil testing, fertilization, handling of transplants, timing of planting, plant spacing, control of undesirable invasive plants, and maintenance until the marsh is self-sustaining. The criteria used to define successful tidal marsh creation are often controversial. Plant communities may be equivalent to natural reference marshes in a few years, whereas other characteristics, such as soil organic matter, and numbers and species of benthic invertebrates require much longer to reach equivalence. When marsh creation technology is properly applied, tidal marshes can be created that provide many of the same ecosystems services that are provided by natural systems.
Neurology of Pregnancy

In pregnancy, the blood volume increases by about 1500 mL mainly because of the expansion of plasma volume. In fact, the blood volume may increase by 10% by 7 weeks of pregnancy. The red cell mass also increases, but not in proportion to the change in plasma volume. This results in the physiologic anemia of pregnancy, which is maximal by 30 to 32 weeks. In pregnancy, blood pressure (BP) decreases to reach a nadir at 28 weeks of gestation. The decrease in BP is caused by lower systemic vascular resistance. The result is an increase in cardiac output and heart rate. Thus the hemodynamic changes of pregnancy are characterized primarily by volume expansion and a decrease in vascular resistance.
Surgical management of pediatric thyroid disease: Complication rates after thyroidectomy at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia high-volume Pediatric Thyroid Center.

Abstract Background Recent studies suggest improved outcomes for children undergoing thyroidectomy at high-volume pediatric surgery centers. We present outcomes after thyroid surgery at a single center and advocate for referral to high-volume centers for multidisciplinary management of these children. Methods Medical records were reviewed for all pediatric patients undergoing thyroid surgery at a single institution from 2009 through 2017. Routine recurrent laryngeal nerve and parathyroid hormone monitoring was used. Lymph node dissections were performed in appropriately selected cancer patients. Data collection focused on pathologic diagnosis, surgical technique, and surgical complications, including postoperative hematoma, neurapraxia, permanent nerve damage, hypocalcemia, and transient and permanent hypoparathyroidism. Results From 2009 through 2017, 464 patients underwent thyroid surgery. Median age of the cohort was 15 years (range 2–24). Thirty-three percent were diagnosed with benign nodules (n = 151), 36% with papillary or follicular thyroid cancer (n = 168), 27% with Graves’ disease (n = 124), 3% with medullary thyroid cancer (n = 14), and 1.5% underwent prophylactic thyroidectomy for MEN2a (n = 7). Six patients required return to the OR for hematoma evacuation including 5 patients after surgery for Graves’ disease (RR 8.7, 95% CI 1.06–71.85). In sixteen cases, concern about neurapraxia resulted in laryngoscopy, revealing eleven patients with vocal cord paresis. Two of these patients demonstrated a persistent deficit at 6 months postoperatively (0.4%). Thirty-seven percent of patients had transient hypoparathyroidism (n = 137), and two patients had persistent hypoparathyroidism 6 months after total thyroidectomy (0.6%). There was no significant difference in either hypocalcemia or hypoparathyroidism after total thyroidectomy based on age or diagnosis. Conclusions Characterizing outcomes for pediatric patients based on diagnosis will assist in preoperative counseling for patients and their families. This high-volume center reports low complication rates after pediatric thyroid surgery, highlighting that referral to high-volume centers should be considered for children and adolescents with thyroid disease requiring surgery. Level of evidence Level IV
Orthopedic Surgery at an Ambulatory Surgicenter

The case of an 82-year-old male with coronary artery disease, hypertension, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and history of smoking is discussed. The patient took all his prescribed antihypertensives the morning of surgery and develops refractory postinduction hypotension. Its causes, prevention, and treatment are discussed. The use of regional anesthesia used as a supplement to reduce general anesthesia requirements is discussed. Benefits and advantages of securing the airway with an endotracheal tube in shoulder surgery are discussed. The use of succinylcholine and its advantages over nondepolarizing neuromuscular blockers in ambulatory surgery are discussed. Anesthetic methods to avoid prolonged muscle relaxation, opiate overdose, and delayed extubation are discussed.
Comparative safety of systemic immunomodulatory medications in adults with atopic dermatitis.

Background Severe atopic dermatitis (AD) is increasingly treated with systemic immunomodulatory drugs, yet their safety is unclear. Objective We evaluated the comparative risk of serious bacterial and opportunistic infections among patients with severe AD using systemic immunomodulatory medications in routine care. Methods In a population-based claims data study, we identified adult patients with AD who were treated with systemic drugs. The incidence of serious bacterial and opportunistic infections leading to hospitalization was computed by using International Classification of Disease diagnosis codes. Relative risks (RRs) were computed after 1-to-1 propensity score matching. Results Up to 232,611 patients with AD were eligible. The incidence of serious infections was 7.53 (7.18-7.89) risk per 1,000 patients among systemic nonbiologic–treated patients, 7.38 (5.68-9.57) risk per 1,000 patients among phototherapy-treated patients, and 2.6 (0.45-14.3) risk per 1,000 patients among dupilumab users. After matching, cyclosporine had a significantly reduced 6-month risk (RR 0.87) and prednisone (RR 1.78), azathioprine (RR 1.89), and mycophenolate (RR 3.31) showed increased risks compared with methotrexate. A small number of dupilumab users showed no increased risk (RR 0.33, 95% confidence interval 0.03-3.20). Limitations Some comparisons involved small population sizes. Conclusion In this population-based study of adult AD patients, cyclosporine and methotrexate have the lowest 6-month risks of serious infections. Increased risks were observed for prednisone, azathioprine, and mycophenolate relative to methotrexate.
A new mutation in the SQLE gene of Trichophyton mentagrophytes associated to terbinafine resistance in a couple with disseminated tinea corporis

Trichophyton is the most common dermatophyte genus responsible for tinea corporis and topical treatment with terbinafine is effective for limited disease but extensive disease required systemic therapy. Failure of terbinafine therapy in patients infected with T. rubrum or T. mentagrophytes is associated with mutations in the gene encoding squalene epoxidase, the terbinafine target. We report two cases of tinea corporis resistant to systemic terbinafine in a 60-year-old man and his wife, a 51 year-old-woman. Both patients had multiple diffuse erythematous annular scaly plaques and T. mentagrophytes was isolated in culture. Systemic treatment with terbinafine in combination with topical terbinafine and then topical ketoconazole failed to improve the disease after 8 weeks. The broth microdilution tests performed to evaluate the antifungal sensitivity of the T. mentagrophytes isolate revealed a high MIC for terbinafine but a low MIC for posaconazole and itraconazole. An A1223T point mutation leading to a Q408L substitution was identified by DNA sequencing the SQLE gene of the isolate. Itraconazole 200mg daily was then introduced but stopped because of elevated liver transaminases in the man. Finally, complete healing was achieved only six months later for both patients and required a 3 and 2-week regimen of itraconazole with topical eberconazole in the man and woman respectively. We believe that a close monitoring and antifungal susceptibility tests should now be done more systematically in dermatophytic infections that do not respond to conventional treatment as terbinafine resistant strains are likely to spread worlwide.
TCT-337 Outcomes of Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction Status Post Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Presenting with HFrEF Exacerbation With Versus Without Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is known to increase morbidity and mortality of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) but its impact on HFrEF status post implantable cardioverter-defibrillator admitted for an acute exacerbation is largely unknown. This study examined the NIS (National
Introduction to the Math-Based Writing System

No matter where you are from around the globe, if you’re an engineer, it’s almost certain that you can read, write, and speak about engineering content using numbers, symbols, and equations. For this reason, math can be thought of as a universal language among engineers. Is it possible to use this common-ground language of numbers, symbols, and equations as a touchstone or analog for teaching engineers how to write in a word-based language such as English? This book says yes.
The Self-as-Doer Identity and Physical Activity: The Mediating Effect of Self-Efficacy for Managing Physical Activity Barriers

Although psycho-social interventions have been proposed to increase physical activity, variability in the degree to which physical activity is maintained still exists. The self-as-doer identity, an...
Immune Sensing of Cell Death through Recognition of Histone Sequences by C-Type Lectin-Receptor-2d Causes Inflammation and Tissue Injury

The immune system monitors the health of cells and is stimulated by necrosis. Here we examined the receptors and ligands driving this response. In a targeted screen of C-type lectin receptors, a Clec2d reporter responded to lysates from necrotic cells. Biochemical purification identified histones, both free and bound to nucleosomes or neutrophil extracellular traps, as Clec2d ligands. Clec2d recognized poly-basic sequences in histone tails and this recognition was sensitive to post-translational modifications of these sequences. As compared with WT mice, Clec2d-/- mice exhibited reduced proinflammatory responses to injected histones, and less tissue damage and improved survival in a hepatotoxic injury model. In macrophages, Clec2d localized to the plasma membrane and endosomes. Histone binding to Clec2d did not stimulate kinase activation or cytokine production. Rather, histone-bound DNA stimulated endosomal Tlr9-dependent responses in a Clec2d-dependent manner. Thus, Clec2d binds to histones released upon necrotic cell death, with functional consequences to inflammation and tissue damage.
Main Regularities and Health Risks from Exposure to Non-Thermal Microwaves of Mobile Communication

Various responses to non-thermal microwaves (MW) from mobile communication including adverse health effects related to electrohypersensitivity, cancer risks, neurological effects, and reproductive impacts have been reported while some studies reported no such effects. This presentation provides an overview of the complex dependence of the MW effects on various physical and biological variables, which account for, at least partially, an apparent inconsistence in the published data. Among other variables, dependencies on carrier frequency, polarization, modulation, intermittence, electromagnetic stray fields, genotype, physiological traits, and cell density during exposure were reported. Nowadays, biological and health effects of 5G communication, which will use microwaves of extremely high frequencies (millimeter waves MMW, wavelength 1- 10 mm), are of significant public concern. It follows from available studies that MMW, under specific conditions of exposure at very low intensities below the ICNIRP guidelines, can affect biological systems and human health. Both positive and negative effects were observed in dependence on exposure parameters. In particular, MMW inhibited repair of DNA damage induced by ionizing radiation at specific frequencies and polarizations. To what extend the 5G technology and the Internet of Things will affect the biota and human health is definitely not known. However, based on possible fundamental role of MMW in regulation of homeostasis and almost complete absence of MMW in atmosphere due to effective absorption, which suggests the lack of adaptation to this type of radiation, the health effects of chronic MMW exposures may be more significant than for any other frequency range.
College students’ suggestions for improving sex education in schools beyond ‘blah blah blah condoms and STDs’

Young people in the USA view the sex education they receive as outdated and insufficient. The prevalence rates of sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy among adolescents further attest to t...
Use of an Open-Frame Hinged Surgical Table to Restore Segmental Lumbar Lordosis After Posterior Column Osteotomy

Maintaining lumbar lordosis and sagittal balance is an important consideration for patients undergoing lumbar fusion.[1][1]–[3][2] The use of interbody grafts and posterior column osteotomies (PCOs) can increase segmental lumbar lordosis from a posterior approach. Compression to close the PCO
Beta-band modulation in the human hippocampus during a conflict response task.

Objective Identify the role of beta-band (13-30 Hz) power modulation in the human hippocampus during conflict processing. Approach We investigated changes in the spectral power of the beta band (13-30 Hz) as measured by depth electrode leads in the hippocampus during a modified Stroop task in six patients with medically-refractory epilepsy. Previous work done with direct electrophysiological recordings in humans has shown hippocampal theta-band (3-8 Hz) modulation during conflict processing. Local field potentials (LFP) sampled at 2k Hz were used for analysis and a non-parametric cluster-permutation t-test was used to identify the time period and frequency ranges of significant power change during cue processing (i.e. post-stimulus, pre-response). Main Results In five of the six patients, we observe a statistically significant increase in hippocampal beta-band power during successful conflict processing in the incongruent trial condition (cluster-based correction for multiple comparisons, p < 0.05). There was no significant beta-band power change observed during the cue processing period of the congruent condition in the hippocampus of these patients. Significance The beta-power changes during conflict processing represented here are consistent with previous studies suggesting that the hippocampus plays a role in conflict processing, but it is the first time that the beta band has been shown to be involved in humans with direct electrophysiological evidence. We propose that beta-band modulation plays a role in successful conflict detection and automatic response inhibition in the human hippocampus as studied during a conflict response task.
Nanoengineered solution for repairing cement leakage in deep wells

Abstract In addition to the sharp growth of unconventional natural gas wells in the past decade, there are few hundred thousands of abandoned and orphaned wells across the world, potentially contributing to gas emissions. Failure in the barrier and sealing capabilities of the cement and casing are of factors playing role in these leakages. Squeeze job as a remedial treatment is performed to place cement slurry from the surface to the target points to seal narrow spaces behind the casing and/or perforations placed in the casing. In this study, a novel additive for the squeeze-cement is proposed by introducing surface-modified graphite nanoplatelets (GNPs) to carefully adjust rheology and mechanical properties of the prepared cement slurry to remediate some flaws in pre-existing cement sheaths. We seek for better penetration into narrow spaces behind the casing with appropriate thickening time, low fluid-loss, and high final strengths. The process of surface modification is very important to generate a homogeneous cement composite with superior mechanical properties. We develop a chemical method for the surface treatment of GNPs to alter their intrinsically hydrophobic properties to hydrophilic, making them compatible with the aqueous medium of cement. Details of surface modification approach and the concentration of surface-modified nanoparticles are tailored to achieve a desirable slurry for squeeze treatments following API RP 10B-2 (2013) procedures. We believe that these nanoparticles due to their 2D nanostructure not only improve cement movability, but also provide appropriate sealing in the target zones. To assess the performance of the prepared cement slurry to effectively seal narrow targets, narrow-slot tests with 120 microns thickness are conducted to show the supremacy of the proposed solution in sealing narrow spots. We also investigate the effect of adding a commercial superplasticizer on the properties of nanoengineered cement slurry to better resemble field practices. Results show that the presence of surface-modified GNPs provide cement slurry with low rheological properties, zero free fluid, low fluid-loss, and deep penetration which are promising for future field trials.
Is the COVID-19 pandemic magnifying disparities in stroke treatment?

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had widespread effects across healthcare systems worldwide.1–3 Mounting evidence supports a relationship between COVID-19 and both stroke pathophysiology4 5 and stroke systems of care, with decreased stroke presentations and delays in care.6 7 The pandemic’s effects have been felt at the patient level where fears of contagion may foster avoidance of the hospital environment,8 at the provider level where working conditions have been strained, and at the healthcare system level where protean resource limitations have emerged. These challenges may be responsible for magnifying well-described and long-standing disparities in stroke care, including those involving race, ethnicity, sex, socioeconomic status, and disability.9 In their paper entitled “Alarming downtrend in mechanical thrombectomy rates in African American patients during the COVID-19 pandemic: insights from STAR”, Al Kasab et al describe a retrospective study using prospectively collected data from the Stroke Thrombectomy and Aneurysm Registry (11 US centers, 1 German).10 During the COVID-19 pandemic there were significantly fewer black patients treated with thrombectomy than expected based on historical data (24% of 235 patients in February to May 2020 compared with 33% of 1848 patients between January 2017 and …
Dynamic covalent chemistry for architecture changing interpenetrated and single networks

Interpenetrating networks (IPN) comprise two or more networks which are woven but not covalently bonded to each other. This is in contrast to simple, or single Networks (SN), which contain only one network that is covalently crosslinked. This study develops SNs and IPNs using 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate as the monomer and (2-((1-(2-(acryloyloxy)ethyl)-2,5-dioxopyrrolidin-3-yl) thio)ethyl acrylate) (TMMDA) as a thermoresponsive dynamic thiol-Michael crosslinker. In the case of the IPN and SN materials the TMMDA is used as a thermoresponsive linker in each network, since TMMDA undergoes dynamic covalent exchange above 90 °C. In this way the SN and IPNs are kinetically trapped in their as synthesized structures until exposed to thermal stimulus. The focus of this study is to investigate how dynamic bond exchange can modulate material properties, after the material has been synthesized using the SN and IPN materials as model systems. The dynamic nature of the thiol-Michael crosslinker allows the transition of IPNs into SN like structures above 90 °C resulting in similar polymer architecture in both SN and IPN. Surprisingly, upon heating the SN materials also changed their mechanical properties, upon activation of the dynamic thiol-Michael bonds. This enhancement is proposed to occur by thermally activating the thiol-Michael bonds and reducing the number of floppy loops at higher temperature.
Myocardial infarction secondary to coronary embolus in a patient with left ventricular non-compaction cardiomyopathy: a case report.

Background Coronary embolism is a rare cause of myocardial infarction (MI). We present a case report which emphasizes the importance of intracoronary imaging in these cases to identify the pathophysiological mechanism of MI. Case summary A 53-year-old male with no past medical history presented to the hospital with typical angina. Electrocardiogram and serum troponin I level trend confirmed non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction. Coronary angiography showed no evidence of any obstructive coronary artery disease, but two small thrombi were noted in the distal first obtuse marginal branch. Optical coherence tomography imaging confirmed this finding in absence of any underlying atherosclerotic plaque rupture or erosion. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging revealed the diagnosis of non-compaction cardiomyopathy with severely depressed left ventricular function. Transmural MI was revealed by late gadolinium enhancement in the mid-lateral wall. Based on the pathophysiology of the MI confirmed by intracoronary imaging, antiplatelet medications were discontinued, and the patient was discharged on warfarin. Medical therapy was initiated for his cardiomyopathy. The patient recovered well and was asymptomatic at 1-year follow-up visit. Discussion Intracoronary imaging plays an important role to supplement coronary angiography to confirm the pathophysiology of MI in coronary embolism cases. This is important as it alters management in these patients.
Cobalt, lead, and borax: Preliminary LA-ICP-MS and SEM-EDS analysis of Late-18th- to Mid-19th-century British refined earthenware glazes

Abstract Late-18th- to mid-19th-century British refined earthenwares are found the world over, yet these have rarely been analyzed using archaeometric techniques, and almost everything we know about differentiating and dating these ceramics comes from written documents. Through a preliminary LA-ICP-MS and SEM-EDS analysis of 25 refined earthenware glazes (five each from creamware, pearlware, whiteware, yellowware, and ironstone), we discuss the possible way historical archaeologists can expand our knowledge of these important ceramics. Specifically, our results suggest that the five most common refined earthenwares can be distinguished based on their chemical composition. Furthermore, this data allows us to engage with the existing literature in novel ways that can confirm, discount, and provide new insights into late-18th-to mid-19th-century refined earthenware glazes by assessing (dis)similarities between their colorants and fluxes.
Systematic Review of PD-1/PD-L1 Inhibitors in Oncology: From Personalized Medicine to Public Health

Background To review and summarize all U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvals of programmed death (PD)-1 and PD-ligand 1 blocking antibodies (collectively referred to as PD-[L]1 inhibitors) over a 6-year period and corresponding companion/complementary diagnostic assays. Materials and methods To determine the indications and pivotal trials eligible for inclusion, approval letters and package inserts available on Drugs@FDA were evaluated for approved PD-[L]1 inhibitors to identify all new indications granted from the first approval of a PD-[L]1 inhibitor on September 4, 2014, through September 3, 2020. The corresponding FDA drug and device reviews from the marketing applications for the approved indications were identified through FDA internal records. Two reviewers independently extracted information for the endpoints, efficacy data, basis for approval, type of regulatory approval, and corresponding in vitro diagnostic device test. The results were organized by organ system and tumor type. Results Of 70 Biologic Licensing Application or supplement approvals that resulted in new indications, 32 (46%) were granted based on response rate (ORR) and durability of response, 26 (37%) on overall survival, 9 (13%) on progression-free survival, 2 (3%) on recurrence-free survival, and 1 (1%) on complete response rate. Most ORR-based approvals were granted under the accelerated approval provisions and were supported with prolonged duration of response. Overall, 21% of approvals were granted with a companion diagnostic. Efficacy results according to tumor type are discussed. Conclusion PD-[L]1 inhibitors are an effective anticancer therapy in a subset of patients. This class of drugs has provided new treatment options for patients with unmet need across a wide variety of cancer types. Yet, the modest response rates in several tumor types signal a lack of understanding of the biology of these diseases. Further preclinical and clinical investigation may be required to identify a more appropriate patient population, particularly as drug development continues and additional treatment alternatives become available. Implications for practice The number of PD-[L]1 inhibitors in drug development and the associated companion and complementary diagnostics have led to regulatory challenges and questions regarding generalizability of trial results. The interchangeability of PD-L1 immunohistochemical assays between PD-1/PD-L1 drugs is unclear. Furthermore, robust responses in some patients with low levels of PD-L1 expression have limited the use of PD-L1 as a predictive biomarker across all cancers, particularly in the setting of diseases with few alternative treatment options. This review summarizes the biomarker thresholds and assays approved as complementary and companion diagnostics and provides regulatory perspective on the role of biomarkers in oncology drug development.
Variation in Multidimensional Poverty Across Geographic Locales

We explore possible variation in the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) and its associated dimensions and indicators across a number of sub-national geographic units (i.e., regions, divisions, and states). Examination of American Community Survey data for the 2008–2018 period reveals considerable variation across geographic units in terms of MPI values, headcount ratios, and censored and uncensored deprivation scores. We then shift our focus to examine variation in multidimensional poverty across the 2351 Public Use Microdata Areas that comprise the U.S. Our analysis allows for the identification of the forms of deprivation (i.e., dimension and indicator frequencies) that contribute to a higher (or lower) incidence and/or intensity of deprivation at each geographic level.
ANALYTICAL STUDY OF THE EDIBLE OILS GAP IN EGYPT

Food oil crops and their products are considered to be important strategiccommodities in the national economy in general and agricultural in particular as they areone of the three main commodity groups in terms of the value of imports: wheat, oil cropsand sugar crops.In spite of the importance of these crops, their oil products did not achieve thedesired contribution in raising the self-sufficiency rates due to the limited area cultivateddue to the fierce competition with other strategic crops and the low yield of oil crops, In theabsence of sufficient local production to meet the increasing demand for oils, where theaverage volume of domestic production and consumption of oils by 177.06 and 1003.37thousand tons, respectively, resulting in a food gap estimated at 826.31 thousand tons,representing about 82, 36% during the period (2000-20) 15). The self-sufficiency rate was17.64%, which led to external dependence on filling the oil food gap, which increased theburden on the balance of payments and the Egyptian trade balance.The results of the study showed that the average domestic production of edibleoils during the period (2000-2015) reached 177.06 thousand tons. The average per capitaconsumption during the study period was about 13.12 kg / year. The average domesticconsumption amounted to about 1003.37 The average size of the food gap during the studyperiod was 826.31 thousand tons, while the average self-sufficiency during the study periodwas about 17.64%. In estimating the general time trend equation for the development of theprevious study variables, Per capita consumption, domestic consumption, food gap size At astatistically significant annual rate, while the self-sufficiency rate declined at a statisticallysignificant annual rate.Based on the results of the strategic stock assessment and the food securitycoefficient of edible oils in Egypt, it was found that the strategic stock of vegetable oil inEgypt is 438.25 thousand tons, enough to cover domestic consumption for a period of about77.54 days (2.58 months) Lack of adequate strategic stocks of edible oils in Egypt, due tothe fact that the amount of the deficit is greater than the surplus quantity, which requires thestate to work to provide strategic stocks of food oils to achieve the concept of food security.The food security of food oils was estimated at 0.43, indicating the relativeincrease in the value of the food security index of edible vegetable oils due to the quantity ofimports rather than the domestic production of oils.The results of the prediction of the future values of production, consumption andsize of the gap and the self-sufficiency rate of edible oils in Egypt in 2022 indicate that it isexpected to reach about 180,75, 2309,03, 2084,89 thousand tons and 10.18% respectively,Food gap and the continued low self-sufficiency rate due to the inability of local productionto meet increasing consumer needs.
Parylene-C Microbore Tubing: A Simpler Shunt for Reducing Intraocular Pressure.

Objective: Current minimally-invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) devices promise to control elevated levels of intraocular pressure (IOP) while avoiding many of the downsides of traditional glaucoma surgery. However, there remains room for improvement in performance metrics, including drainage efficacy, device longevity, and time to implant, as outlined by benchmarks set forth by the Audacious Goals Initiative. We introduce a better shunt, which achieves similar or improved pre-clinical safety and efficacy outcomes to commercial MIGS devices, while reducing surgical profile and implantation time. Methods: We developed a parylene-based microbore glaucoma drainage device capable of modulating IOP via a minimally-invasive implantation procedure. We surgically implanted microbore tubing in five healthy New Zealand White rabbits and measured IOP levels biweekly using handheld applanation tonometry to assess device efficacy in lowering and maintaining IOP. After 6 weeks, the rabbits were euthanized and eyes were enucleated to evaluate inflammatory and histologic response to a foreign-body implant. Results: This device is the only one that fulfills the 10-minute benchmark for implantation time compared to other commercial MIGS devices. In 4 of 5 animals implanted, post-op IOP in the experimental eye dropped by an average of 16.17%. Histopathologic evaluation revealed localized evidence of minor inflammatory reaction and tissue irritation, as well as minimal fibrosis along the tube-tissue interface. Conclusion and Significance: Based on these findings, this device stands as a promising platform to lowering IOP, particularly in patients with mild to moderate glaucoma requiring no need for cataract intervention, without eliciting a severe biological response.
Plants and Places: Agricultural Knowledge and Plant Geography in Germany, 1750–1810

This chapter explores the role that agricultural debates played in the development of plant geography in the decades preceding 1810. Focusing on German-speaking Central Europe, it looks at how eighteenth-century interest in new crops and garden plants raised practical questions about how easily plants could be transposed between different settings. Such questions received extensive attention within a large literature on practical agricultural improvement, and for learned men who wanted to promote natural history’s utility to agriculture, these concerns provided an attractive opening. The science of botany, a number of authors began to claim, could help landowners anticipate which plants might be grown successfully on their estates. It was in part this broader backdrop of regional, practical concerns that made geographical issues loom so large in the botanical literature of the early nineteenth century.
Homotopy and the Fundamental Group

The results of the preceding chapter left a serious gap in our attempt to classify compact 2-manifolds up to homeomorphism: although we have exhibited a list of surfaces and shown that every compact connected surface is homeomorphic to one on the list, we still have no way of knowing when two surfaces are not homeomorphic. For all we know, all of the surfaces on our list might be homeomorphic to the sphere! (Think, for example, of the unexpected homeomorphism between \( {{\mathbb{P}}^{2} \#}{{\mathbb{P}}^{2} \#}{{\mathbb{P}}^{2}} \ {\rm and} \ {{\mathbb{T}}^{2} \#}{{\mathbb{P}}^{2}}\).)
Ramifications of Gaba Receptor Subtypes on Retinal Information Processing

GABAergic inhibition shapes light responses in both plexiform layers of the vertebrate retina. GABA is contained in a population of horizontal cells and in about one-third of amacrine cells in the amphibian retina. Almost all second and third order neurons have GABA receptors. GABA’s influence is not only diffuse, but also diverse. Pharmacological studies, coupled with amino acid sequence analysis, have identified several subtypes of the GABA receptor, including: the classical GABAa, the GABAb, GABAρ, and GABAc receptors. We have begun investigating the role of these different receptors in information processing in the proximal retina. Although some of our results are preliminary, and our conclusions tentative, it appears that: 1) the GABAa receptor produces a strong, shunting inhibition of amacrine and ganglion cell EPSPs; 2) the GABAb receptor suppresses sustained signals while augmenting transient responses; 3) GABAρ receptors preferentially suppress transient ON responses; and 4) GABAc receptors appear to suppress sustained activity, somewhat similar to the action of GABAb receptors. Overall, GABA can modulate the retinal network through a variety of mechanisms, utilizing different receptor systems, to selectively suppress particular information pathways.
Editing Statistical Data

There are several statistical and data-processing techniques that exist in the literature to mnitor data and also to detect and correct errors in them. This area of Statistics has developed its own extensive terminology. In this entry, the terminology and the important techniques used in data editing and imputation are described. Keywords: data collection; data editing; imputation; outlier detection; population census; neural networks; data mining; bootstrap; EM-algorithm; binary string technique; gross control method; order statistics; coded data; nearest-neighbor imputation; contingency