cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Student views on the role of self-regulated learning in a surgery clerkship

Abstract Background Self-regulated learning, including student-generated learning goals and flexibility in the learning structure are increasingly being used to enhance medical education. The role of these practices in surgical education of medical students has not been studied. Materials and methods We administered an 18-question electronic survey to all third-year medical students at Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine. Of the 126 students invited, 64 responded and 56 were included in the analysis. Results We found that third-year medical students develop learning goals at the beginning of the surgery clerkship. Although these learning goals theoretically can be a mechanism for enhanced student-faculty engagement, students are not aware of formal mechanisms for sharing these goals with faculty members. Furthermore, students report a lack of flexibility within the surgery clerkship and discomfort with requesting specific learning opportunities. Finally, students report that they believe increased flexibility could improve student engagement, learning, and the overall clerkship experience. Conclusions We therefore propose that a mechanism for students to share their learning goals with faculty and an infrastructure in which student learning experiences can be tailored to fit with these individualized goals would enhance student surgical learning.
Composite beam theory for pretensioned concrete structures with solutions to transfer length and immediate prestress losses

Abstract A composite beam theory is developed to study the pretensioned concrete structures. This theoretical development defines the longitudinal interaction that occurs between the prestressing tendon and concrete under normal service condition. The transfer length and prestress loss due to slip, elastic shortening as well as the prestress gain due to external loads are solved with closed form solutions. Validation is provided and comparisons are made between the present and conventional approaches. It is found that there is excellent agreement between the predicted and tested concrete strain. The transfer length results calculated by design provisions are close to the predicted upper bound but test results can be anywhere between the predicted lower and upper bounds. Current immediate prestress losses formulas may result in overestimation and the degree of overestimation is dependent on prestressing tendon eccentricity. Overall, it is demonstrated that the approach presented in this study improves the accuracy and facilitates a better understanding of prestressed concrete mechanics while maintaining concise closed form solutions.
Special Section on Celebrity Humanitarianism: Celebrity Humanitarianism and Its Critics

Comments and reflections on Lisa Ann Richey (ed), Celebrity Humanitarianism and North-South Relations: Politics, Place and Power (London: Routledge, 2016), and Ilan Kapoor, Celebrity Humanitarianism: The Ideology of Global Charity (London: Routledge, 2013).
STABILITY OF DISTRIBUTED PARAMETER SYSTEMS WITH FINITE DIMENSIONAL COMPENSATORS VIA SINGULAR PERTURBATION METHODS

Using a singular perturbation formulation of the linear time-invariant distributed parameter system, we develop a method to design finite-dimensional feedback compensators of any fixed order which will stabilize the infinite-dimensional distributed parameter system. The synthesis conditions are given entirely in terms of a finite-dimensional reduced-order model; the stability result depends on an infinite-dimensional version of the Klimushchev-Krasovskii lemma developed in [10].
Pancreas and Not Gut Mediates the GLP-1-Induced Glucoincretin Effect

The gut is believed to be the source of GLP-1 that augments insulin secretion in response to oral nutrients. In this issue of Cell Metabolism, Chambers et al. (2017) shift the paradigm by finding that GLP-1 produced within the islets of the pancreas, and not the gut, is responsible for the incretin effect in mice.
Molecularly targeted agents in oculoplastic surgery

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Significant advances have been made in oncology and rheumatology with the introduction of molecularly targeted agents (MTAs). MTAs consist of monoclonal antibodies and small molecule inhibitors. The purpose of this manuscript is to review the recent applications of MTAs to orbital, lacrimal, and eyelid disease. RECENT FINDINGS The use of monoclonal antibodies has been described in the treatment of orbital vascular lesions, lymphoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. Inflammatory conditions treated with monoclonal antibodies include thyroid eye disease, IgG4 disease, and granulomatosis with polyangiitis. Immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors has also found applications to orbital disease. Use of small molecule inhibitors has been described in the treatment of basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and Erdheim-Chester disease. There are many orbital, lacrimal, and eyelid side effects of MTAs with which the oculoplastic surgeon should be familiar, including hypertrichosis, edema, and orbital and eyelid inflammation. SUMMARY MTAs represent the future of treatment of oncologic and inflammatory conditions. Application of these agents to orbital, lacrimal, and eyelid disease will continue to expand. Elucidating the molecular mechanisms of oculoplastic disorders will facilitate additional potential pathways that could be targeted for therapy.
Reviews: Mollusca of the Moodys Branch Formation, Mississippi

Hubert C. Skinner’s reviews of “Mollusca of the Moodys Branch Formation,” Mississippi, by David T. Dockery III and “Molluscan Assemblages of the Mid-Holocene New Orleans Barrier Trend, by Eileen E. Hollander and David T. Dockery III.
Physician Burnout and Wellness

Physician stress and burnout are common in the practice of medicine and were once thought to be occupational hazards due to hard-driving personality traits. As a result, research focused on ways to help physicians cope with stress. Following decades of study, however, researchers believe that a significant portion of physician burnout is due to potentially modifiable workplace factors. While interventions still include teaching physicians ways to cope with stressful work, more attention is being given to how to change the healthcare workplace, not only to decrease physician burnout but also in order to improve patient quality and safety initiatives. This chapter defines burnout and outlines the historical context of its study and controversy over measurement. The chapter describes studies of physician burnout across the developmental spectrum and discusses the correlates. Finally, the chapter reviews effective intervention strategies and the movement to shift from burnout to physician wellness promotion.
Elementary School Teachers' Beliefs about the Role of Technology in 21st-Century Teaching and Learning

Technological advancements have led to changes in the expectations placed on K-12 teachers. Teachers are now expected to better equip students with 21st-century skills, making it important to under...
Conversion of cellulose rich municipal solid waste blends using ionic liquids: feedstock convertibility and process scale-up

Sixteen cellulose rich municipal solid waste (MSW) blends were developed and screened using an acid-assisted ionic liquid (IL) deconstruction process. Corn stover and switchgrass were chosen to represent herbaceous feedstocks; non-recyclable paper (NRP) and grass clippings (GC) collected from households were chosen as MSW candidates given their abundance in municipal waste streams. The most promising MSW blend: corn stover/non-recyclable paper (CS/NRP) at 80/20 ratio was identified in milliliter-scale screening based on the sugar yield, feedstock cost, and availability. A successful scale-up (600-fold) of the IL-acidolysis process on the identified CS/NRP blend has been achieved. The sugar and lignin streams were recovered and characterized. Mass and material energy flows of the optimized process were presented. Feedstock cost for MSW blends was also discussed. Results suggest the promising potential of using MSW as a feedstock blending agent for biorefineries while maintaining sufficient performance and low feedstock cost. The bench scale (6 L) study is an essential step in demonstrating the scalability of this IL technology.
Assembly Language and ARM Instructions Part I

This chapter presents function of assembler, instruction set architecture, basic architecture of ARM processor, ARM registers and their functions, ARM data processing instructions and instruction format, stack operation instructions, branch instructions, and several examples of converting HLL programs to assembly language programs.
Transhumanismo en la Ciencia Ficción: Exégesis de la Saga «Fundación» de Isaac Asimov

Este articulo analiza varias de las corrientes transhumanistas, como el singularitarianismo, inmortalismo, postgenerismo y abolicionismo, en la saga de La Fundacion de Isaac Asimov. Partiendo de los 15 libros que conforman dicha saga, se examina la vision de Asimov sobre estas ideas, mostrando como las diferentes novelas tratan sus complejas implicaciones, ya que contrariamente a la interpretacion mas habitual, el autor fue mucho mas alla de sus historias de robots al tratar tematicas transhumanistas.
Conservatives Report Greater Meaning in Life Than Liberals

Conservatives report greater life satisfaction than liberals, but this relationship is relatively weak. To date, the evidence is limited to a narrow set of well-being measures that ask participants for a single assessment of their life in general. We address this shortcoming by examining the relationship between political orientation and well-being using measures of life satisfaction, affect, and meaning and purpose in life. Participants completed well-being measures after reflecting on their whole life (Studies 1a, 1b, and 2), at the end of their day (Study 3), and in the present moment (Study 4). Across five studies, conservatives reported greater meaning and purpose in life than liberals at each reporting period. This finding remained significant after adjusting for religiosity and was usually stronger than the relationships involving other well-being measures. Finally, meaning in life was more closely related to social conservatism than economic conservatism.
Plotting Systems for the Evaluation of Double-Theodolite Balloon-Measured Winds

The inaccuracies inherent in single-theodolite wind-observation methods necessitate the use of double-theodolite systems to determine winds used for missile launchings. Two approaches leading to the development of double-theodolite plotting boards are presented as a solution for rapidly evaluating double-theodolite balloon-measured winds. The accuracy of wind data derived from use of the boards is compared to computed values.
Designing mechanisms to focalize welfare-improving strategies

Abstract Many institutions use matching algorithms to allocate resources to individuals. Examples include the assignment of doctors, students and military cadets to hospitals, schools and branches, respectively. Oftentimes, agents' ordinal preferences are highly correlated, motivating the use of mechanisms that provide agents with channels through which they can express some cardinal preference information. This paper studies two such mechanisms, one from the field and one we design. In each of the games induced by these algorithms, we identify the strategies that constitute the unique symmetric ex-post equilibrium. Interestingly, when we test the mechanisms in the lab, these equilibrium predictions fail. Subjects nevertheless behave largely in concordance with the mechanisms' intended strategies; the focalization of such strategies lead to greater welfare in relation to a popular existing mechanism.
Optimal Bayesian Feature Selection with Bounded False Discovery Rate

Biomarker discovery aims to find a short-list of biomarkers for further downstream analysis. Due to the small-sample high-dimensional nature of this problem and many sources of error in data, it is typically desired to bound the false discovery rate (FDR). Recent work proposes a Bayesian framework for feature selection that places priors on the label-conditioned feature distribution. Given data, the posterior probability of a feature being a marker is found. Various models based on this framework have been proposed, including a general model assuming unknown block-diagonal covariance matrices. Here we propose an FDR based set selection criterion, and extend two previous algorithms. These algorithms guarantee a specified FDR bound within a proper Bayesian framework conditioned on the sample, and in practice the desired FDR bound holds approximately when the sample size is sufficiently large. Meanwhile, the proposed algorithms typically enjoy much higher probabilities of detection when compared with popular selection methods equipped with FDR correction. We apply these algorithms to a colon cancer dataset, find differentially expressed genes, and perform enrichment analysis. Many of the top genes and pathways are suggested to be involved in cancer.
Understanding user passwords through password prefix and postfix (p3) graph analysis and visualization

While other authentication methods exist, passwords are still the dominant way for user authentication and system security. Over the years, passwords have become long and complex thanks to security policy and awareness. However, the security of user passwords remains unclear. Therefore, understanding users passwords is vital to improve the strength of passwords and system security in general. In this paper, we investigate one specific pattern, i.e., the prefix and postfix of user passwords. To facilitate password prefix and postfix (P3) analysis, we propose both hierarchical segmentation / optimization algorithms and password prefix/postfix graphs (P3G) construction and P3G visualizations. Through case study over real-world user passwords, we demonstrate P3 analysis and visualization are effective in identifying unique patterns for different user categories. The results suggest strong correlations between prefix/postfix and their context in user passwords.
An investigation into the relationship between inhomogeneity and wave shapes in phantoms and ex vivo skeletal muscle using Magnetic Resonance Elastography and finite element analysis

Soft biological tissues such as skeletal muscle and brain white matter can be inhomogeneous and anisotropic due to the presence of fibers. Unlike biological tissue, phantoms with known microstructure and defined mechanical properties enable a quantitative assessment and systematic investigation of the influence of inhomogeneities on the nature of shear wave propagation. This study introduces a mathematical measure for the wave shape, which the authors call as the 1-Norm, to determine the conditions under which homogenization may be a valid approach. This is achieved through experimentation using the Magnetic Resonance Elastography technique on 3D printed inhomogeneous fiber phantoms as well as on ex-vivo porcine lumbus muscle. In addition, Finite Element Analysis is used as a tool to decouple the effects of directional anisotropy from those of inhomogeneity. A correlation is then established between the values of 1-Norm derived from the wave front geometry, and the spacing (d) between neighboring inhomogeneities (spherical inclusions or fibers and fiber intersections in phantoms and muscle). Smaller values of 1-Norm indicate less wave scattering at the locations of fiber intersections, which implies that the wave propagation may be approximated to that of a homogeneous medium; homogenization may not be a valid approximation when significant scattering occurs at the locations of inhomogeneities. In conclusion, the current study proposes 1-Norm as a quantitative measure of the magnitude of wave scattering in a medium, which can potentially be used as a homogeneity index of a biological tissue.
Teaching Tip: Are You Changing the Rules? Again?.

Students often complain that the rules of mathematics are being changed. A short conversation between a professor and a class of college algebra students dramatizes this in the realm of complex num...
Towards microbe-targeted photosensitizers: Synthesis, characterization and in vitro photodynamic inactivation of the tuberculosis model pathogen M. smegmatis by porphyrin-peptide conjugates

Porphyrin-peptide conjugates have a breadth of potential applications, including use in photodynamic therapy, boron neutron capture therapy, as fluorescence imaging tags for tracking subcellular lo...
Is a Linear or a Walkabout Protocol More Efficient When Using a Rover to Choose Biologically Relevant Samples in a Small Region of Interest

We conducted a field test at a potential Mars analog site to provide insight into planning for future robotic missions such as Mars 2020, where science operations must facilitate efficient choice of biologically relevant sampling locations. We compared two data acquisition and decision-making protocols currently used by Mars Science Laboratory: (1) a linear approach, where sites are examined as they are encountered and (2) a walkabout approach, in which the field site is first examined with remote rover instruments to gain an understanding of regional context followed by deployment of time- and power-intensive contact and sampling instruments on a smaller subset of locations. The walkabout method was advantageous in terms of both the time required to execute and a greater confidence in results and interpretations, leading to enhanced ability to tailor follow-on observations to better address key science and sampling goals. This advantage is directly linked to the walkabout method's ability to provide broad geological context earlier in the science analysis process. For Mars 2020, and specifically for small regions to be explored (e.g., <1 km2), we recommend that the walkabout approach be considered where possible, to provide early context and time for the science team to develop a coherent suite of hypotheses and robust ways to test them.
Percutaneous Left Axillary Artery Placement of Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump in Advanced Heart Failure Patients

Abstract Objectives This study presents the largest clinical experience of percutaneously placed axillary intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) in patients with advanced heart failure. Background Transfemoral placement of IABP limits mobility and recuperation in patients who need prolonged support. We had previously reported a novel percutaneous method of IABP placement in the axillary artery and now present our expanded experience with this technique. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of patients with advanced heart failure with percutaneous axillary IABP placement from November 2007 to June 2018 at Houston Methodist Hospital. We defined successful cardiac replacement therapy as heart transplant or left ventricular assist device implantation. We compared patients who had successful cardiac replacement with those who died and those who needed unplanned escalation of mechanical circulatory support. Results Of the 195 patients identified, 133 (68%) underwent successful cardiac replacement (120 transplants and 13 left ventricular assist device) as planned. End-organ function improved on IABP support in patients bridged to next therapy. There were 16 patients that died while on IABP support and 18 needed escalation of support. Higher right atrial/wedge ratio, higher right atrial pressure, smaller left ventricular end diastolic dimension, and ischemic cardiomyopathy were associated with death on the IABP in multivariate analysis. Post-transplant and post left ventricular assist device survival for those bridged successfully was 87% and 62%, respectively. Although bedside repositioning was frequent, 37% needed replacement for malfunction. Vascular complications occurred in a minority. Conclusions Percutaneous axillary approach for IABP placement is a feasible strategy for prolonged mechanical circulatory support in patients with advanced heart failure.
Broad Issues Facing Older Women: Utilization of health prevention services, fragility, longevity, and meaningful relationships.

COVID-19 has impacted our global society’s physical, psychological, economic, and social health. In particular, older adults are the most vulnerable. Many of the factors that threaten the well-bein...
Internet of things: Survey on security

The Internet of things (IoT) is intended for ubiquitous connectivity among different entities or “things”. While it provides effective and efficient solutions to many real world challenges, the sec...
Photochemical Reactions and Online Product Detection in Microfabricated Reactors

This work presents the application of microfabricated reactors to photochemical reactions. Two fabrication schemes of microreactors were realized for the integration of the reaction and the detection modules: coupling individually packaged chips, and monolithic integration of the two functions. In the latter scheme, we have successfully bonded two quartz wafers and a DRIE-patterned silicon wafer by a Teflon™-like perfluoropolymer (CYTOP™) at a low temperature (160°C). We studied the pinacol formation reaction of benzophenone in isopropanol as a model reaction to evaluate the performance of the microreactors. The reaction was continuously monitored by online UV spectroscopy. The data illustrated that controlling the flow rate of the reactant, or equivalently the residence time and irradiation time, is a viable method for controlling the extent of reaction. For photochemical reactions, miniaturization enables process intensification — the reaction is initiated on-chip, but is completed in an off-chip storage device with no further complications.
BJSM leadership: honouring a legacy and a look to the future.

BJSM is more than a scientific journal. It is the international home for sports and exercise medicine (SEM) research, education, and scholarship, and strives to support and serve the broad SEM community. The BJSM community embodies SEM clinicians and researchers around the globe who are dedicated to improving patient care, advancing the scientific foundation of our discipline and open to constructive dialogue and exchange. The journal and its multimedia platform have emerged as the premier home for presenting and disseminating the best in SEM research. As the BJSM ‘family’ continues to grow, so does our opportunity and responsibility to impact the patients under our care and the communities in which we live. It is my great honour and humble privilege to become the next Editor-in-Chief of this prestigious journal and an ambassador for this respected community. Of course, our success sits on the broad shoulders of the leaders that have come before. It is thus with massive appreciation and gratitude we must thank Professor Karim Khan ( BJSM Editor-in-Chief, 2008–2020) whose dedication and vision have both elevated the journal and reshaped how we engage in new science and discovery. For so many of us, Karim has been both a mentor and a friend. From the first time we met (2001), I was taken by his genuine interest to understand who I was and what my interests were. As we sat for dinner on the streets of …
An exploratory study of failed mass shootings in America

The current study examines failed mass shootings in the United States between 2003 and 2018. This exploratory research provides a summary of failed mass shooting perpetrator and incident characteristics, drawing from crime script analysis to examine the preparation, attack, and conclusion stages, as well as points of failure. Findings indicate suicidal ideation, attack realities, and weapon preparedness may play a role in attack failures. Furthermore, situational crime prevention (SCP) techniques including target hardening and access control contributed to harm mitigation when individuals without legitimate access conducted attacks. Internal SCP measures, including lockdowns, place managers, and armed security, helped prevent victimization in open access or semi-protected locations once the perpetrator entered the building. A discussion of findings highlights implications for public safety and policy.
Chronic Complications of Diabetes

In Chapter 48, the acute complications of diabetes are discussed. Improvement in diabetes care has certainly contributed to the decline in the mortality of DKA. However, the morbidity and mortality from the chronic complications of diabetes continue to prevail despite better care of the diabetic. The glimmering hope that tight metabolic control may contribute to decreasing and even preventing chronic microangiopathic complications is yet to be realized. These complications, involving the eyes, kidneys, and nervous system, are responsible for cutting down diabetics at the prime of their lives. With the discovery of insulin it was hoped that these complications could be prevented, but, unfortunately, the prolongation of life with insulin has also led to an increased chance for these complications to develop. If one objectively views the future prospects of the child with diabetes, the reality of the pain and sorrow facing the child come to focus with crushing force; thus, the chances of such a child becoming blind by age 50 or becoming uremic or impotent by age 40 and the chance of a decrease in the life span by 20% are high and real. Yet, the physicians caring for these youngsters should avoid permeating therapeutic nihilism, because the “cure” for diabetes may be within reach, and β-cell transplantation may be around the corner. Until that corner is reached, every attempt should be made to prevent these complications.
An algorithm for measuring landslide deformation in terrestrial lidar point clouds using trees

Terrestrial lidar data is a powerful resource for monitoring geohazards such as rockfall and landslides. However, vegetated landslides with horizontal shear surfaces remain difficult to characterize accurately due to a lack of exposed and appropriately oriented surfaces with respect to the lidar scanner. As an alternative, the movements of objects on the slope, such as trees, can be used to estimate slope movement. This paper demonstrates a novel semi-automated algorithm to extract and calculate the 3D displacement of trees on a slow-moving landslide, enabling more detailed landslide deformation analysis using point clouds. The method first uses local geometric descriptors to identify raw points corresponding to tree trunks. Several machine learning techniques are compared for this step, and an unsupervised decision tree algorithm with an accuracy of 84% is selected as the final method. After clustering points into individual trunks, trunks are matched through time according to several matching criteria, and their movement and rotation are then calculated using an iterative closest point algorithm. Accuracy of the automated displacement calculations is confirmed through comparison with manual point cloud measurements. A case study is presented demonstrating the method on a landslide through different seasonal vegetation changes, illustrating that algorithm parameters can be quickly adjusted to account for variations in tree species, density of foliage, scanner distance, and other factors. The final matching precision is demonstrated to be between 89 and 99%, indicating a very small number of false-positive matches.
Predictors of student pharmacist success on an advanced pharmacy practice experience-readiness performance-based assessment

Abstract Introduction The study objective was determining the relationship of certain predictor variables with student performance on an advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE)-readiness performance-based assessment (PBA) in the third professional year (P3). Methods This retrospective study aimed to identify if student predictors and/or curricular-related predictor variables correlate with student performance on a patient interview and documentation activity (PIDA), an APPE-readiness assessment. Student predictors included Pharmacy College Admission Test score, pre-pharmacy cumulative grade point average (GPA), end of first professional year (P1) GPA, end of second professional year GPA, end of fall P3 GPA, and elective Pharmacists' Patient Care Process (PPCP) score. Curricular-related predictor variables comprised specific activities with emphasis on patient care skill development in P1 through P3 years. Adjusted and unadjusted linear regression models assessed correlations between PIDA score and student predictors as well as curricular variables. Results Students from the Classes of 2018 through 2020 at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy (N = 231) were included. Two student predictors, P3 GPA and PPCP elective score, showed statistically significant correlations with PIDA performance. One curriculum-related variable, P3 activity with an emphasis on medication reconciliation, demonstrated a statistically significant correlation with student performance on the PIDA. Conclusions Student performance on a cumulative PBA may be predictive from prior curricular learning experiences that assess similar patient care skills. The predictive impact of the elective PPCP score on a PBA needs additional research. Recent implementation of a new curriculum may lead to identification of other predictors of student success on PBAs.
The performance of investment newsletters

Abstract This paper analyzes the recommendations of common stocks made by the investment newsletters followed by the Hulbert Financial Digest. We conclude that, taken as a whole, the securities that newsletters recommend do not outperform appropriate benchmarks. Our data provide modest evidence that the future performance of a newsletter is related to its past performance, when performance is measure by raw returns. Evidence of persistence vanishes, however, when performance is measured by abnormal returns. We find little, if any, evidence of herding, i.e., cross-sectional dependence of recommendations, across newsletters. Newsletters tend to recommend securities that have performed well in the recent past. Finally, newsletters with poor past performance are more likely to go out of business.
Motor Variability Prior to Learning does not Facilitate the Ability to Adopt new Movement Solutions.

Abstract Many contexts in motor learning require a learner to change from an existing movement solution to a novel movement solution to perform the same task. Recent evidence has pointed to motor variability prior to learning as a potential marker for predicting individual differences in motor learning. However, it is not known if this variability is predictive of the ability to adopt a new movement solution for the same task. Here, we examined this question in the context of a redundant precision task requiring control of motor variability. Fifty young adults learned a precision task that involved throwing a virtual puck toward a target using both hands. Because the speed of the puck depended on the sum of speeds of both hands, this task could be achieved using multiple solutions. Participants initially performed a baseline task where there was no constraint on the movement solution, and then performed a novel task where they were constrained to adopt a specific movement solution requiring asymmetric left and right hand speeds. Results showed that participants were able to learn the new solution, and this change was associated with changes in both the amount and structure of variability. However, increased baseline motor variability did not facilitate initial or final task performance when using the new solution – in fact, greater variability was associated with higher errors. These results suggest that motor variability is not necessarily indicative of flexibility and highlight the role of the task context in determining the relation between motor variability and learning.
Long-term Complications of COVID-19.

SARS-CoV-2 has rapidly spread across the globe and infected hundreds of millions of people worldwide. As our experience with this virus continues to grow, our understanding of the both short and long-term complications of infection with SARS-CoV-2 continues to grow as well. Just as there is heterogeneity in the acute infectious phase, there is heterogeneity in the long-term complications seen following COVID-19 illness. The purpose of this review article is to present the current literature with regards to the epidemiology, pathophysiology and proposed management algorithms for the various long term sequalae that have been observed in each organ system following infection with SARS-CoV-2. We will also consider future directions, with regards to newer variants of the virus and their potential impact on the long-term complications observed.
Performance Assessment of Baseline Cells for the High Efficiency Space Power Systems Project

The Enabling Technology Development and Demonstration (ETDD) Program High Efficiency Space Power Systems (HESPS) Project, formerly the Exploration Technology Development Program (ETDP) Energy Storage Project is tasked with developing advanced lithium-ion cells for future NASA Exploration missions. Under this project, components under development via various in-house and contracted efforts are delivered to Saft America for scale-up and integration into cells. Progress toward meeting project goals will be measured by comparing the performance to these cells with cells of a similar format with Saft s state-of-the-art aerospace chemistry. This report discusses the results of testing performed on the first set of baseline cells delivered by Saft to the NASA Glenn Research Center. This build is a cylindrical "DD" geometry with a 10 Ah nameplate capacity. Testing is being performed to establish baseline cell performance at conditions relevant to ETDD HESPS Battery Key Performance Parameter (KPP) goals including various temperatures, rates, and cycle life conditions. Data obtained from these cells will serve as a performance baseline for future cell builds containing optimized ETDD HESPSdeveloped materials. A test plan for these cells was developed to measure cell performance against the high energy cell KPP goals. The goal for cell-level specific energy of the high energy technology is 180 Wh/kg at a C/10 discharge rate and 0 C. The cells should operate for at least 2000 cycles at 100 percent DOD with 80 percent capacity retention. Baseline DD cells delivered 152 Wh/kg at 20 C. This number decreased to 143.9 Wh/kg with a 0 C discharge. This report provides performance data and summarizes results of the testing performed on the DD cells.
Receptor Cycling in Pituitary Cells: Biological Consequences of Inhibition of Receptor-Mediated Endocytosis

The anterior pituitary gland of mammalian species secretes six major trophic hormones: adrenocorticotropic hormone, two gonadotropins, thyrotrophin, prolactin and growth hormone. Synthesis and secretion of these pituitary hormones is regulated in part by hypothalamic factors which reach the pituitary gland by a portal system and which act upon specific target cells to stimulate or inhibit hormone production. In addition, pituitary function is regulated by circulating hormones including steroids and peptides.
The Political Medium

Television is a particularly important medium for politicians. Paid campaign announcements and news coverage permit a candidate to electronically address a large audience that is heterogeneous demographically and ideologically. Television has characteristics that make it highly serviceable as a vehicle for political persuasion. It presents candidates multi-dimensionally—the person as well as the figure—and its depictions can readily arouse emotions. Image management of political candidates can conservatively be said to be a multimillion dollar industry, and politicians essentially are political brands marketed as if they were legal or medical services. Political advertising is a direct form of image management, whereas positive news coverage is an indirect route. Image or identity is particularly important when party loyalty is low and the race is close. Image making is a necessary strategy for the candidates to control the way they are perceived rather than being at the mercy of their opponents. The conventions of television news production—such as lighting, editing, and shot selection—can create either a favorable or an unfavorable image of the same set of events. There are also demand characteristics by which a medium depicts events to take advantage of the features that give it an advantage over competitors. These are analogous to the characteristics of the experiments that elicit behavior external to the treatment under study; media differentially covers political events even though the news personnel are all trying to cover the same story.
A fast procedure for the computation of similarities between Gaussian HMMS

An appropriate definition and efficient computation of similarity (or distance) measures between stochastic models are of theoretical and practical interest. In this work a similarity measure for Gaussian hidden Markov models is introduced based on the generalized probability product kernel. An efficient scheme for computing the similarity measure is presented. The out of precision problem, which is a significant implementation issue, is considered and a scaling procedure is provided. The effectiveness of the proposed method has been evaluated on texture classification and preliminary experimental results are presented.
Effect of antiviral antibody on maintenance of long-term rubella virus persistent infection in Vero cells.

Abstract A Vero cell line with a long-term rubella virus persistent infection was maintained for 45 weeks in the presence of anti-rubella virus antibody of sufficient titer to completely neutralize the virus in the culture fluid to determine the effect of the presence of antibody on the maintenance of the persistent infection. Prior to antibody treatment, virus was continuously detected as plaque-forming units in the persistently infected culture fluid. Virus clones that were plaque purified from the persistently infected culture fluid were temperature sensitive and exhibited a reduced efficiency of replication and ability to induce cytopathic effects in Vero cells at the persistently infected culture temperature compared with the standard virus used to initiate the persistently infected culture. Defective interfering RNAs were the major intracellular virus-specific RNA species present in the persistently infected cells. Treatment with antibody failed to cure the persistently infected culture of virus, and the cells retained the ability to release virus after antibody treatment was discontinued. Interestingly, the presence of antibody led to the selection of a population of virus which was markedly less cytopathic for Vero cells than the virus population which was selected during persistent infection in the absence of antibody.
Magnetizable implants and functionalized magnetic carriers: A novel approach for noninvasive yet targeted drug delivery

We describe a targeted drug delivery system consisting of two steps: first, intravenous injection and circulation of biocompatible, magnetic nanospheres encapsulated with a drug; and second, focal concentration and release of the drug at the target site utilizing an implanted, magnetizable intraluminal stent or seed. We introduce the system concept, outline the biomedical feasibility, and discuss potential clinical advantages.
Matrices, Ellipsometers, And Magneto Optical Data Storage

The operation of a Photo Elastic Modulator (PEM) type ellipsometer is described via Mueller matrix elements. The phase shift (6) and the relative amplitude attenuation ratio (tan ik) between orthogonal polarization components is contained in the Mueller matrix elements and can be obtained via combinations of measured matrix elements. A phase shift measurement accuracy of ±0.2° has been obtained without calibration. A computer controlled implementation is described along with simple algorithms to extract the ellipsometric constants. The Mueller matrix of a magneto optic film media system has been used along with one for a "leaky " beamsplitter to form the optical readout system matrix for an ideal system. One of the Stokes parameters is porportional to the differential detection signal often used in MO data detection schemes.
The Role of Radiation Therapy in the Management of Thyroid Cancer

The goal of this article is to review the various indications for the application of external beam radiotherapy in the management of thyroid cancer. This article includes a discussion of published literature to define risk variables that increase the risk of recurrence after surgery that might be mitigated by the use of radiation therapy. Clinical outcomes, recent technologic advances in treatment planning and radiation delivery, and potential morbidity associated with treatment are also reviewed.
Finite frequency phonon effects in spin-Peierls systems*

Abstract Using a novel approximation-free quantum Monte Carlo method, we study finite-frequency phonon effects in a spin-1/2 Heisenberg chain with the nearest-neighbor exchange modulated by a bond-local, dispersionless optical phonon. Our results indicate that the dynamic phonons produce important qualitative, as well as quantitative, effects and must be included in order to obtain a proper description of the magnetic properties of spin-Peierls compounds such as GeCuO 3 and α′-NaV 2 O 5 both above and below the dimerization temperature.
Synthesis and cytological analyses of hybrids between hexaploid wheat, with and without Ph1 , and diploid wheatgrass

The usefulness of wide hybridization in genetic enhancement of crop plants like wheat, Triticum aestivum L. (2n = 6x = 42; AABBDD genomes), is well documented. Diploid wheatgrass, Lophopyrum elongatum (Host) A. Love (2n = 2x = 14; EE genome), is a source of several desirable traits including Fusarium head blight resistance. The objective of this study was to report on the synthesis and cytological analyses of wheat × wheatgrass hybrids and highlight homoeologous pairing involving the wheat and wheatgrass chromosomes. We hybridized wheatgrass with two important, crossable cultivars, ‘Chinese Spring,’ and ‘Fukohokomugi,’ of bread wheat and produced 11 tetraploid (2n = 4x = 28; ABDE) and two pentaploid (2n = 5x = 28; ABDEE) hybrids. To help promote homoeologous pairing and hence genetic recombination between the wheat and grass chromosomes, we also used the Chinese Spring mutant ph1bph1b. Using molecular markers, we readily detected intergeneric hybrids without Ph1. The hybrids without Ph1 showed multivalent formation involving wheat and grass chromosomes. However, the lack of Ph1 produced a much higher homoeologous pairing in the haploid chromosome complement in the CS ph1bph1b × wheatgrass hybrids than in the disomic complement of CS ph1bph1b. The pentaploid hybrids resulted from the fusion of a normal 21-chromsome gamete of the wheat parent with an unreduced, 14-chromsome gamete of diploid wheatgrass. These hybrids showed a remarkable degree of Ph1-enforced preferential pairing among the homologous wheatgrass chromosomes. Varying degrees of homoeologous pairing in various hybrids were detected that could facilitate alien gene transfer into wheat.
Stress Concentrations in Graphite/Epoxy Model Composites during Creep at Room Temperature and Elevated Temperatures

Micro Raman spectroscopy (MRS) was used to monitor the change in the local stress concentrations surrounding a single fiber break in 2-dimensional graphite fiber/epoxy composites during creep at room temperature and elevated temperatures up to 80 C. The experimental results were compared with a few shearlagbased multifiber composite models: Hedgepeth, which assumes perfect bonding between the linear elastic fiber and shear-only matrix; MSSL, which additionally accounts for the axial stiffness of the matrix; and VBI, which assumes a viscoelastic shear-only matrix. Instead of assuming time-independent stress concentrations around a fiber break as in previous models, this work investigated the change in the stress concentrations due to the local matrix creep. The VBI model uses parameters measured from unreinforced matrix creep tests to predict the time dependent strain– stress evolution in the composite around fiber breaks. The stress concentrations of the nearby intact fibers were found to change due to th...
Production of Intraepidermal Microabscesses by Topical Application of Leukotriene B4

Leukotriene B4 is a highly potent leukocyte chemotactic compound. It has been identified in chamber fluid and scale from psoriatic skin lesions, in which epidermal neutrophil infiltration is reported to be one of the earliest pathologic events. The ability of leukotriene B4 to reproduce the inflammatory events of psoriasis, by topical application to the skin of normal human volunteers, was thus studied. Persistent visible inflammatory reactions were elicited by application of amounts of leukotriene B4 as low as 5 ng, and the maximum diameters of the reactions were dose-related up to at least 500 ng. The visible reactions appeared 12–24 h after initial application of leukotriene B4, and persisted for several days, leaving brownish pigmentation and scaling at 7 days. Histologic examination showed intraepidermal neutrophil microabscesses at 24 h, but these had resolved by 48 h. A mixed, perivascular neutrophil and mononuclear cell infiltrate was seen in the dermis at 24 h, becoming predominantly mononuclear after 24 h. Nonspecific chemical irritant contact dermatitis was excluded by the absence of reactions to high doses of two chemically similar metabolites of arachidonic acid which lack significant in vitro chemokinetic activity. These experiments provide further evidence for the role of leukotriene B4 in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, and may lead to the development of an experimental model of the inflammatory events in psoriasis, and of a simple in vivo test of neutrophil function.
Fluorescence adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope for detection of reduced cones and hypoautofluorescent spots in fundus albipunctatus

Importance Fundus albipunctatus (FA) is a form of congenital stationary night blindness characterized by yellow-white spots, which were classically described as subretinal. Although night blindness and delayed dark adaptation are hallmarks of this condition, recent studies have described a macular phenotype, particularly among older patients. Using a fluorescence adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope (FAOSLO), this study provides in vivo morphologic data at the cellular level in FA. Objective To study the cone photoreceptors and the albipunctate spots in FA at single-cell resolution. Design, Setting, and Participant A woman in her 30s with FA underwent a complete ophthalmic examination, including conventional imaging tests, at the University of Rochester. A FAOSLO was used to obtain infrared reflectance images of the cone mosaic at the central fovea and along the superior and temporal meridians to 10° eccentricity. Cone density was measured at the foveal center, and cone spacing was calculated in sampling windows eccentrically. In the area of the albipunctate spots, autofluorescence FAOSLO images (excitation, 561 nm; emission, 624 Δ 40 nm) were simultaneously obtained. Main Outcomes and Measures Structural appearance of cones, cone density and spacing, and reflectance and autofluorescence of albipunctate spots. Results Cone density was reduced to 70% of the lower limit of the normal range at the foveal center (78.7 × 10 3 cones/mm 2 ; mean [SD] reference range, 199 [87] × 10 3 cones/mm 2 ), and cone spacing was increased eccentrically to 10° (sign test, P = .045). Individual cone central core reflectances appeared dim, suggesting loss of photoreceptor outer segments. The albipunctate spots were hypoautofluorescent. No photoreceptors or retinal pigment epithelium cells were identified at the locations of the albipunctate spots. Conclusions and Relevance Although the predominant clinical symptom of night blindness and the electroretinography results suggest a primary rod dysfunction, examination with a FAOSLO demonstrates that cone density is also reduced. This finding may represent an early sign of progression to macular phenotype in FA. The hypoautofluorescence suggests that the albipunctate spots do not represent lipofuscin.