cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Poly(Vinyldene Fluoride-Trifluoroethylene-Chlorofluoroethylene) Terpolymer as High-energy-density Capacitor Materials

Recently, PVDF-TrFE-CFE terpolymer was developed in Penn State University. The polymer exhibits relaxor ferroelectric behavior. At room temperature, the low-field dielectric constant can be as high as 50-60, more than ten times larger than other dielectric polymer materials, such as Polypropylene, the most widely-used polymer materials for capacitor applications. Due to the large change of electric field induced polarization and high breakdown field, energy density of the terpolymer can reach ∼10 J/cm 3 , much larger than other polymer materials. In this paper, experimental results on energy density and non-linear dielectric behavior of the terpolymer will be reported.
Discriminative Mixed-Membership Models

Although mixed-membership models have achieved great success in unsupervised learning, they have not been widely applied to classification problems. In this paper, we propose a family of discriminative mixed-membership models for classification by combining unsupervised mixed-membership models with multi-class logistic regression. In particular, we propose two variants respectively applicable to text classification based on latent Dirichlet allocation and usual feature vector classification based on mixed-membership naive Bayes models. The proposed models allow the number of components in the mixed membership to be different from the number of classes. We propose two variational inference based algorithms for learning the models, including a fast variational inference which is substantially more efficient than mean-field variational approximation. Through extensive experiments on UCI and text classification benchmark datasets, we show that the models are competitive with the state of the art, and can discover components not explicitly captured by the class labels.
T cell-depleted unrelated donor bone marrow transplantation for acute myeloid leukemia.

The outcome for 39 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in remission who had CAMPATH 1M T cell‐depleted unrelated donor bone marrow transplantations (BMTs) is described. Conditioning was mainly with cyclophosphamide (120 mg/kg) and total body irradiation (TBI) (14.4 Gy), but 5 patients received busulfan in place of TBI and 200 mg/kg cyclophosphamide. All patients received cyclosporin, and short-course methotrexate was given to recipients of mismatched grafts. The patient population was predominantly pediatric (median age, 10 years), but one third of the patients was aged 15 years or above. Twenty-five patients were in second complete remission (CR2), and 14 had high-risk CR1 disease (primarily failed remission induction or antecedent myelodysplastic syndrome, often with complex cytogenetic abnormalities). Both recipient and donor were cytomegalovirus seronegative in 15 of 37 cases (38%); 51% of patients were matched for HLA class I and II. Grade II to IV acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) occurred in 24% of patients; chronic GVHD occurred in 5 of 31 evaluable patients (16%), 4 extensive and 1 limited. Relapse occurred in 5 cases (13%); 1 of these 5 patients survives, 24 months after a second unrelated donor transplantation. Two of these relapses were associated with secondary graft failure (incidence rate, 5%). All patients engrafted primarily. Severe viral infection was the major transplant-associated complication, with 12 episodes in 9 patients, 5 of them lethal. Twenty-five patients survive at a median follow-up of 44 months (range, 2-102 months), with estimated actuarial overall and disease-free survival rates at 44 months of 61% (SE 8%) and 57% (SE 8%), respectively. Nineteen patients are more than 2 years post-BMT and may be cured. The functional status of long-term survivors is excellent, with 19 of 21 patients who survive 6 months or more in full-time employment or full-time students. These encouraging results suggest that in patients lacking a sibling donor, unrelated donor BMT for AML in remission achieves survival figures as good as or better than those reported on patients with autologous stem cell transplantation, and that T-cell depletion of grafts is associated with a low relapse rate and an excellent functional status. However, only a randomized study comparing unrelated donor BMT and autografting will resolve which of these treatment strategies is better for patients with AML.
The Deal of the Century: The Breakup of AT&T

The article reviews several books including “The Deal of the Century: The Breakup of AT&T,” by Steve Coil, “Chronicles of Corporate Change: Management Lessons from AT&T and Its Offspring,” by Leonard A. Schlesinger, Davis Dyer, Thomas N. Clough, and Diane Landau, and “Fall of the Bell System: A Study in Prices and Politics,” by Peter Temin with Louis Galambos.
Black box warning on lenalidomide-associated venous thromboembolism (VTE) in off-label setting: A preemptive and unusual safety initiative

6074 Background: Half of cancer therapies are used off-label, but regulations prohibit package inserts from describing toxicities that occur only in these settings. In 2003, RADAR reported VTE rate...
Fulminant corticobasal degeneration: Agrypnia excitata in corticobasal syndrome

Corticobasal degeneration (CBD) may be expressed as an atypical parkinsonism with a mean disease survival of about 7 years,1 the shortest reported survival being 24 months.2 We report a patient with corticobasal syndrome (CBS) and pathology-confirmed CBD whose 10-month course was manifested as a frontal alien hand evolving into agrypnia excitata.
Predicting Hairiness for Ring and Rotor Spun Yarns and Analyzing the Impact of Fiber Properties

Models for predicting ring or rotor yarn hairiness are built using a back-propagation neural network algorithm. These models are based on fiber property input measured by three different systems, hvi, afis, and fmt. We compare the prediction results from the different models, which reveal that yarn hairiness measurements from hvi data are superior to other models. The optimum model is based on the availability of all three measurement systems. We also study the impact of each fiber property on yarn hairiness. The dominant effect is fiber length. Each of the remaining properties has a different degree of impact on ring or rotor yarn hairiness.
Autologous Fat Grafting and Injectable Dermal Fillers for Human Immunodeficiency Virus–Associated Facial Lipodystrophy: A Comparison of Safety, Efficacy, and Long-Term Treatment Outcomes

Background Facial lipoatrophy is a common side effect of human immunodeficiency virus treatment with highly active antiretroviral therapy. To identify the most clinically durable and efficient way of addressing facial lipoatrophy, the authors reviewed all available evidence for the use of injectable dermal fillers and autologous fat transfers as treatment modalities, focusing on safety, outcomes, and long-term durability. Methods A systematic review of the Cochrane and MEDLINE databases for autologous fat transfer and injectable dermal fillers for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus-associated lipodystrophy was performed. Based on U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval in human immunodeficiency virus lipoatrophy, studies were limited to the use of hyaluronic acid and/or poly-L-lactic acid. Facial volume, subjective patient satisfaction, standardized outcome scales, reinjection rates, and complications were recorded. Results Nineteen studies were included representing 724 patients, with 549 patients in the hyaluronic acid/poly-L-lactic acid cohort and 175 in the autologous fat transfer cohort. Improvements in facial volume and durability of treatment were similar between dermal fillers and fat transfer, as measured by both objective means and subjective patient outcomes. However, poly-L-lactic acid was reinjected at a rate three times that of autologous fat, and was associated with a relatively high rate of subcutaneous papule formation at 22 percent (range, 3 to 44 percent). Conclusions Dermal fillers and autologous fat transfer are effective treatment modalities for human immunodeficiency virus-associated facial lipoatrophy, with high rates of facial volume restoration and patient satisfaction. Autologous fat transfer may offer similar to superior long-term durability but with less of a financial burden compared with injectable fillers.
High-frequency operation of a mid-infrared interband cascade system at room temperature

The high-frequency operation of a mid-infrared interband cascade system that consists of a type-I interband cascade laser and an uncooled interband cascade infrared photodetector (ICIP) is demonstrated at room temperature. The 3-dB bandwidth of this system under direct frequency modulation was ∼850 MHz. A circuit model was developed to analyze the high-frequency characteristics. The extracted 3-dB bandwidth for an uncooled ICIP was ∼1.3 GHz, signifying the great potential of interband cascade structures for high-speed applications. The normalized Johnson-noise-limited detectivity of these ICIPs exceeded 109 cm Hz1/2/W at 300 K. These results validate the advantage of ICIPs to achieve both high speed and high sensitivity at high temperatures.
The North Carolina Healthcare Safety Net, 2005: Fragments of a lifeline serving the uninsured

North Carolina is in the midst of a quiet, but growing healthcare crisis. The number of uninsured residents is rising at an alarming rate--and a faster rate than in most other states. Almost one of every five (20%) non-elderly North Carolinians have no health insurance, which means a sizeable portion of our population has unmet healthcare needs. As healthcare costs continue to increase, North Carolina is likely to continue seeing increased numbers of uninsured. Until we can dramatically reduce the volume of the uninsured, there will be a continuing and growing need for governmental, private sector, and voluntary healthcare providers to serve this population. In this issue of the Journal, we have attempted to draw attention to the volume and variety of services, programs, and organizations involved in meeting this important healthcare need among our state's most vulnerable populations. The organizations involved in rendering these services, and the private physicians and other healthcare professionals who give of their time and talents to meet these needs, are stretched to their limits in most communities. The Task Force has recommended several concrete steps that would shore up safety net organizations' and individual providers' capacity/ability to meet these needs. Some of these steps will require rather straightforward changes in regulations and laws governing the provision of healthcare services. Others will require appropriation of funds to augment the public, private, and voluntary support now given through these safety net provider organizations in support of their efforts to serve the uninsured. While some effort needs to be made to bring these issues to the attention of the state's Congressional delegation in Washington, DC, many of these problems should not have to wait for federal action. The needs are great, and the demands for service are increasing among those organizations and professionals who have assumed these responsibilities in counties and communities across our state. For those with healthcare insurance, these problems and their administrative complexities may seem of remote interest and concern. But, for the people who depend on the safety net services, these problems can mean the difference between health, work, and opportunity, or between disease, disability, or death. There is a genuine collective benefit to meeting the healthcare needs of the uninsured, for the health and wellbeing of a fifth of our state's population affects the health of all of us. Depending on a stop-gap, safety net to maintain the health of such a large segment of our population is a societal risk we all must confront. Failure of any part of the healthcare safety net could be detrimental to the stability of the larger healthcare system on which we all depend.
Transposition of the great arteries. Reoperation for dysfunctional intra-atrial baffle.

Correction of transposition of the great arteries is accomplished by a modified Rastelli procedure, if an adequate ventricular septal defect is present, or by an intra-atrial baffle procedure, if the ventricular septal defect is small or absent. The Albert or Mustard procedure for transposition of the great arteries should be regarded more precisely as the first stage in a series of procedures which may be necessary in any given case. Prosthetic material for the intra-atrial baffle is no guarantee that venous inflow obstruction will not eventuate. Less difficulty has resulted from initial use of pericardium. It is easier to redo an obstructing pericardial atrial baffle than a prosthetic baffle. A pseudointima attaches to either side of the plastic baffle, dictating total replacement with pericardium or a new prosthesis. Caval cannulation technique for correction of transposition of the great arteries depends on whether it is the initial correction or reoperation for intra-atrial baffle dysfunction that is being dictated by the intra-atrial anatomy in the two situations.
Coda in a Minor Key: The Legacy of Fania Fénelon

In this chapter Eischeid brings to a conclusion her study analyzing and rebutting the Holocaust memoir Playing for Time by Fania Fenelon. The final thoughts of survivor Helena Niwinska, are included, as are Fenelon’s own words questioning the veracity of her portrayal in the television movie and her reflections on the choices she made in the portrayals of the other women in the orchestra. The closing words are expressed by survivor Fanny Birkenwald who gives voice to colleagues and friends long unheard.
Disappearances as Forced Abductions in Ciudad Juárez

It is argued in this chapter that the repetition over time of disappearance “hot spots” in Ciudad Juarez reflect continued “gaps” in the rule of law that discriminate against women. Organized human traffickers and unorganized sexual assassins take advantage of the impunity afforded by neighborhoods characterized by lack of social investment in public security and equipment to utilize women as paid and unpaid sexual commodities in both the Historical Center zone and in the Poniente [West], South and Southeast. In the Historical Center and its surrounding neighborhoods, urban density, impunity, acquiescence and/or collusion by varying levels of law enforcement has facilitated the organization of human trafficking networks. These networks render the “Red Light” area, the zone from the Monumento to the Cathedral to Francisco Javier Mina Street, a lucrative zone for the sexual abduction and forced prostitution of women. This explains, in part why, since the 1990s, girls, teens and women have been repeatedly subject to forced abductions consisting of physical seizures on public streets, in public downtown markets and near major central bus transit terminals. Disappearances in several “hotspots”, often located in industrial, neighborhoods in the Poniente, South and South-East of the city reflect a more diffuse criminal strategy. In such instances, (largely) poor women are disappeared on public streets, raped, killed and often abandoned in nearby neighborhoods or picked-up and forced into localized human trafficking rings.
Public Transportation: An Investigation of Barriers for People With Disabilities:

The physical accessibility of public transportation increased nationwide following the passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. Despite removal of many physical barriers within...
Changing Degrees: Creation and Growth of New Kinds of Professional Doctorates

Since 1990, new types of doctoral degrees—most in professions that never had doctorates before—surged into the higher education scene in the United States and elsewhere. In the United States, new “...
Long-acting MIC-1/GDF15 molecules to treat obesity: Evidence from mice to monkeys

In search of metabolically regulated secreted proteins, we conducted a microarray study comparing gene expression in major metabolic tissues of fed and fasted ob/ob mice and C57BL/6 mice. The array used in this study included probes for ~4000 genes annotated as potential secreted proteins. Circulating macrophage inhibitory cytokine 1 (MIC-1)/growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) concentrations were increased in obese mice, rats, and humans in comparison to age-matched lean controls. Adeno-associated virus-mediated overexpression of GDF15 and recombinant GDF15 treatments reduced food intake and body weight and improved metabolic profiles in various metabolic disease models in mice, rats, and obese cynomolgus monkeys. Analysis of the GDF15 crystal structure suggested that the protein is not suitable for conventional Fc fusion at the carboxyl terminus of the protein. Thus, we used a structure-guided approach to design and successfully generate several Fc fusion molecules with extended half-life and potent efficacy. Furthermore, we discovered that GDF15 delayed gastric emptying, changed food preference, and activated area postrema neurons, confirming a role for GDF15 in the gut-brain axis responsible for the regulation of body energy intake. Our work provides evidence that GDF15 Fc fusion proteins could be potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of obesity and related comorbidities.
Machine learning materials physics: Surrogate optimization and multi-fidelity algorithms predict precipitate morphology in an alternative to phase field dynamics

Abstract Machine learning has been effective at detecting patterns and predicting the response of systems that behave free of natural laws. Examples include learning crowd dynamics, recommender systems and autonomous mobility. There also have been applications to the search for new materials that draw upon big-data classification problems. However, when it comes to physical systems governed by conservation laws, the role of machine learning has been more limited. Here, we present our recent work in exploring the role of machine learning methods in discovering, or aiding, the search for physics. Specifically, we focus on using machine learning algorithms to represent high-dimensional free energy surfaces with the goal of identifying precipitate morphologies in alloy systems . Traditionally, this problem has been approached by combining phase field models, which impose first-order dynamics, with elasticity , to traverse a free energy landscape in search of minima. Equilibrium precipitate morphologies occur at these minima. Here, we exploit the machine learning methods to represent high-dimensional data , combined with surrogate optimization, sensitivity analysis and multifidelity modeling as an alternate framework to explore phenomena controlled by energy extremization . This combination of data-driven methods offers an alternative to the imposition of first-order dynamics via phase field methods, and represents one aspect of applying machine learning to materials physics.
Investigating and Modeling the Illegal U-Turn Violations at Medians of Limited Access Facilities:

Illegal U-turns on freeways and toll roads are risky maneuvers that sometimes result in the turning vehicles causing various types of collisions or disturbances to approaching traffic. These illega...
Correlation and Characterization of Three-Dimensional Morphologically Dependent Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance Spectra of Single Silver Nanoparticles Using Dark-Field Optical Microscopy and Spectroscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy

We have developed a new and effective methodology to correlate optical and atomic force microscopy (AFM) images of single Ag nanoparticles (NPs), allowing us to study three-dimensional (3D) morphologically dependent localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) spectra of individual Ag NPs. We fabricated arrays of distinctive microwindows on glass coverslips using a photolithography method, and created well-isolated individual Ag NPs with a wide variety of shapes and morphologies on the glass coverslips using a modified nanosphere lithography (NSL) method. Using distinctive geometries of microwindows, we located individual Ag NPs of interest in their optical and AFM images, enabling us to correlate and characterize the LSPR spectra and 3D morphologies of the same single NPs using dark-field optical microscopy and spectroscopy (DFOMS) and AFM, respectively. We found that LSPR spectra of single Ag NPs, with nearly equal volume [(8.6 ± 0.4) × 103 nm3], cross-section [(2.2 ± 0.2) × 102 nm3], and height (39.6 ± 3...
Realism and eyewitness identification research

The importance of realism in eyewitness identification research is examined as the basis for both the credibility and utility of the information it provides. Without knowledge of how laboratory eyewitnesses behave differently from real eyewitnesses, the relevance and external validity of identification studies may be questioned. Factors differentiating these identification contexts are discussed. Witnesses in identification studies are in social decision-making contexts similar to those of real eyewitnesses when their decision to choose someone or to reject the lineup may have a significant impact on others' lives. Two studies are reported which preserve aspects of realism. Both presented witnesses with a realistic vandalism. The second maintained realism through the identification situation. The first study demonstrated effects of biased instructions on witnesses' willingness to make a lineup choice and on identification errors (with the offender present and absent). The second study showed an unexpected preference of witnesses for making an identification when the supposed consequences for the suspect were to be severe. To evaluate the generalizability and utility of laboratory studies it is important to determine whether their results and related theoretical analyses survive the transposition to more realistic contexts. Realistic studies should serve as benchmarks against which simulations are compared and their generalizability evaluated.
Scalable integrity-guaranteed AJAX

Interactive web systems are the de facto vehicle for implementing sensitive applications, e.g., personal banking, business workflows. Existing web services provide little protection against compromised servers, leaving users to blindly trust that the system is functioning correctly, without being able to verify this trust. Document integrity systems support stronger guarantees by binding a document to the (non-compromised) integrity state of the machine from whence it was received, at the cost of substantially higher latencies. Such latencies render interactive applications unusable. This paper explores cryptographic constructions and systems designs for providing document integrity in AJAX-style interactive web systems. The Sporf systems exploits pre-computation to offset runtime costs to support negligible latencies. We detail the design of an Apache-based server supporting content integrity proofs, and perform a detailed empirical study of realistic web workloads. Our evaluation shows that a software-only solution results in latencies of just over 200 milliseconds on a loaded system. An analytical model reveals that with a nominal hardware investment, the latency can be lowered to just over 81 milliseconds, achieving nearly the same throughput as an unmodified system.
Neuronal adaptation to sound statistics in the inferior colliculus of behaving macaques does not reduce the effectiveness of the masking noise.

Auditory neurons adapt to the statistics of sound levels in the acoustic scene. However, it is still unclear to what extent such adaptation influences the effectiveness of the stimulus as a masker....
Guided Interconnect - The Next-Generation Flex Circuits for High-Performance System Design

A high-performance and patent-pending [1] interconnect structure for flex circuits is described in this paper. It is termed Guided Interconnect, as its basic principle is to “guide” the electromagnetic wave of high-speed signaling in a closely-coupled manner. As a result, higher I/O density of up to 40% compared to conventional flexible printed circuits (FPC) can be achieved, while not jeopardizing the signal integrity performance. The above conclusion is supported by both analytical and measurement results, which are in excellent agreement with each other. In addition, this inventive structure also comes with significant mechanical benefit - its flexibility is experimentally demonstrated to be 3 times better than the meshed FPC. In short, this research work has served as an initial working model towards developing a candidate for high-speed, high-performance cables, small form-factor systems, such as tablets, smart phones or 2-in-1s.
Effects of Gas Hydrates in Sediments

Natural gas and water combine to form an ice-like substance called a gas hydrate under certain conditions of temperature and pressure. The presence of large quantities of gas in some sediments recovered during deep sea coring operations suggests that gas hydrates may exist in some of the sea floor sediments, because environmental conditions over vast areas of the ocean bottom are conducive to hydrate formation. Experiments on sediments containing artificially formed hydrate have shown that acoustic wave velocity and other physical properties may be markedly changed because of the presence of the hydrate. A program of research is currently being carried out to determine the acoustic, thermal and mechanical properties of sedimentary materials containing gas hydrates under conditions similar to those in the marine environment.
Les Hommen: the language of reactionary masculinity

This article examines the lexico-grammatical and lexico-pragmatic patterns of a social media corpus authored by les Hommen, a populist group of young French males who protested the enactment of same-sex marriage and parenting laws in late 2012 and early 2013. Through the close description of linguistic data and its interpolation via abstract discursive constructs of positioning and framing, it is argued that these praxes are not merely homophobic, but are also projections of reactive masculinity (i.e. a backlash against the perceived erosion of male hegemony triggered by the loi Taubira and its consequences). The article uses traditional and functional grammatical approaches to advance a view of the Hommen's cognitive context, manifest though linguistic performance, whereby the French male is projected as a simultaneous victim of and reactionary force against - in their view - an undemocratic administration, and sectarian LGBT and feminist activists.
Role of Focal Adhesion Kinase in Myelotoxicity, Inflammatory Stress Response and Myeloid Cell Functions.

Abstract 3615 Poster Board III-551 Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a key signaling molecule in focal adhesion signaling and a potential integrator of integrin and growth factor receptor mediated signals. FAK has been implicated in various cellular functions such as growth, survival, migration, adhesion and cytoskeletal reorganization in fibroblasts but its role in hematopoietic stem and progenitors is unknown. To demonstrate the role of FAK in normal and stress-induced hematopoiesis, we generated FAK deficient mice by using a Cre/loxP method from here on termed FAK flox/flox (WT) mice. FAK deletion was induced by injecting poly (I)-poly(C) to FAK flox/flox mice containing the Mx.Cre transgene for one month ( FAK -/-). PCR and western blot analysis revealed that after one month of poly (I)-poly(C) induction, hematopoietic cells failed to express detectable levels of FAK in bone marrow (BM), spleen and thymus. To determine the effect of FAK deletion on the development of hematopoietic cells a thorough analysis of the hematopoietic compartment in FAK -/- mice was performed. Total and differential cell counts of peripheral blood revealed significantly high red blood cell distribution width {RDW (%)} and mean cell volume (MCV) in FAK -/- mice compared to WT (n=13, WT; 18.6, 47.2 vs. FAK -/-; 20.06, 48.7, * p FAK -/- mice compared to WT (n=13, WT; 0.68 vs. FAK -/-; 0.3 * p FAK -/- peripheral blood compared to WT controls (n=13, WT; 759 vs FAK -/-; 978, * p FAK -/-; 34.4%, * p - , c-Kit + , Sca-1 + was also impaired in FAK deficient BM compared to controls (n=9, * p p in vitro (n=9, * p − ,c-Kit + , Sca-1 + cells following 5-Fluorouracil myeloablation was much slower in FAK -/- mice compared to WT controls (n=3, * p FAK -/- mice compared to WT mice (Macrophages: WT; 7.47 × 10 6 vs. FAK−/−; 3.1 × 10 6 , n=8, * p 6 vs. FAK−/−; 2.1 × 10 6 , n=3, * p In vitro, FAK -/- macrophage progenitors show reduced growth in response to M-CSF stimulation (n=4, * p p FAK -/- macrophages was also observed in a wound healing assay which was associated with reduced activation of Rho GTPases including Rac. The reduction in migration of FAK -/- macrophages was associated with a significant decrease in adhesion on fibronectin, laminin and collagen. The impaired migration and adhesion of FAK -/- macrophages was observed in spite of comparable levels of F4/80 as well as integrin (α4β1 & α5β1) expression. Consistent with enhanced neutrophil apoptosis and reduced frequency under basal conditions , FAK deficient BM derived neutrophil progenitors (BMNs) show reduced growth and cycling in response to G-CSF stimulation (n=4, * p Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Combining Measurements of Plasma Cell Apoptosis and Proliferation in Multiple Myeloma Identifies Patients with Poor Survival.

Abstract Background: Multiple Myeloma (MM) is characterized by accumulation of malignant plasma cells with relatively low proliferative and apoptotic rates. The proliferative rate of plasma cells, measured in terms of % plasma cells labeled by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) using slide based fluorescence microscopy (plasma cell labeling index or PCLI) has been shown to be a powerful prognostic factor in MM. We have previously shown that the % bone marrow plasma cells in apoptosis (PCAP) determined by a flow cytometry method that uses Annexin V staining or 7-amino Actinomycin D (7-AAD) correlates with disease stage in MM. The goal of this study was to examine the prognostic value of the PCAP. Methods: We studied 145 patients with MM including 74 with newly diagnosed MM, 40 with relapsed MM, and 31 with MM on treatment in whom simultaneous measurements of % plasma cell apoptosis and PCLI were available. The PCLI is expressed as the percentage of cytoplasmic immunoglobulin positive plasma cells that have taken up BrdU. The PCLI was characterized as high when >= 1%. Mononuclear cells isolated from bone marrow aspirate, following red cell lysis with ACK solution, are incubated with CD38-PE and either CD138-FITC or CD45-FITC. This is followed by incubation with 7-AAD and the plasma cells are gated using the CD38/CD45 staining pattern. The Annexin method used a similar strategy, with Annexin V in place of 7-AAD. The percentage of plasma cells in apoptosis (PCAP) was categorized as high when >5%, the median value. Results: The median follow up for the entire group was 34 months (range, 0.1 mo to 9 years) and 112 (77%) had died at the time of analysis. Forty seven patients (32%) had a high PCLI (>=1%). The median overall survival for the patients with high PCLI was 14.6 months versus 42.3 months for those with a low PCLI; P = 0.0005 (log rank test). Seventy-five (51.7%) patients had a high PCAP. The median overall survival for those patients was 28.9 months versus 40.2 months for those with a low PCAP; P = 0.078. We next examined if there was any correlation between a high PCAP and high PCLI and found none; P = NS by (Fisher's exact test). Additionally in a multivariate Cox model using both PCLI and PCAP, both were independently prognostic for overall survival. We then developed an index by adding PCLI to log transformed PCAP (PCLI + log PCAP). Using a cutoff of 1.5 for the new index we were able identify a group of patients with poor survival. The 59 patients with a high value for the new index had a median survival of 19.3 months vs 46.1 months for the rest (P Conclusion: The measurement of plasma cell apoptosis has prognostic value in patients with MM. More importantly, we have shown that by combining measures of two important biological characteristics of the plasma cell, namely proliferation and apoptosis, patients with a poor prognosis can be identified. Such a prognostication strategy can help stratify patients in clinical trials as well as shed light on the disease biology.
Decision-making regarding primary prevention implantable cardioverter-defibrillators among older adults

Most implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) are implanted for the purpose of primary prevention of sudden cardiac death among older patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Shared decision-making prior to device implantation is guideline-recommended and payer-mandated. This article summarizes patient and provider attitudes toward device placement, device efficacy and effectiveness, potential periprocedural complications, long-term events such as shocks, quality of life, costs, and shared decision-making principles and recommendations. Most patients eligible for an ICD anticipate more than 10 years of survival. Physicians are less likely to offer an ICD to patients ≥80 years of age given a perceived lack of benefit. There is a dearth of data from randomized clinical trials addressing device efficacy among older patients; there is a need for more research in this area. However, currently available data support the use of ICDs irrespective of age provided life expectancy exceeds 1 year. Advanced age is independently associated with complications at the time of device placement but not the risk of device infection. The risk of inappropriate shock may be comparable or lower than that of younger patients. While quality of life is generally not adversely impacted by an ICD, a subset of patients experience post-traumatic stress disorder. ICDs are cost-effective from societal and health care sector perspectives; however, out-of-pocket costs vary according to insurance type and level. Shared decision-making encounters may be incremental and iterative in nature. Providers are encouraged to partner with their patients, providing them counsel tailored to their values, preferences, and clinical presentation inclusive of age.
Advances in Telehealth and Behavioral Assessment and Intervention in Education: Introduction to the Special Issue

The purpose of these two volume special issues on the use of telehealth in behavioral assessment and intervention is to share research that advances our understanding of the utility of telehealth in behavioral education and considerations for use. Eleven articles spanning synthesis, single-case deigns, group experimental designs and case studies illustrate the growth in the application of telehealth to behavioral assessment and intervention across educational settings and providers. These eleven articles highlight the potential benefit of telehealth in providing access to high-quality behavioral assessment and intervention across home, school and center-based contexts.
A VALINOMYCIN ANALOGUE CONTAINING ONLY NATURALLY-OCCURRING AMINO ACIDS

Cyclo(L-Val-Gly-Gly-L-Pro)3 has been synthesized. This homodetic cyclic dodecapeptide is an ionophore and was designed both to be a valinomycin analogue and to bridge the gap between ionophores which exist in bacterial systems and those proteins which perform similar functions in eukaryotic membranes. Other peptide analogues of valinomycin have been reported, but these contain non-eukaryotic components, i.e., D-amino acids. The factors which may affect the functional and structural behavior of cyclo(L-Val-Gly-Gly-L-Pro)3 compared with valinomycin are: (1) increased conformational flexibility, (2) reduced hydrophobic character, (3) additional NH groups, and (4) all amide linkages. Data on the binding constants of several cations to cyclo(L-Val-Gly-Gly-L-Pro)3 are given and compared with those of valinomycin and other valinomycin analogues. Cyclo(L-Val-Gly-Gly-L-Pro)3 forms three types of peptide(P)-cation(C) complexes, i.e., PC (1:1 complex), P2C (peptide-sandwich complex), and PC2 (ion-sandwich complex). In acetonitrile solution the stability of the peptide-K+ complex is comparable to the valinomycin-K+ complex. The P2C complexes are the major species found for small cations. Other findings are that the stabilities of the PC complexes are correlated with the diameter of the cation in the series Mg2+ < Ca2+ < Ba2+, and that a divalent cation is more strongly bound by a large factor than a monovalent cation of comparable diameter. Conformational data (obtained from 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (nmr) investigations) are presented, and compared with data from valinomycin and another peptide analogue, cyclo(L-Val-D-Pro-D-Val-L-Pro)3 (B. F. Gisin and R. B. Merrifield, J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 94, 6165 (1972)). While the free conformation of our analogue in chloroform or methylene chloride solution is of a new type, distinct from the free conformations of valinomycin or the other peptide analogue, the conformations of the cation complexes of all three compounds compared are structurally analogous. Preliminary results of membrane and two-phase extraction studies are described which indicate that cyclo(L-Val-Gly-Gly-L-Pro)3 behaves largely as a valinomycin-type carrier, with selectivity properties similar to both valinomycin and the other peptide analogue.
A Case Report of Acute Motor and Sensory Polyneuropathy as the Presenting Symptom of SARS-CoV-2

Author(s): Kopscik, Michael R.; Giourgas, Barbra K.; Presley, Bradley C. | Abstract: Introduction: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) typically presents with respiratory illness and fever, however some rare neurologic symptoms have been described as presenting complaints. We report a case of an acute motor and sensory polyneuropathy consistent with Miller-Fisher Syndrome (MFS) variant of Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS) as the initial symptom.Case Report: A 31-year old Spanish speaking male presents with two months of progressive weakness, numbness, and difficult walking. He had multiple cranial nerve abnormalities, dysmetria, ataxia, and absent lower extremity reflexes. An extensive workup including infectious, autoimmune, paraneoplastic, metabolic and neurologic testing was performed. Initially SARS-CoV-2 was not suspected based on a lack of respiratory symptoms. However, workup revealed a positive SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction test as well as presence of Anti-Ganglioside – GQ1b (Anti-GQ1b) immunoglobulin G antibodies.Discussion: Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) is a variant of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) characterized by a triad of ophthalmoplegia, ataxia, and areflexia. The patient’s exam and workup including Anti-GQ1b is consistent with MFS.Conclusion: SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients can have atypical presentations similar to this neurologic presentation. Prompt recognition and diagnosis can minimize the risk of transmission to hospital staff and facilitate initiation of treatment.
Rational Use Of Blood And Blood Components

The basis for appropriate use of blood and tissue homographs is founded on an understanding of the risks, benefits, and alternatives to their use. In this article, the issues that need to be considered when the clinician obtains informed consent are discussed. Infectious risks of transfusion and tissue homographs are reviewed in historical context. Various types of transfusion reactions, their frequency, cause, and treatment are detailed. Lastly, current guidelines for the appropriate use of blood components and alternatives to homologous transfusion are reviewed.
The Association Between Sports- or Physical Activity-Related Concussions and Suicidality Among US High School Students, 2017.

Background:This study examined the association between sports- or physical activity–related concussions and having seriously considered attempting suicide, made a suicide plan, or attempted suicide...
The Disproportionate Impact of Voter-ID Requirements on the Electorate—New Evidence from Indiana

On January 8, 2008, the United States Supreme Court heard arguments in Crawford v. Marion County Election Board, a case related to the discriminatory effects of voter-identification laws in the state of Indiana. Indiana has one of the most stringent voting requirements in the nation, as voters are required to present an up-to-date photo identification issued by the federal or state government in order to cast a ballot. Plaintiffs argued that the Indiana requirements prevent significant and unequal obstacles to the right to vote. The state argued that Indiana had the right to enforce strict requirements to prevent fraud and uphold confidence in the electoral process. Similar laws have also been proposed in many other states, typically related to charges of vote fraud, and often times tied into the divisive debate regarding undocumented immigrants or African American felons. Therefore the recent decision of the Court has tremendous implications to the future of photo-identification laws across the United States.
Identity-Conscious Administrative Law

Administrative law’s conventional mechanisms for bolstering democratic accountability are under strain. Open-access procedures like notice-and-comment rulemaking promise to inject a dose of popular responsiveness into agency decision-making. Well-resourced groups’ outsized use of these measures, however, causes that promise to remain unfulfilled. Likewise, assertions that the White House welds a democratic link between administrators and the public—although ascendant in the courts—rest on rusty assumptions about the President’s responsiveness to majority preferences, let alone to a national will. This Article spotlights an overlooked set of identity-conscious measures to enhance agencies’ accountability to the public. Counterintuitively, these measures further this goal by explicitly elevating certain subgroups. From representational mandates for independent commissions to consultation requirements with outside groups, these structures are planted across the administrative state, and are particularly common in financial regulatory agencies. Yet they are virtually ignored by scholars and never before considered collectively. The Article presents, for the first time, a full accounting of administrative law’s myriad identity-conscious measures. In-depth case studies concerning the Federal Reserve and Securities & Exchange Commission reveal that these measures are surprisingly efficacious. Most importantly, they help correct for power disparities that are present in the use of administrative law’s more familiar, identity-neutral mechanisms for public influence. These findings offer a prescriptive blueprint; to redress inequities, respond to challenges to the administrative state’s democratic bona fides, and ultimately improve decision-making by fostering deliberation among diverse actors, policymakers should turn their attention to identity-conscious agency design.
Benthic macroinvertebrate community response to environmental changes over seven decades in an urbanized estuary in the northeastern United States.

Abstract Narragansett Bay is representative of New England, USA urbanized estuaries, with colonization in the early 17th century, and development into industrial and transportation centers in the late 18th and early 20th century. Increasing nationwide population and lack of infrastructure maintenance led to environmental degradation, and then eventual improvement after implementation of contaminant control and sewage treatment starting in the 1970s. Benthic macroinvertebrate community structure was expected to respond to these environmental changes. This study assembled data sets from the 1950s through 2010s to examine whether quantitative aggregate patterns in the benthic community corresponded qualitatively to stressors and management actions in the watershed. In Greenwich Bay and Providence River, patterns of benthic response corresponded to the decline and then improvement in sewage treatment at the Fields Point wastewater treatment plant. In Mount Hope Bay, the benthos corresponded to changes in bay fish populations due to thermal discharge from the Brayton Point power plant. The benthos of the Upper West Passage corresponded to climatic changes that caused regime shifts in the plankton and fish communities. Future work will examine the effects of further environmental improvements in the face of continued climatic changes and population growth.
Embodied Learning: Capitalizing on Predictive Processing

Embodied learning is a theoretical framework for educators that is based on different fields, theories, and models that support the embodied mind in education. Based on the literature, the framework presents three hypotheses: 1) perceptual inference is at the core of education; 2) ‘surprise’ is critical in learning; 3) pedagogies can be divided into maximizing evidence from observations and prior knowledge. The paper presents work in human-computer interaction and teaching practice to test and exemplify how the framework can capitalize on the simplicity of predictive processing to exploit meaning from sounds, smells, and textures.
Influence of mowing frequency and mower sharpness on efficiency of PSII and antioxidant and carbohydrate metabolism of creeping bentgrass

GENERAL INTRODUCTION Thesis Organization Literature Review References ACTIVITIES OF ANTIOXIDANT ENZYMES, EFFICIENCY OF PSII, AND LIPID PEROXIDATION IN MOWED CREEPING BENTGRASS Abstract Introduction Materials and Methods Results Discussion References Figures CARBOHYDRATE METABOLISM AND EFFICIENCY OF PSII IN MOWN CREEPING BENTGRASS Abstract Introduction Materials and Methods Results Discussion References Figures QUALITY OF CUT OF CREEPING BENTGRASS AS INFLUENCED BY MOWER SHARPENING METHOD Abstract Introduction Materials and Methods Results Discussion References Figures GENERAL CONCLUSIONS References iv 1 1 1 5
Crystal structure of 5-{4'-[(2-{2-[2-(2-ammonio-eth-oxy)eth-oxy]eth-oxy}eth-yl)carbamo-yl]-4-meth-oxy-[1,1'-biphen-yl]-3-yl}-3-oxo-1,2,5-thia-diazo-lidin-2-ide 1,1-dioxide: a potential inhibitor of the enzyme protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B).

The title compound, C24H32N4O8S, (I), crystallizes as a zwitterion. The terminal amine N atom of the [(2-{2-[2-(2-ammonio­eth­oxy)eth­oxy]eth­oxy}eth­yl)carbamo­yl] side chain is protonated, while the 1,2,5-thia­diazo­lidin-3-one 1,1-dioxide N atom is deprotonated. The side chain is turned over on itself with an intra­molecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bond. The 1,2,5-thia­diazo­lidin-3-one 1,1-dioxide ring has an envelope conformation with the aryl-substituted N atom as the flap. Its mean plane is inclined by 62.87 (8)° to the aryl ring to which it is attached, while the aryl rings of the biphenyl unit are inclined to one another by 20.81 (8)°. In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked by N—H⋯O and N—H⋯N hydrogen bonds, forming slabs lying parallel to (010). Within the slabs there are C—H⋯O and C—H⋯N hydrogen bonds and C—H⋯π inter­actions present.
Care in an Austere Environment

Extreme medical conditions often exist in austere settings. The expectations of providers to ensure quality care in these locations is complicated by the short and long-term limitations of medical personnel and equipment. These competing factors are amplified with the care of critically ill children. The over-arching principal for care in the austere setting is to treat those with the best chance of survival, focus on conditions that can be cured, initiate therapies that can be maintained and do the most sustainable good for the largest number people.