cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Direct Transistor-Level Layout for Digital Blocks

We present a complete transistor-level layout flow, from logic netlist to final shapes, for blocks of combinational logic up to a few thousand transistors in size. The direct transistor-level attack easily accommodates the demands for careful custom sizing necessary in high-speed design, and is also significantly denser than a comparable cell-based layout. The key algorithmic innovations are (a) early identification of essential diffusion-merged MOS device groups called clusters, but (b) deferred binding of clusters to a specific shape-level layout until the very end of a multi-phase placement strategy. A global placer arranges uncommitted clusters; a detailed placer optimizes clusters at shape level for density and for overall routability. A commercial router completes the flow. Experiments comparing to a commercial standard cell-level layout flow show that, when flattened to transistors, our tool consistently achieves 100% routed layouts that average 23% less area.
Voltage scheduling in the IpARM microprocessor system

Microprocessors represent a significant portion of the energy con?sumed in portable electronic devices. Dynamic Voltage Scaling (DVS) allows a device to reduce energy consumption by lowering its processor speed at run-time, allowing a corresponding reduction in processor voltage and energy. A voltage scheduler determines the appropriate operating voltage by analyzing application con?straints and requirements. A complete software implementation, including both applications and the underlying operating system, shows that DVS is effective at reducing the energy consumed with?out requiring extensive software modification.
Chemical Pre-Treatment of used Fuel for Long–Term Storagea

Repository programs throughout the world have been slowed by the need for increased local public involvement in the siting and licensing process. The result has been an increase in the dry storage of used fuel at reactor sites and the potential that such storage may be extended for many decades, even centuries. While there are sound technical reasons to believe that dry storage can be conducted safely, there are increasing concerns that the ultimate transfer to either a future repository or a centralized separations plant may result in fractured cladding and serious handling issues, including criticality concerns. These concerns would be increased for higher burn-up fuels. Currently, various chemical pre-treatment processes under R&D for application to commercial used oxide fuel have been investigated at the laboratory scale as methods to simplify and increase the safety of the remaining stages of conventional solvent extraction processing. This includes advanced decladding methods and various oxidation/reduction processes designed to release volatile and semi-volatile fission products, produce finely divided uranium oxide powder, and ameliorate the subsequent nitric acid dissolution step. The paper examines the potential for combining several chemical and physical pre-treatment steps to minimize long-term concerns about safe transport of used fuel, possibly providing another option for future nuclear waste management. Laboratory data from both cold and hot testing will provide the basis for the evaluation. An example of a potential pre-treatment process includes shearing, advanced voloxidation and off-gas treatment, the possible mixing of the resulting uranium oxide with a secondary oxide, and densification and recanning in nitric acid-soluble storage containers for extended time periods. Chemical decladding may be feasible to replace shearing. Zirconium recycle may also be feasible, significantly reducing high level waste quantities. Both analytic and experimental data will be applied to the examination of this potential fuel cycle option.
The Potentialities of Electronically Scanned Photoconductive Image Detectors for Astronomical Uses

Publisher Summary This chapter treats some of the limiting conditions operative when an image pick-up tube which has a photoconductive sensing element (vidicon) is used for detection of the visible radiation from celestial bodies. The vidicon may be considered as divided into three sections: the electron gun section, scanning section, and target section. The electron gun section has a thermionic cathode and associated grids to produce and focus the electron beam, which scans the photoconductive layer of the target section. The scanning is accomplished by conventional deflection circuits, either magnetic or electrostatic. The target section consists of the signal electrode, which is a transparent metallic coating deposited on the inner surface of the optically flat transparent glass face-plate of the tube, and the target film, which is a thin photoconductive layer deposited in turn on the metallic coating. This chapter examines the theoretical possibilities for detection of far infrared radiation by means of uncooled semiconductors. For visible radiation, the increase in sensitivity that can be obtained by using image intensification between the optical system and the photoconductive sensing element of a vidicon is also treated. The chapter provides a brief explanation of the mechanisms of detection and scanning.
Covalency in oxidized uranium

Using x-ray emission spectroscopy and absorption spectroscopy, it has been possible to directly access the states in the unoccupied conduction bands that are involved with $5f$ and $6d$ covalency in oxidized uranium. By varying the oxidizing agent, the degree of $5f$ covalency can be manipulated and monitored, clearly and irrevocably establishing the importance of $5f$ covalency in the electronic structure of the key nuclear fuel, uranium dioxide.
Islam Indonesia dan Demokratisasi: Dari Transisi ke Konsolidasi

Mirjam Kunkler and Alfred Stepan (eds). 2013. Democracy and Islam in Indonesia. New York: Columbia University Press. xv + 252pp. Donald L. Horowitz. 2013. Constitutional Change and Democracy in Indonesia. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. xviii + 326pp. The two reviewed books provide explanations for the success of Indonesia’s democratization. Kunkler and Stepan’s (2013) edited volume, Democracy and Islam in Indonesia , emphasizes the political actors (agency) in explaining democratization in Indonesia. Meanwhile, Horowitz’s (2013) Constitutional Change and Democracy in Indonesia focuses on institutions and the strategies of institutional reform chosen by political actors during democratization. Both works provide careful evaluation on the relatively stable development of Indonesian democracy. Examining the social, political, and institutional foundations that facilitate the consolidation of Indonesia’s democracy, the two works analyze why and how the democratic transition in Indonesia proceeded to a consolidation stage. Different form Kunkler and Stepan’s edited volume, which evaluates the state of Indonesian democracy by refererring to the criteria offered by democratic consolidation framework, Horowitz’s work moves farther revealing why the democratic processes have occurred in the sequence and manner that they did. DOI: 10.15408/sdi.v22i3.2411
History of West Syndrome

Historical details about Dr West, his son, James Edward West, the patient with infantile spasms, and the coining of the eponym ‘West syndrome’ are researched by pediatric neurologists and colleagues at the University of Nijmegen, the Netherlands; and University of California at Irvine.
ENZYME INDUCTION IN IMMATURE GLIA.

ConclusionThis study clearly demonstrates that astrocytes of newborn rat brain display the morphologic and enzymatic changes of reactive gliosis in response to the appropriate stimulus. The absence of newborn glial response to simple penetrating wounds may be a result of ineffective liberation of an inducing agent present at low concentration.
Ab initio studies of structural features not easily amenable to experiment

Abstract The structures of several conformations of keto- and enol-acetone were determined by unconstrained ab initio geometry refinements using the 4-21G basis set. The geometry of propene was also refined to compare it with enol-acetone. The structural consequences of hyperconjugation for the local geometries of the methyl groups were determined in all conformations. In the most stable form of keto-acetone, one hydrogen atom of each methyl group was found in an eclipsed arrangement with respect to the carbonyl group. The stability of this crowded structure has previously been rationalized in terms of aromatic π-electron delocalization. This result is in contrast to one of two previous gas electron diffraction studies. It is concluded that the electron diffraction data may not contain enough information to determine the exact conformational arrangement of the methyl groups in acetone. The calculated structures are found to be in excellent agreement with experiment. Uncertainties in calculated bond distances and bond angles are on the order of magnitude of 0.01–0.02 A and 1–2°, respectively.
Wave-field Imaging with Partially Coherent Light

Coherent (laser) light is fully determined by its amplitude and phase, whereas partially coherent light must involve higher-order statistical descriptions, offering inherently more degrees-of-freedom. Here, we describe practical methods for measurement of partially (spatially) coherent beams.
Pelvic lymphadenectomy for staging prostatic carcinoma: is it always necessary?

AbstractThere were 100 patients with clinically localized prostatic carcinoma staged surgically for the evaluation of lymph node metastases. By correlating the incidence of lymph node metastasis with the level of serum acid phosphatase, and the stage and grade of the primary tumor, it was possible to identify 1 group of patients with less than 8 per cent incidence of lymph node metastases and another group with more than 92 per cent incidence of nodal involvement. It is in these 2 groups of patients that pelvic lymphadenectomy for the staging of prostatic carcinoma may not be necessary.
Pica/Burden: A Staging System for Upper Tract Urinary Stones

AbstractA staging system is proposed to stratify upper urinary tract stones by their complexity, location and burden. Burden is defined as the sum of the longest axial diameter of all stones. The kidney is divided into 3 cavities (pelvis, branches or infundibula and calices). The ureter is defined according to 4 segments (upper, middle, lower and juxtavesical). Special descriptors (sand, match heads and fragments) are defined. The use of a scoring diagram allows for a concise description of the complexity and burden of stone in each renal and ureteral cavity. The system facilitates computerized stratification of upper tract stones.
Remaining Useful Life Assessment of Field Deployed Electronics Using X-Ray Micro-CT Based Digital Volume Correlation and Finite-Element Analysis

A new method for residual life assessment of field extracted electronic systems using X-ray MicroCT data in conjunction with digital volume correlation (DVC) and finite element analysis (FEA) has been presented. Electronic components deployed in harsh environments may be subjected to significant deformation under the action of thermal and mechanical loads during operation and storage. The use of thin material layers in addition to fine embedded interconnects limits the possibilities for the integration of sensors to measure deformation and strain. In addition, models for semiconductor assemblies are created using nominal dimensions from a material datasheet. However, the use of nominal dimensions does not account for the dimensional variabilities of the geometry due to process-variance in the manufacturing process window. In this paper, a new method has been presented for measurement of displacements and assessment of remaining useful-life in solder joints non-invasively using a combination of X-ray computed tomography, DVC and FEA. The new method does not require cross-sectioning of the part for the purpose of deformation and strain measurement. In addition, the measurements are not limited to the joints in the line of sight. The three-dimensional measurements of deformation and strain have been visualized on the geometry of the solder joints in the package. Furthermore, the X-ray MicroCT grayscale data has been ported into a finite element platform. Anand Viscoplasticity model of SAC305 has been utilized and merged into the FEA software to model material behavior of solder interconnects. The method has been applied to a field extracted assembly for analysis of residual life of solder joints with partial cracks in cyclic thermal environments. The cumulative plastic work and stress-strain hysteresis loop have been plotted.
Introduced Species, Homogenizing Biotas and Cultures

Introduced species tend to homogenize biotas, and this biotic homogenization contributes to a pervasive biocultural homogenization fostered by urbanization and commercial globalization. Antipathy towards biological invasions today is primarily focused on their many ecological, economic, and public health impacts. However, in the late 1800s and early 1900s, aesthetic considerations dominated much of the opposition to introduced species. Aldo Leopold’s “land aesthetic,” based on detailed knowledge of the ecology of a region and the evolutionary history of its denizens, strongly opposed introduced species on aesthetic grounds just as his land ethic opposed them on ecological grounds. Some authors contend that the animus towards introduced species is partly associated with xenophobia or nativism, and that stated aesthetic or ecological considerations mask underlying xenophobic motives. Evidence for this motivation in current views of introduced species is scant or non-existent. Unease about introduced species because of their role in biotic homogenization is certainly not based on xenophobia. Rather, it springs from the same source as the desire to preserve native languages from extinction and regional cuisines from being swamped by McDonalds and Starbucks. The struggle to redress biocultural homogenization will have to incorporate prevention of many species introductions and effective management of both newly arrived and certain long-established invaders. Technologies exist to aid this effort; the impediments are frequently more sociopolitical than scientific.
The nil Temperley–Lieb algebra of type affine C

Abstract We introduce a type affine C analogue of the nil Temperley–Lieb algebra, in terms of generators and relations. We show that this algebra T ( n ) , which is a quotient of the positive part of a Kac–Moody algebra of type D n + 1 ( 2 ) , has an easily described faithful representation as an algebra of creation and annihilation operators on particle configurations, reminiscent of the open TASEP model in statistical physics. The centre of T ( n ) consists of polynomials in a certain element Q, and T ( n ) is a free module of finite rank over its centre. We show how to localize T ( n ) by adjoining an inverse of Q, and prove that the resulting algebra is a full matrix ring over a ring of Laurent polynomials over a field. Although T ( n ) has wild representation type, over an algebraically closed field we can classify all the finite dimensional indecomposable representations of T ( n ) in which Q acts invertibly.
Reasoning about autonomous processes in an estimated-regression planner

We examine the issues that arise in extending an estimated-regression (ER) planner to reason about autonomous processes that run and have continuous and discrete effects without the planning agent's intervention (although the planner may take steps to get processes running). An ER planner is a classical planner that searches situation space, using as a heuristic numbers derived from a backward search through a simplified space, summarized in the regression-match graph. Extending the planner to work with processes requires it to handle objective functions that go beyond the traditional step count or cumulative step cost. Although regressing through process descriptions is no more difficult than regressing through standard action descriptions, figuring out how good an action recommended by the regression-match graph really is requires "plausibly projecting" the subtree suggested by the action, which often requires forcing actions to be feasible. The resulting algorithm works well, but still suffers from the fact that regression-match graphs can be expensive to compute.
Are Pornography Users More Likely to Experience a Romantic Breakup? Evidence from Longitudinal Data

Previous research suggests that pornography use, under certain circumstances, may negatively influence the quality of romantic relationships. Yet we still know relatively little about whether watching pornography is associated with the stability of romantic relationships later on. This study examined whether Americans who use pornography, either at all or more frequently, are more prone to report experiencing a romantic breakup over time. Longitudinal data were taken from the 2006 and 2012 waves of the nationally representative Portraits of American Life Study (N = 969). Binary logistic regression analyses demonstrated that Americans who viewed pornography at all in 2006 were nearly twice as likely as those who never viewed pornography to report experiencing a romantic breakup by 2012, even after controlling for relevant factors such as 2006 relationship status and other sociodemographic correlates. This association was considerably stronger for men than for women and for unmarried Americans than for married Americans. Analyses also showed a linear relationship between how frequently Americans viewed pornography in 2006 and their odds of experiencing a breakup by 2012. The findings affirm that earlier pornography use is associated with lower stability within Americans’ romantic relationships, especially for men and the unmarried. Data limitations and implications for future research are discussed.
A Systems Engineering Based Method to Increase Energy Flexibility

Abstract The change of the energy supply from conventional to renewable energy sources is a challenge for the whole society. It is a well known fact, that the alteration of energy supply from conventional towards renewable sources causes increasing energy volatility. This requires a change in energy use. When it comes to production matters, energy is a resource, which is available immediately on demand. In future, energy will become a resource, which needs to be considered during the production planning process. The adaption of the energy consumption to the available amount of energy affects the material flow and the order processing. Today, manufacturing systems exhibit a limited amount of energy flexibility caused by their interlinking. The use of possible flexibility potentials, manufacturing systems themselves or their structure needs to be adjusted. For this purpose measures for increasing the energy flexibility have to be built up in a structured way. Based on the systems engineering an approach to design energy flexible manufacturing systems has been developed and will be presented in this paper.
Books, bytes, and behaviorc Rethinking scholarly communication for a global information infrastructure

A la lumiere des ecrits de Jack Meadow sur les multiples facettes de la communication dans l'education scolaire, l'orateur participant au Congres sur le devenir des recherches informatiques, nous explique apres un bref historique des travaux de Meadow, quelles sont les nouvelles approches dans la communication des informations aupres d'un public scolaire. Il explique le role des echanges d'information electroniques, la bibliometrie, les publications electroniques, puis il termine par un question-reponse concnernant les futures recherches informatiques.
Acute Myelogenous Leukemia: Current Status of Therapy in Adults

Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) is a neoplastic disease characterized by the proliferation of malignant myeloblasts and other immature myeloid cells. Infiltration of the bone marrow by these leukemia cells results in the impairment of normal hematopoiesis, with resultant anemia, granulocytopenia, and thrombocytopenia. If untreated the disease is rapidly fatal, with a median survival of less than 2 months. Death frequently results from infection, hemorrhage or both [1].
A soft microenvironment protects from failure of midbody abscission and multinucleation downstream of the EMT-promoting transcription factor Snail

Multinucleation is found in more than one third of tumors and is linked to increased tolerance for mutation, resistance to chemotherapy, and invasive potential. The integrity of the genome depends on proper execution of the cell cycle, which can be altered through mechanotransduction pathways as the tumor microenvironment stiffens during tumorigenesis. Here, we show that signaling downstream of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP3) or TGFβ, known inducers of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), also promotes multinucleation in stiff microenvironments through Snail-dependent expression of the filament-forming protein septin-6, resulting in midbody persistence, abscission failure, and multinucleation. Consistently, we observed elevated expression of Snail and septin-6 as well as multinucleation in a human patient sample of metaplastic carcinoma of the breast, a rare classification characterized by deposition of collagen fibers and active EMT. In contrast, a soft microenvironment protected mammary epithelial cells from becoming multinucleated by preventing Snail-induced upregulation of septin-6. Our data suggest that tissue stiffening during tumorigenesis synergizes with oncogenic signaling to promote genomic abnormalities that drive cancer progression.Significance: These findings reveal tissue stiffening during tumorigenesis synergizes with oncogenic signaling to promote genomic abnormalities that drive cancer progression. Cancer Res; 78(9); 2277-89. ©2018 AACR.
Mentoring Counselor Education Students: A Delphi Study with Leaders in the Field

Mentoring is a professional leadership contribution of counselor educators resulting in personal and vocational benefits for students. A need to understand research-informed mentoring from the ment...
Detrimental Effects of Helium Ion Irradiation on Cognitive Performance and Cortical Levels of MAP-2 in B6D2F1 Mice.

The space radiation environment includes helium (4He) ions that may impact brain function. As little is known about the effects of exposures to 4He ions on the brain, we assessed the behavioral and cognitive performance of C57BL/6J × DBA2/J F1 (B6D2F1) mice three months following irradiation with 4He ions (250 MeV/n; linear energy transfer (LET) = 1.6 keV/μm; 0, 21, 42 or 168 cGy). Sham-irradiated mice and mice irradiated with 21 or 168 cGy showed novel object recognition, but mice irradiated with 42 cGy did not. In the passive avoidance test, mice received a slight foot shock in a dark compartment, and latency to re-enter that compartment was assessed 24 h later. Sham-irradiated mice and mice irradiated with 21 or 42 cGy showed a higher latency on Day 2 than Day 1, but the latency to enter the dark compartment in mice irradiated with 168 cGy was comparable on both days. 4He ion irradiation, at 42 and 168 cGy, reduced the levels of the dendritic marker microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2) in the cortex. There was an effect of radiation on apolipoprotein E (apoE) levels in the hippocampus and cortex, with higher apoE levels in mice irradiated at 42 cGy than 168 cGy and a trend towards higher apoE levels in mice irradiated at 21 than 168 cGy. In addition, in the hippocampus, there was a trend towards a negative correlation between MAP-2 and apoE levels. While reduced levels of MAP-2 in the cortex might have contributed to the altered performance in the passive avoidance test, it does not seem sufficient to do so. The higher hippocampal and cortical apoE levels in mice irradiated at 42 than 168 cGy might have served as a compensatory protective response preserving their passive avoidance memory. Thus, there were no alterations in behavioral performance in the open filed or depressive-like behavior in the forced swim test, while cognitive impairments were seen in the object recognition and passive avoidance tests, but not in the contextual or cued fear conditioning tests. Taken together, the results indicate that some aspects of cognitive performance are altered in male mice exposed to 4He ions, but that the response is task-dependent. Furthermore, the sensitive doses can vary within each task in a non-linear fashion. This highlights the importance of assessing the cognitive and behavioral effects of charged particle exposure with a variety of assays and at multiple doses, given the possibility that lower doses may be more damaging due to the absence of induced compensatory mechanisms at higher doses.
How Providers Should Be Paid

Physicians are paid incorrectly. We are paid more for doing more things, not for delivering better value. The old system of payment was closer to value-based reimbursement. In the old days, a physician performed certain services for a patient, and the patient paid what they thought the services were worth. This payment was based on the value delivered combined with patient’s ability to pay. Gold coins for some, chickens for others, a hearty thanks for a few. But at the end of a day … it was a good day. Now we have a measurement system based on a biased indicator – RVUs (ridiculous value units), a fee for service payment system designed to drive up cost, and young physicians with untenable debts who are forced to make career decisions based on financial survivorship rather than a true calling. Moreover, it kills cooperation and paralyzes necessary change. It involves flawed measurement, incorrect incentive, and bad decision making. It is the Trifecta of Imperfecta.
The noise power ratio-theory and ADC testing

This paper develops the theory behind the noise power ratio (NPR) testing of analog-to-digital converters (ADC's). A mid-riser formulation is used for mathematical simplicity. Both simulated and measured results, using digital-to-analog converter (DAC) generated signals, suggests that the uniformly distributed signal is more sensitive to amplitude dependent distortion.
In dementia with aggression and agitation, several interventions help vs usual care

Source Citation Watt JA, Goodarzi Z, Veroniki AA, et al. Comparative efficacy of interventions for aggressive and agitated behaviors in dementia: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Ann ...
Three-Dimensional Dual Sovereignty: Observations on the Shortcomings of Gamble v. United States

In Gamble v. United States, the Supreme Court reaffirmed the dual sovereignty doctrine, which provides that the Double Jeopardy Clause does not bar successive prosecutions where they are brought by different sovereigns. Both the majority and the dissenters in Gamble treated the dual sovereignty doctrine as monolithic. However, the doctrine has been invoked in essentially three different contexts: as in Gamble itself, the federal government might prosecute following a state prosecution; or a state might prosecute following a federal prosecution; or a state might prosecute after another state prosecution. The Justices in Gamble failed to pay adequate attention to how the potential justifications for a bar to successive domestic inter-sovereign prosecutions might differ by context. Much of the debate in Gamble centered around the meaning of the pre-1791 common law on cross-national successive prosecutions. But that common-law tradition is most closely analogous to, and therefore most relevant to, successive state-state prosecutions, in which sovereignty is truly separate rather than overlapping. That history is less relevant to successive state-federal prosecutions, which are at the heart of the Double Jeopardy prohibition because they raise the specter of an all-powerful central government pre-empting state and local decisions on crime and punishment. And successive federal-state prosecutions must be viewed through the lens of the framers and ratifiers of the Fourteenth Amendment, who were primarily concerned with arbitrary and discriminatory conduct by state executive and judicial officials. In short, when it comes to successive state-federal prosecutions, federalism is the primary value. With regard to successive federal-state prosecutions, the separation of powers inherent in the concept of due process is paramount. And with regard to successive state-state prosecutions, interstate comity is the principal value. The Gamble Court’s failure to focus on the federalism constraint implicit in the Double Jeopardy Clause led it to hold incorrectly that the Clause permits successive state-federal prosecutions. But that is not to say that the dual sovereignty doctrine is unjustified in the other two contexts. The dual sovereignty doctrine is highly contextual, multi-layered, and nuanced, and the Justices in Gamble erred by treating this three-dimensional doctrine as if it exists in only a single dimension.
Chapter 2 – Chemically Bonded Phosphate Ceramics

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses phosphate-bonded ceramics, and cements and phosphate-bonded dental cements. The chapter also provides an overview of magnesium phosphate ceramics. Unlike silicophosphate cements, magnesium phosphates are highly crystalline, and hence they may be appropriately called room-temperature-setting ceramics rather than cements. Various magnesium phosphate-based ceramics have been developed for use in structural materials. These include magnesium ammonium phosphate ceramic grout for rapid repair of roads in cold regions, and for repair of industrial floors and airport runways; and magnesium potassium phosphate ceramics for stabilization and solidification of low-level radioactive and hazardous wastes. The chapter also explores the generalization of formation of chemically bonded phosphate ceramics (CBPCs). When a partially neutralized phosphoric acid solution is reacted with a metal oxide, a ceramic formed with a reaction product MxBy(PO4)(x+y)/3, where M stands for a metal, and B can be hydrogen (H) or another metal such as aluminum (Al). The phosphoric acid in these reactions is partially neutralized by dilution or by reaction of an oxide of B.
Allergic Fungal Sinusitis Imitating an Aggressive Skull Base Lesion in the Setting of Pembrolizumab Immunotherapy

Objectives:We report a case of acutely worsening allergic fungal sinusitis in a patient receiving immunotherapy with pembrolizumab, a programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitor.Methods:A 53-y...
Spontaneous symmetry breaking: A view from derived geometry

Abstract We examine symmetry breaking in field theory within the framework of derived geometry, as applied to field theory via the Batalin–Vilkovisky formalism. Our emphasis is on the standard examples of Ginzburg–Landau and Yang–Mills–Higgs theories and is primarily interpretive. The rich, sophisticated language of derived geometry captures the physical story elegantly, allowing for sharp formulations of slogans (e.g., for the Higgs mechanism, that the unstable ghosts feed the Goldstone bosons to a hungry, massless gauge boson). Rewriting these results in the BV formalism provides, as one nice payoff, a reformulation of ’t Hooft’s family of gauge-fixing conditions for spontaneously broken gauge theory that behaves well in the ξ → ∞ limit.
Estimates and Temporal Trend for Nationwide 30-day Hospital Readmission Among Patients with Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Stroke: A Contemporary Population Based Analysis of 6-Year Nationwide Data (S47.002)

Objective: To provide nationwide estimates and a temporal trend for overall, planned, and potentially-preventable 30-day-readmission among ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke patients (SPs). To determine the association between hospitals’ stroke discharge volume (SDV), teaching status and 30-day-readmission. To highlight the causes of 30-day-readmission. Background: Readmission reduction is linked with improved quality of care, saves cost, and is a desirable patient-centered outcome. Nationally representative readmission metrics for SPs are unavailable. Design/Methods: We performed a year-wise cohort analysis of the national readmission database from January 2010 to September 2015. Adult (≥ 18 years) patients with primary discharge diagnosis of ischemic stroke (IS), intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), or sub-arachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) were tagged using validated ICD-9 codes. Hospitals were categorized by their annual SDV and were classified as teaching if they had an American Medical Association-approved residency program or had a ratio of full-time equivalent interns / residents to beds of 0.25 or higher. We defined readmission as any admission within 30 days of index hospitalization discharge. Using CMS defined algorithms, events were classified as unplanned and/or potentially-preventable. Results: Based on our criteria, 2,078,854 eligible patients were included. Mean (SE) age: 70.02 (0.07), and 51.90% female. The overall proportion (95% CI) for 30-day-readmission was highest for ICH patients (13.70%, 13.40 – 13.99), followed by IS (12.44%, 12.33 – 12.55) and SAH patients (11.48%, 11.01 – 11.96). On average there was a 3.3% annual decline in readmission between 2010 and 2014, which was statistically significant (OR, 95% CI: 0.96, 0.95 – 0.97). Patients discharged from non-Teaching hospitals with high SDV were at a significantly higher risk of 30-day-readmission and the top 2 leading causes of readmission were acute cerebrovascular disease and septicemia. Conclusions: Nationally representative readmission metrics can be used to benchmark hospitals’ performance, and a temporal trend of 3% may be used to evaluate effectiveness of readmission reduction strategies. Disclosure: Dr. Vahidy has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bambhoroliya has nothing to disclose. Dr. Donnelly has nothing to disclose. Dr. Thomas has nothing to disclose. Dr. Tyson has nothing to disclose. Dr. Miller has nothing to disclose. Dr. McCullough has nothing to disclose. Dr. Savitz has nothing to disclose.
Understanding and Promoting Teacher Connections in Online Social Media: A Case Study on Pinterest

In this work, we perform a large-scale investigation of teacher connections in online social media. To this end, we first construct a large dataset of teachers on Pinterest, an image-based popular online social media. Our dataset includes 540 teachers across 5 states and 48 districts, as well as thousands of connections they have established. Then, considering some crucial teacher-related attributes (e.g., their states and grade levels), we characterize direct and indirect teacher connections. Through this characterization, we discover that teachers are predominately connected to their peers in the same district or at least within the same state, and seldom there exist links between teachers outside their districts and states. This hinders the proper diffusion of information and many other advantages that a teacher-teacher connection in an online social media can bring about, e.g., getting advice from their peers. To alleviate this problem, we utilize advances in machine learning and propose a link recommendation system suggesting teachers connect with their similar peers on Pinterest. Our system’s evaluation reveals that many new teacher-teacher connections are suggested, which leads to a more cohesive network among teachers rather than the existing localized ego networks.
Resident Involvement in Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion is Associated With Increased Readmissions and Operative Time, But No Increased Short-term Risks.

STUDY DESIGN A retrospective cohort study. OBJECTIVE The aim was to compare rates of adverse events and additional posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) cases assisted by residents versus cases performed solely by an orthopedic attending. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA PLIF is a widely accepted surgical technique for the management of a variety of spinal conditions requiring spinal stabilization and fusion. However, no published studies have assessed the effects of resident involvement on intraoperative and postoperative outcomes in PLIF. METHODS This retrospective study utilized the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) registry from 2007 to 2012 to identify patients who underwent PLIF procedures. A propensity score matching model was utilized to reduce patient cohort variances. The perioperative data and outcomes in the matched population were analyzed using paired t test and the McNemar test in order to assess, based on resident presence, the rates of postoperative adverse events, readmission, reoperation within 30 days, and operative time. RESULTS In total, 1633 patients undergoing PLIF were included in the study, with 24.62% involving resident participation. The propensity score matching algorithm yielded 396 well-matched resident and nonresident pairs. Patients undergoing PLIF involving a resident were associated with a higher rate of readmission (1.77% vs. 0.00%; P=0.008), and longer operative time (245.7 vs. 197.7 min; P<0.001). However, these procedures were not associated with any significant difference in minor or severe adverse events. CONCLUSIONS Resident involvement in PLIF was associated with an increased rate of readmissions, and operative time; however, was not associated with an increase in minor or severe adverse events. Further investigation is needed to characterize the role of resident involvement based on level of training experience, as well as methods to improve the learning curve to independence while reducing postoperative hospital length of stay. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level III-retrospective comparative study.
Clinical reviewNSAID inhibition of GI cancer growth: clinical implications and molecular mechanisms of action

Epidemiological studies suggest that aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) reduce the incidence of and mortality from colorectal, gastric, and esophageal cancers. The precise mechanisms by which NSAIDs exert their chemopreventive effects are not fully explained, but likely involve inhibition of cyclo-oxygenase, the enzyme that converts arachidonic acid to prostaglandins. Two isoforms of this enzyme, cyclo-oxygenase 1 (COX-1) and COX-2, have been identified. COX-2 is absent in normal mucosa but is overexpressed in colonic, gastric, and esophageal cancers, as well as their precursor lesions. The inhibition of COX-2 through either pharmacological agents or gene deletion results in suppression of colonic polyp formation. NSAIDs reduce colonic, gastric, and esophageal cancer cell growth, in part, by inducing apoptosis. However, the antineoplastic effects of NSAIDs may be partly independent of their ability to inhibit COX-2. The mechanisms involved in the antineoplastic actions of NSAIDs include inhibition of angiogenesis (essential for delivery of oxygen and nutrients to a growing tumor), induction of apoptosis (which is usually reduced in cancer cells) by stimulation of proapoptotic genes, and direct inhibition of cancer cell growth by blocking signal transduction pathways responsible for cell proliferation.
Simulated annealing fitting: a global optimization method for quantitatively analyzing growth kinetics of colloidal Ag nanoparticles

The involvement of heterogeneous solid/liquid reactions in growing colloidal nanoparticles makes it challenging to quantitatively understand the fundamental steps that determine nanoparticles' growth kinetics. A global optimization protocol relying on simulated annealing fitting and the LSW growth model is developed to analyze the evolution data of colloidal silver nanoparticles synthesized from a microwave-assisted polyol reduction reaction. Fitting all data points of the entire growth process determines with high fidelity the diffusion coefficient of precursor species and the heterogeneous reduction reaction rate parameters on growing silver nanoparticles, which represent the principal functions to determine the growth kinetics of colloidal nanoparticles. The availability of quantitative results is critical to understanding the fundamentals of heterogeneous solid/liquid reactions, such as identifying reactive species and reaction activation energy barriers.
Drinking reduction during cognitive behavioral therapy for alcohol use disorder is associated with a reduction in anterior insula-bed nucleus of the stria terminalis resting-state functional connectivity

Background Connectivity between the anterior insula (AI) and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) may play a role in negative emotions that drive compulsive drinking in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD). We hypothesized that reductions in drinking during cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), an effective treatment that teaches regulation (coping) skills for managing negative emotions during abstinence, would be associated with reductions in resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) between the AI and the BNST. Methods We included 18 patients with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition diagnosis of AUD who were (1) seeking treatment and (2) drinking heavily at baseline. We measured RSFC as Pearson's correlation between the BNST and multiple regions of interest in the insula at baseline and after completion of 12 weeks of a single-arm clinical trial of outpatient CBT. We also assessed the number of heavy drinking days over the previous 28 days (NHDD) at both time points. We used 1-sample t-tests to evaluate AI-BNST RSFC at baseline, paired t-tests to evaluate changes in AI-BNST RSFC from pre-CBT to post-CBT, and linear regression to evaluate the relationship between changes in AI-BNST RSFC and NHDD. Results We found a significant positive RSFC between the AI and the BNST at baseline (p = 0.0015). While there were no significant changes in AI-BNST RSFC from pre- to post-CBT at the group level (p = 0.42), we found that individual differences in reductions in AI-BNST RSFC from pre- to post-CBT were directly related to reductions in NHDD from pre- to post-CBT (r = 0.73, p = 0.0008). Conclusions These findings provide preliminary evidence that reduced AI-BNST RSFC may be a mechanism of drinking reduction in AUD and that AI-BNST RSFC may be a target for CBT and possibly other treatments.
Surgical and oncologic outcomes following arterial resection and reconstruction for advanced solid tumors

Background and objectives Although arterial involvement for advanced tumors is rare, vascular resection may be indicated to achieve complete tumor resection. Given the potential morbidity of this approach, we sought to evaluate perioperative outcomes, vascular graft patency, and survival among patients undergoing tumor excision with en bloc arterial resection and reconstruction. Methods From 2010 to 2020, we identified nine patients with tumors encasing or extensively abutting major arterial structures for whom en bloc arterial resection and reconstruction was performed. Results Mean age was 53 ± 20 years, and 89% were females. Diagnoses were primary sarcomas (5), recurrent gynecologic carcinomas (3), and benign retroperitoneal fibrosis (1). Tumors involved the infrarenal aorta (2), iliac arteries (6), and superficial femoral artery (1). Three patients (33%) had severe perioperative morbidity (Grade III + ) with no mortality. At a median follow-up of 23 months, eight patients (89%) had primary graft patency, and five patients (56%) had no evidence of disease. Conclusions Arterial resection and reconstruction as part of the multimodality treatment of regionally advanced tumors is associated with acceptable short- and long-term outcomes, including excellent graft patency. In appropriately selected patients, involvement of major arterial structures should not be viewed as a contraindication to attempted curative surgery.
Additive scoring of reported symptomsValidity and item bias problems in morbidity scales

The objective of this study was to validate a symptom scale based on additive scoring of self-reported symptom data for use in multivariate analyses in a cross-sectional interview survey investigation of an urban sample of persons over 65 years of age. The majority of the sample members reported 1 to 3 symptom episodes, but over one-third of the sample reported 4 or more episodes and 50 persons (9% of the sample) reported 7 or more symptoms. A 20 item symptom scale was validated with Kern response theory methods based on the binary Rasdi model, a 1 parameter logistic model, plus procedures developed for checking the model. The Rasdi logistic test result of Z=52.9 and p=0.000 provided strong evidence against the hypothesis that the items represented a unldimensional symptom scale. A series of negatively correlated Kerns suggested the presence of 2 or more dimensions in the data. Subsequently, 2 different morbidity variables satisfying minimum requirements for scaling data were identified. Kerns falling on both scales were found to be gender biased, meaning that the scales could only be used validly in gender-specific analyses. The findings illustrate multidimensionality and item bias hidden in additive symptom scales, problems that could seriously distort the findings of multivariate analyses using such scales.
Rat Cauda Epididymal Fluid is a Mucus

Immobilin, the highly viscoelastic glycoprotein isolated from rat cauda epididymal fluid, exhibits all of the key biochemical characteristics of a mucin: 1) it has a very high molecular weight (will not pass through a 10(6) dalton cut-off filter; 2) it contains 56% carbohydrate, with low or undetectable levels of mannose, xylose and uronic acid; 3) the carbohydrates (primarily galactose, N-acetylglucosamine and N-acetylgalactosamine) are arranged in short, oligosaccharide chains (4-20 monosaccharides per chain); 4) these oligosaccharide chains can be cleaved by NaOH in the presence of NaBH4, suggesting O-glycosidic linkages; and 5) the protein core is pronase-resistant. Immobilin, however, contains no detectable sialic acid, and 67% of the oligosaccharides are uncharged, indicating that immobilin is less acidic than most other mucins.
Determination of carbon and its radioactivity. IV. Transfer of CO2 to counting tubes without use of liquid nitrogen.

The method of Van Slyke, Steele, and Plazin for measur ing C0/sub 2/ in a manometric chamber and then passing the C0/sub 2/ into a Bernstein-Ballentine counter can be simplified by omission of chilling the counter in liquid nitrogen. Methane or P-10 gas (90% argon, 10% methane), passed first into the manometric chamber, then into the counter, completely washes C0/sub 2/ into the counter with the latter at room temperature. Applications in counting C/sup 14/0/sub 2/ are discussed. (C.H.)
A brief history of the coronin family.

What I’d like to do in this chapter is to share with you my recollections from the earliest days of coronin research and then to provide an overview of the still-developing story of this fascinating family of proteins.