cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Equilibrium Lattice Relaxation and Misfit Dislocations in Step-Graded In x Ga 1−x As/GaAs (001) and In x Al 1−x As/GaAs (001) Metamorphic Buffer Layers

The inclusion of metamorphic buffer layers (MBLs) in the design of lattice-mismatched semiconductor heterostructures is important in enhancing reliability and performance of optoelectronic and electronic devices through proper control of threading dislocations; threading dislocation can be reduced by allowing the distribution of the misfit dislocations throughout the MBL, rather than concentrating them at the interface where substrate defects and tangling can pin dislocations or otherwise reduce their mobility. Compositionally graded layers have been particularly used for this purpose and in this work we considered heterostructures involving a step-graded InxGa1−xAs or InxAl1−xAs epitaxial layer on a GaAs (001) substrate. For each structure type, we present minimum energy calculations including (i) the surface and (ii) average in-plane strain and (iii) the misfit dislocation density profile with various grading coefficients (thickness and indium composition variation). In both types of structures, the average in-plane strain and misfit dislocation density profile scale with the average grading coefficient, but InxAl1−xAs structures with a greater average elastic stiffness constants exhibit slightly higher average compressive in-plane strain (absolute valued) which is associated with higher misfit dislocation densities. However, the rate of change in the normalized relaxation percentage per unit thickness of each step with respect to the lattice mismatch of the step is lower in the InxAl1−xAs material system. The difference of the in-plane strain is small (<3%), however, so that these material systems are virtually interchangeable in terms of their mechanical behavior (<5.1% change in elastic constants).
Palladium(I)-Bridging Allyl Dimers for the Catalytic Functionalization of CO2

In general, the chemistry of both η1-allyl and η3-allyl Pd complexes is extremely well understood; η1-allyls are nucleophilic and react with electrophiles, whereas η3-allyls are electrophilic and react with nucleophiles. In contrast, relatively little is known about the chemistry of metal complexes with bridging allyl ligands. In this work, we describe a more efficient synthetic methodology for the preparation of PdI-bridging allyl dimers and report the first studies of their stoichiometric reactivity. Furthermore, we show that these compounds can activate CO2 and that an N-heterocyclic carbene-supported dimer is one of the most active and stable catalysts reported to date for the carboxylation of allylstannanes and allylboranes with CO2.
Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Ammonia on Transition-Metal Surfaces: A First-Principles Study

We investigate the catalytic electro-oxidation of ammonia on model close-packed surfaces of Au, Ag, Cu, Pd, Pt, Ni, Ir, Co, Rh, Ru, Os, and Re to derive insights for the reaction mechanism and evaluate the catalysts based on their energy efficiency and activity in the context of their application in fuel cells. Two mechanisms, which are differentiated by their N–N bond formation step, are compared: (1) a mechanism proposed by Gerischer and Mauerer, whereby the N–N bond formation occurs between hydrogenated NHx adsorbed species, and (2) a mechanism in which N–N bond formation occurs between N adatoms. The results of our study show that the mechanism proposed by Gerischer and Mauerer is kinetically preferred and that the formation of N adatoms poisons the surface of the catalyst. On the basis of a simple Sabatier analysis, we predict that Pt is the most active monometallic catalyst followed by Ir and Cu, whereas all other metal surfaces studied here have significantly lower activity. We conclude by outlinin...
Determination of clenbuterol hydrochloride in luncheon meat by SPE-HPLC with MCX column

Objective:To establish a method for determination of clenbuterol hydrochloride in luncheon meat by SPE-HPLC.Methods:The clenbuterol hydrochloride was extracted from the luncheon meat sample with 0.2mol/ L hydrochloric acid solution by ultrasonic extraction.Then potassium ferrocyanide and zinc acetate were added to precipitate the protein,starch and fat.Then MCX SPE column was used to purify and enrich the target analytes.The clenbuterol hydrochloride was separated on a Eclipse XDB-C18(4.6 mm × 150 mm × 8 μm) chromatographic column with 0.01 mol/ L NaH2PO4(pH = 6) :methanol = 65:35 as mobile phase at a flow rate of 1.0ml/ min,and detected with the DAD at wavelength of 210 nm.Results:Under this chromatographic condition,baseline was separated in 4.4 min,the RSD was 0.17%~0.24%,and the recoveries were 89.40%~97.62%.Conclusion:The method is simple,accurate,and it can be used to control meat product quality and security.
Posttranslational Modifications of the Amyloid Precursor Protein

Many studies have demonstrated the importance of amyloid precurser protein (APP) in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Nonetheless, the exact mechanism by which APP contributes to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease is still not clear. Because APP is a glycoprotein, and because glycosylation can be important in the cell biology of individual glycoproteins (for review, see refs. 1 and 2), it is possible that changes in APP glycosylation during development and aging are important in APP biosynthesis, proteolysis, and degradation. However, few studies have addressed this issue (3 -8). This chapter provides methods for analyzing the glycosylation of APP that is actively synthesized by living cells in tissue culture. These methods can be applied to primary cultures, continuous cell lines, and transfected cell lines expressing recombinant APP.
GABA as a trophic factor for developing monoamine neurons

GABA exerts a variety of trophic influences on developing brain cells, as reviewed in this issue. During early stages of brain development, GABAergic axons course through regions where other neurotransmitter phenotypes are being generated. This raises the question of whether GABA may influence the ontogeny of these neurotransmitter systems in the embryonic brain. The brainstem provides a good example of this relationship, since GABAergic axons pass through the anlage of the developing raphe nuclei when serotonergic (5-HT) neurons are just beginning to differentiate and migrate away from the ventricular zone. Evidence that GABA regulates development of these and adjacent noradrenergic neurons has recently been obtained using embryonic brainstem cultures, which contain differentiating 5-HT, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), and GABA neurons. These cultures also express multiple GABAA-receptor subunits that form functional GABAA/Cl- channels. GABAA receptor ligands produce differential effects on survival and growth of monoamine (5-HT, TH) and GABA neurons, and on expression of GABAA subunits in these cultures. These findings provide evidence that GABA can selectively regulate development of neurons of different neurotransmitter phenotypes, as well as developmental expression of its own receptors, and suggest that in utero exposure to GABAA receptor ligands could produce imbalances in monoaminergic versus GABAergic neurotransmission in the developing brain. Dieldrin, an organochlorine pesticide that acts as a GABAA antagonist, has potent effects on survival, and neurite outgrowth by 5-HT neurons, and GABAA subunit expression in brainstem cultures. Thus, maternal exposure to organochlorine pesticides could pose a risk to fetal brain development, especially during the first trimester of pregnancy.
Elimination of epithelial-like and mesenchymal-like breast cancer stem cells to inhibit metastasis following nanoparticle-mediated photothermal therapy

Increasing evidence suggesting breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) drive metastasis and evade traditional therapies underscores a critical need to exploit the untapped potential of nanotechnology to develop innovative therapies that will significantly improve patient survival. Photothermal therapy (PTT) to induce localized hyperthermia is one of few nanoparticle-based treatments to enter clinical trials in human cancer patients, and has recently gained attention for its ability to induce a systemic immune response targeting distal cancer cells in mouse models. Here, we first conduct classic cancer stem cell (CSC) assays, both in vitro and in immune-compromised mice, to demonstrate that PTT mediated by highly crystallized iron oxide nanoparticles effectively eliminates BCSCs in translational models of triple negative breast cancer. PTT in vitro preferentially targets epithelial-like ALDH + BCSCs, followed by mesenchymal-like CD44+/CD24- BCSCs, compared to bulk cancer cells. PTT inhibits BCSC self-renewal through reduction of mammosphere formation in primary and secondary generations. Secondary implantation in NOD/SCID mice reveals the ability of PTT to impede BCSC-driven tumor formation. Next, we explore the translational potential of PTT using metastatic and immune-competent mouse models. PTT to inhibit BCSCs significantly reduces metastasis to the lung and lymph nodes. In immune-competent BALB/c mice, PTT effectively eliminates ALDH + BCSCs. These results suggest the feasibility of incorporating PTT into standard clinical treatments such as surgery to enhance BCSC destruction and inhibit metastasis, and the potential of such combination therapy to improve long-term survival in patients with metastatic breast cancer.
Orders of Magnitude and Rates of Convergence

In many areas of mathematics the use of the O- and o-symbols of Landau is a great convenience. These give some quantitative meaning to the phrases “of the same order (of magnitude) as”, “of smaller order than”. Calculations using these symbols correctly are useful preliminaries to numerical work but, we shall see, can be misleading if not interpreted properly.
A rare hereditary disease: Muckle-Wells syndrome

Cryopyrin associated periodic syndrome (CAPS) is a dominantly-inherited autoinflammatory disease, which is included in the group of periodic fever syndromes. It is caused by a defect in the regulation of inflammatory cytokines, particularly interleukin-1β. CAPS encompasses a spectrum of three phenotypes of increasing severity: familial cold autoinflammatory syndrome, Muckle-Wells syndrome (MWS) and neonatal onset multisystem inflammatory disease. We report the case of a 58-year-old male, who had migratory joint pains, daily urticaria, chills, and episodic conjunctivitis since childhood and hearing loss in his 20s with a family history of similar symptoms. He was diagnosed with MWS after being found to have a R262W gene mutation in NLRP3 gene and successfully treated with canakinumab. After his discovery, other 1 st and 2 nd degree family members with similar complaints were found to have the same genetic mutation and were also successfully treated with canakinumab.
The Saddle-Point Theorem

In this chapter we present a second important illustration of the minimax method, the saddle-point theorem of Rabinowitz [64]. Since its proof uses the topological degree of Brouwer, we reserve this section for a brief presentation of this important topological tool and its main properties. The interested reader can see the details in [57].
Identification of global shoring effects on a laboratory steel frame

AbstractWith the current decaying condition of America’s infrastructure, more efficient inspection is essential. The combination of structural health monitoring data and data analysis tools could be a solution. In this study, laboratory data were captured for both a baseline bare-frame and a wooden wall reinforced steel structure. In-house software accomplishes an array of tasks, including signal processing and modal decomposition, in order to compare damage detection metrics in three dimensions. Both sequential and cumulative reinforcement detection was performed on the cases of a baseline configuration, a single reinforcing wall case, and a double reinforcing wall case. The coupled translational, twisting, and bending modes were employed by nine damage detection indices in three directions. Flexibility Percentage Difference performed relatively well, most often indicating both severity and location. While some metrics proved more effective than others, none were able to practically detect and locate cha...
Longitudinal Faculty Development Program to Promote Effective Observation and Feedback Skills in Direct Clinical Observation.

Introduction We developed a longitudinal faculty development program to maximize faculty training in direct clinical observation (DCO) and feedback, as there was a perceived need for higher quality...
Mail-Ordered Brides vs. Chinese Cyber-Matched Brides: Myths and Realities

International marriage between foreign women and American men, in which both parties engage in the process of correspondence through the internet and marry as a result of online dating, has rapidly flourished in the recent years. Are these cyber-matched brides (CMBs) similar to immigrant women, previously labeled as “mail-ordered-brides,” who were often the victims of spouse abuse? Using Chinese CMBs as a sample and the method of in-depth interview, this project explores four specific domains: (a) the demographic background of Chinese CMBs and their partners; (b) the unique situations and life experiences of their marriages; (c) the process of relational conflicts and their coping strategies; and (d) the explanations of their motivations, feelings, behaviors, and changes in their relationships. The study contributes to the literature by clarifying the myths about foreign brides as sex slaves and domestic servants, and American grooms as exploiters and abusers.
Emotion differentiation mediates the association between emotion regulation difficulties and caloric intake

Emotion differentiation is the ability to identify and label emotional experiences into discrete categories. The present study examined the influence of emotion regulation difficulties, emotion differentiation, and emotional state-specifically sad versus positive mood-on caloric intake in a laboratory setting. Undergraduate participants completed a series of questionnaires, including measures of emotion regulation difficulties and emotion differentiation, and then underwent a randomly assigned sad or positive mood induction. Afterwards, they participated in a taste test. Food was counted before and after the taste test to determine total caloric intake. Results showed that negative emotion differentiation was significantly inversely associated with overall caloric intake, such that low negative emotion differentiators ate more regardless of mood induction group. Positive emotion differentiation was not associated with caloric intake. Additional analysis found that negative emotion differentiation mediated the relation between emotion regulation difficulties and caloric intake. An alternative model found that emotion regulation difficulties did not mediate the relation between negative emotion differentiation and caloric intake. Our results suggest that reducing caloric intake among individuals with emotion regulation difficulties may involve incorporating strategies to specifically target the ability to differentiate between emotions.
Feminist and Transgender Tensions: An Inquiry into History, Methodological Paradigms, and Embodiment

When we carry out analyses of gender and embodiment, the paradigms we employ can determine our outcomes—often in exclusive ways. While many feminists have demonstrated that philosophical paradigms can contain masculine or normative bias, Vivane Namaste has criticized gender theorists in a similar way: By abstracting the question of “gender” from economic and social factors, theorists have neglected essential aspects of transgender experience. Building upon Namaste’s insight, I wish to examine four paradigms that have been employed to analyze gender and embodiment: sex/gender, queer, phenomenology, and transfeminism. While doing so, I will indicate how the limitations of certain methods affect their analyses, especially in light of transgender experience, and how engaging two or more approaches together could offset the shortcomings of each taken alone.
Geographic applications program: Reports completed and in preparation

The purpose of the present compilation is to bring together for ready reference a list of all reports, both completed and in preparation, resulting from NASA sponsorship of the geography program. Wherever possible, complete bibliographic citations are given. Since some of the 141 reports listed are not yet completed, citations can not all be in complete form. The reason for including incomplete citations is the sponsor's need for rather rapid feed-back of information so that it can have a bearing on on-going program planning. This should, therefore, be considered a working bibliography.
Sporadic Homogeneous Structures

We discuss Lachlan’s classification theory for finite homogeneous structures and related problems on finite permutation groups. Lachlan’s theory provides a hierarchy of classifications in which structures which are “sporadic”in one context reappear as members of infinite families at later stages. Every finite structure is accounted for at some level in this hierarchy, but for structures associated with familiar primitive permutation groups, the combinatorial problem of locating that level precisely can be quite challenging.
Intelligent packaging to enhance food safety and quality

Abstract: Intelligent packaging is an emerging technology that uses the communication function of the package to facilitate decision making in order to achieve the benefits of enhanced food quality and safety. This chapter introduces the basic concept of intelligent packaging and describes a conceptual framework of intelligent decision support system to minimize microbial hazards of food.
A theory of follicular dendritic cell origin

The currently favored follicular dendritic cell (FDC) derivation theory holds that FDC are of local origin, probably developing from fibroblastic or primitive reticular cells (Kamperdijk et al. 1978; Groscurth 1980; Heusermann et al. 1980a,b; Imai et al. 1983; Dijkstra etal. 1984; Humphrey etal. 1984) or from mesenchymal cells (pericytes around capillaries) found locally in follicles (Rademakers etal. 1988). In early studies, FDC were identified as a reticular cell type (Mitchell and Abbot 1965; Szakal and Hanna 1968), primarily on account of the similarities between reticular cell and FDC nuclei. Both cell types possess a highly euchromatic nucleus with some marginated chromatin. However, the nuclei of FDC tend to be more pleomorphic and to exhibit a greater variety of nuclear shapes, lobations, and numbers of nuclei. Cells identified by electron microscopic antigen localizations as FDC were occasionally also shown to be closely associated with reticular fibers (Mitchell and Abbot 1965; Dijkstra etal. 1984). Humphrey etal. (1984) reported that FDC in bone marrow chimeras were of the host phenotype, which further strengthened the belief that FDC are of local derivation. Our report on antigen transport in the lymph node (Szakal et al. 1983) suggested that antigen-transporting cells (ATC) were pre-FDC, originating outside of the lymph node. We thus began to question the FDC local origin theory. In addition to the descriptive antigen transport data, we obtained supporting data from experiments conducted with bone marrow chimeras (Kapasi et al. 1993).
Trpv1 and trpm8 channels and nocifensive behavior in a rat model for dry eye

Purpose Persistent ocular surface pain occurs in moderate to severe dry eye disease (DE); however, the mechanisms that underlie this symptom remain uncertain. The aim of this study was to determine if the transient receptor potential vanilloid ion channels play a role in hypertonic saline (HS)-evoked corneal reflexes in a model for aqueous tear deficient DE. Methods Eye wipe behavior and orbicularis oculi muscle activity (OOemg) were measured after ocular instillation of HS, capsaicin, or menthol 14 days after exorbital gland removal. Total RNA and protein were measured from anterior eye segment and trigeminal ganglia of sham and DE rats. Results Eye wipe behavior was enhanced in DE rats after HS and capsaicin instillation, but not after menthol when compared to sham rats. DE rats displayed greater OOemg activity after HS and capsaicin, but not after menthol, compared to sham rats. HS-evoked OOemg activity was reduced by selective TRPV1 antagonists and by coapplication of capsaicin plus QX-314, a charged lidocaine derivative. Menthol did not affect OOemg activity; however, selective antagonism of TRPM8 reduced HS-evoked OOemg activity. TRPV1 protein levels were increased in anterior eye segment and trigeminal ganglion samples from DE rats, whereas TRPM8 levels were not affected. Conclusions These results suggest that TRPV1 plays a significant role in mediating enhanced nocifensive behavior in DE, while TRPM8 may play a lesser role. Strategies to target specific transducer molecules on corneal nerves may prove beneficial as adjunct therapies in managing ocular pain in moderate to severe cases of DE.
Aneurysm Treatment with Flow Diverters

Flow diversion is a novel treatment for brain aneurysms that works by redirecting blood flow away from the aneurysm. By placing a stent in the parent vessel that covers more of the opening to the aneurysm with mesh than traditional stents, blood flow is redirected away from entering the aneurysm. The blood within the aneurysm then stagnates and undergoes thrombosis. Over time, a new endothelium develops across the neck, thereby reconstructing the parent vessel and curing the aneurysm. There are several known rare complications associated with this treatment modality and a growing understanding of how to avoid them. For one, ischemic events can occur and are related to either thromboembolism or perforator vessel occlusion. Also, hemorrhagic events can occur unpredictably at distant sites, or even from the target aneurysm. Finally, aneurysm persistence following treatment is an infrequent event but can occur and place patients at risk for future aneurysm rupture. Flow diversion is an effective method to treat many types of brain aneurysms, and a focus on complication avoidance is necessary to make it an even safer option for patients.
Predictors of reliably high-value end-of-life care.

Purpose of reviewCare near the end of life is expensive and frequently not aligned with the expressed preferences of decedents, creating an opportunity to improve value, or increase quality while lowering cost. This review examines publications from 2017 and 2018 on interventions and policies associ
The Surgical Treatment of Pericardial Disease: The Robotic Approach

Surgery on the pericardium has been relegated to a median sternotomy, open thoracotomy and subxiphoid laparotomy approach. Video-assisted or thoracoscopic techniques may present some limitations in some patients. The robotic approach described in this chapter provides sufficient information to perform a safe and efficient procedure. The anesthetic management, the progress of the procedure and the placement of 3–4 puncture wounds and their position on the chest wall are described.
Dependence of the Solubility of Basic Copper Acetate on the Concentration of the Solution and the pH of the Suspension

Physicochemical equilibria in an aqueous suspension of basic copper acetate are studied via ion-selective potentiometry at 20°С. Equations are obtained that link the solubility product for basic copper acetate to the total content of copper in the solution and the pH of the suspension.
Solver and Backsolver New additions to the manager's computerized tool kit

This article describes and illustrates the use of two spreadsheet problem-solving tools— Solver and Backsolver. These tools are available in high-end software spreadsheet packages such as Lotus 1-2-3 for Windows and Excel for Windows. The illustrations and examples pro­ vided in this article use 1-2-3 for Windows and Windows 3.1 as the operating platform. Any business owner using a DOS based operating system and the Windows Graphical User Inter­ face has access to the Solver and Backsolver. Both tools utilize a form of what-if analysis. Traditional what-if analysis requires that the business owner manually alter the contents of a spreadsheet cell and observe the effects on other dependent cells. This is a trial and error approach, whereas Solver and Backsolver work from the other direction by asking the business owner to specify a goal. The Solver and Backsolver will automatically adjust one or more input cells in order to reach the goal. HISTORY Solver and Backsolver borrow from the academic fields of management science and op­ erations research. Management science and operations research utilize mathematical techniques to help managers analyze decisions in a rational and scientific manner. Solver and Backsolver are not substitutes for the judgment and experience of management. The Solver and Backsolver techniques do not make decisions or solve problems by themselves. They can aid the business owner by providing automated analysis of certain types of business problems. Solver uses the mathematical techniques of linear and nonlinear programming. Linear or nonlinear program­ ming uses optimization techniques to allocate scarce resources between competing products or projects in order to maximize profits or minimize costs.
The Carbon Content of Earth and Its Core

Earth's core is likely the largest reservoir of carbon (C) in the planet, but its C abundance has been poorly constrained because measurements of carbon's preference for core versus mantle materials at the pressures and temperatures of core formation are lacking. Using metal-silicate partitioning experiments in a laser-heated diamond anvil cell, we show that carbon becomes significantly less siderophile as pressures and temperatures increase to those expected in a deep magma ocean during formation of Earth's core. Based on a multistage model of core formation, the core likely contains a maximum of 0.09(4) to 0.20(10) wt% C, making carbon a negligible contributor to the core's composition and density. However, this accounts for ∼80 to 90% of Earth's overall carbon inventory, which totals 370(150) to 740(370) ppm. The bulk Earth's carbon/sulfur ratio is best explained by the delivery of most of Earth's volatiles from carbonaceous chondrite-like precursors.
Predictive model of preoperative blood preparation for transfusion in isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery

Introduction Patients undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) at our heart centre require two packed red blood cells (RBC) pre-operatively based on the data from Maximum Surgical Blood Order Schedule (MSBOS). Transfusion-related mortality and morbidity have been shown to be dose dependent, suggesting that the lowest effective number of units should be transfused. Pre-operative identification of patient's characteristic requiring blood transfusion during procedure will allow for better utilization of blood, reduce wastage and increase cost efficiency. We aim to define a set of parameters to indicate necessity for blood transfusion hence, consideration will be given to supply one instead of two packed RBC to patients who do not require transfusion. Methods This cross-sectional study obtained integrated data-set from the hospital information system and clinical database (Cardio thoracic Surgery Registry) from January 2015 to December 2018. A total of 4,646 patients who underwent isolated CABG were included in this study and 28 independent predictors associated with transfusion were identified and analyzed. A predictive model for preoperative requirement of blood transfusion was developed using logistic regression and machine learning approach ie; Decision tree, Logistic Regression, KNN, Naive Bayes, Gradient Boosted Tree, and Random Forest using RapidMiner. Results In 2015-2018, only 25.7% of patients utilized two packed RBC's whereas 20.2% utilized only one for blood transfusion during procedure. The remainder 54.1% of non-utilized blood were returned to the blood bank within 48 hours. Logistic regression and machine learning algorithm unveiled similar significant predictors to predict the requirement of blood transfusion pre-operatively. There are 24 significant predictors identified from the highest accuracy algorithm which is Random Forest (99.78%), as compared to others machine learning approaches particularly the Decision Tree 79.55%, Logistic Regression 85.25, KNN 75.35%, Naive Bayes 79.76%, and Gradient Boosted Tree 83.32%. Discussion A clinical predictive model was developed for preoperative risk stratification of patients requiring blood transfusion and to further assist clinicians for better utilization of blood bank resources. Variables significantly associated with blood transfusion were female gender, EF 40 serum creatinine>100mmol/L, and previous cardiac procedures. This tool may prospectively optimize the ordering of blood with the potential to reduce adverse events and costs related to transfusion in the future. However, for the consideration to supply only one packed RBC in retrospect to patients who do not require transfusion, more data and predictors should be added in this study.
277 Combined neoadjuvant chemo-immunotherapy therapy achieves superior downstaging of resectable non-small cell lung cancer as compared to chemotherapy, mono or dual immunotherapy

Background Tumor and nodal downstaging following neoadjuvant therapy in resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are important markers of therapeutic response associated with favorable prognosis. We studied the impact of four different systemic neoadjuvant therapies on tumor, nodal and overall pathological downstaging of surgically resectable I-IIIA NSCLC (AJCC 7th edition). Methods Our study cohorts consisted of NSCLC patients treated with three cycles of neoadjuvant platinum doublet chemotherapy from 2001–2012 (N=302, 84%), and patients treated on the NEOSTAR study (NCT03158129) who received neoadjuvant nivolumab (N=21,6%), nivolumab plus ipilimumab (N=16, 4%), or platinum doublet chemotherapy plus nivolumab (N=22, 6%). Clinical and pathological (yp) T and N staging were evaluated for downstaging and upstaging; differences were assessed using Fisher’s exact test. Results Following neoadjuvant platinum doublet chemotherapy, nivolumab, nivolumab plus ipilimumab and platinum doublet chemotherapy plus nivolumab, the rates of clinical-to-pathological ypT downstaging were 26% (N=79), 29% (N=6), 38% (N=6) and 59% (N=13), respectively, p =0.012 (table 1). The rates of clinical-to-pathological ypN downstaging in patients with clinical N1 or N2 disease with each therapy were 55% (N=96), 50% (N=3), 50% (N=2), and 42% (N=5) respectively, p =0.862. Overall clinical-to-pathological (ypT and/or ypN) downstaging rates were 38% (N=114), 38% (N=8), 38% (N=6), and 68% (N=15) respectively, p=0.048. The proportions of patients being overall upstaged following each therapy were 28% (N=85), 38% (N=8), 38% (N=6) and 14% (N=3), respectively, p=0.251. These results suggest superior downstaging effect and clinically meaningful lower upstaging probability of combined platinum doublet chemotherapy plus nivolumab as compared to other neoadjuvant regimens. Conclusions The combination of neoadjuvant platinum doublet chemotherapy with nivolumab achieves the most robust tumor and overall pathological downstaging and decreases the probability of upstaging at surgery. Whether the overall downstaging effect results in improved survival will be determined with longer follow-up, in conjunction with results from ongoing phase III neoadjuvant chemo-immunotherapy trials. Trial Registration NCT03158129 Ethics Approval This study was approved by the University of Texas MD Anderson Institutional Review Board with a waiver of informed consent, protocol 2020-0337.
COVID-19 and violence against children: A review of early studies.

Abstract Background Throughout the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers across the globe have attempted to understand how the health and socioeconomic crisis brought about by the coronavirus is affecting children’s exposure to violence. Since containment measures have disrupted many data collection and research efforts, studies have had to rely on existing data or design new approaches to gathering relevant information. Objective This article reviews the literature that has been produced on children’s exposure to violence during the pandemic to understand emerging patterns and critically appraise methodologies to help inform the design of future studies. The article concludes with recommendations for future research. Participants and Setting The study entailed a search of working papers, technical reports, and journal articles. Methods The search used a combination of search terms to identify relevant articles and reports published between March 1 and December 31, 2020. The sources were assessed according to scope and study design. Results The review identified 48 recent working papers, technical reports, and journal articles on the impact of COVID-19 on violence against children. In terms of scope and methods, the review led to three main findings: 1) Studies have focused on physical or psychological violence at home and less attention has been paid to other forms of violence against children, 2) most studies have relied on administrative records, while other data sources, such as surveys or big data, were less commonly employed, and 3) different definitions and study designs were used to gather data directly, resulting in findings that are hardly generalizable. With respect to children’s experience of violence, the review led to four main findings: 1) Studies found a decrease in police reports and referrals to child protective services, 2) mixed results were found with respect to the number of calls to police or domestic violence helplines, 3) articles showed an increase in child abuse-related injuries treated in hospitals, and 4) surveys reported an increase in family violence. Conclusions This review underscores the persistent challenges affecting the availability and quality of data on violence against children, including the absence of standards for measuring this sensitive issue as well as the limited availability of baseline data. Future research on COVID-19 and violence against children should address some of the gaps identified in this review.
Utility of telemedicine in pediatric rheumatology during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine has provided an alternative to in-person visits for patients practicing social distancing and undergoing quarantine. During this time, there has been a rapid expansion of telemedicine and its implementation in various clinical specialties and settings. In this observational study we aim to examine the utility of telemedicine in a pediatric rheumatology clinic, for 3 months during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A review of outpatient pediatric rheumatology telemedicine encounters were conducted from April-June 2020. Telemedicine visits (n = 75) were compared to patients seen in practice over the prior year in office-based visits (March 2019-March 2020) (n = 415). Patient characteristics, information on no-show visits, completed visits, new patient or follow-up status, and if new patients had received a visit within 2 weeks of calling to schedule an appointment were analyzed by chart review. An independent sample t-test and Chi Square statistic was used to determine statical significance between the two groups. A two-proportion z-test was used to compare visit metrics. RESULTS: The percentage of new patients utilizing telemedicine (60%) was lower and statistically significant compared to the percentage of new patient office visits (84%) the previous year (p < 0.0001). There was no change in no-show rate between groups and patient characteristics were similar. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates a statistically significant decrease in new patient visits during the pandemic with telemedicine-only appointments compared to in-office visits over the previous year. This suggests a possible hesitation to seek care during this time. However, there was no significant difference among patient characteristics between telemedicine visits during the pandemic and during in-office visits in the previous year. In our experience, patient visits were able to be conducted via telemedicine with a limited physical exam using caregiver's help during the pandemic. However, further studies will need to ascertain patient satisfaction and preference for telemedicine in the future.
A Versatile Polypharmacology Platform Promotes Cytoprotection and Viability of Human Pluripotent and Differentiated Cells

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) are capable of extensive self-renewal yet remain highly sensitive to environmental perturbations in vitro, posing challenges to their therapeutic use. There is an urgent need to advance strategies that ensure safe and robust long-term growth and functional differentiation of these cells. Here, we deployed high-throughput screening strategies to identify a small-molecule cocktail that improves viability of hPSCs and their differentiated progeny. The combination of chroman 1, emricasan, polyamines, and trans-ISRIB (CEPT) enhanced cell survival of genetically stable hPSCs by simultaneously blocking several stress mechanisms that otherwise compromise cell structure and function. CEPT provided strong improvements for several key applications in stem-cell research, including routine cell passaging, cryopreservation of pluripotent and differentiated cells, embryoid body (EB) and organoid formation, single-cell cloning, and genome editing. Thus, CEPT represents a unique poly-pharmacological strategy for comprehensive cytoprotection, providing a rationale for efficient and safe utilization of hPSCs.
Divergent controls of soil organic carbon between observations and process-based models

The storage and cycling of soil organic carbon (SOC) are governed by multiple co-varying factors, including climate, plant productivity, edaphic properties, and disturbance history. Yet, it remains unclear which of these factors are the dominant predictors of observed SOC stocks, globally and within biomes, and how the role of these predictors varies between observations and process-based models. Here we use global observations and an ensemble of soil biogeochemical models to quantify the emergent importance of key state factors – namely, mean annual temperature, net primary productivity, and soil mineralogy – in explaining biome- to global-scale variation in SOC stocks. We use a machine-learning approach to disentangle the role of covariates and elucidate individual relationships with SOC, without imposing expected relationships a priori. While we observe qualitatively similar relationships between SOC and covariates in observations and models, the magnitude and degree of non-linearity vary substantially among the models and observations. Models appear to overemphasize the importance of temperature and primary productivity (especially in forests and herbaceous biomes, respectively), while observations suggest a greater relative importance of soil minerals. This mismatch is also evident globally. However, we observe agreement between observations and model outputs in select individual biomes – namely, temperate deciduous forests and grasslands, which both show stronger relationships of SOC stocks with temperature and productivity, respectively. This approach highlights biomes with the largest uncertainty and mismatch with observations for targeted model improvements. Understanding the role of dominant SOC controls, and the discrepancies between models and observations, globally and across biomes, is essential for improving and validating process representations in soil and ecosystem models for projections under novel future conditions.
BLOCKAGE WITH A FREE SURFACE

The occurrence of blockage, or a jump in the velocity potential between the upstream and downstream infinities, is well known for steady two-dimensional flow past a body in a rigid channel. This paper considers the analogous situation where there is a free surface, as in the wave resistance problem for submerged two-dimensional bodies in a fluid of finite depth. It is shown that blockage occurs in spite of the free surface, taking values which depend not only on the dipole moment but also upon the Froude number based on depth. The occurrence of blockage, in the present context, has a bearing primarily upon the correct formulation of far-field radiation conditions for steady flows with finite depth.
Morphology of the foramen magnum in syndromic and non-syndromic brachycephaly—authors' reply.

Dear Editor, We would like to thank Drs. Coll and Di Rocco for their comments and have acknowledged their prior longstanding work in the field in our paper. As far as the comments on employing a similar method to their use of non-parametric statistics, actually that was not what was done or intended. After the acquired data did not meet the underlying requirements to use more powerful parametric statistics, such as normality of distribution, etc., unfortunately, we were forced to use non-parametric statistics. And in using non-parametric statistics, we actually used the much more appropriate Kruskal-Wallis statistic with a post hoc test for comparing multiple groups rather than doing multiple paired MannWhitney tests. Assessing orthogonal diameters is quite standard in anatomic measurements of various body regions. Our primary measure was the surface area of the foramen magnum, not the anteroposterior and transverse diameters. Measuring these diameters served mostly to assess the change in shape of the foramen magnum, particularly via changes in the AP-to-transverse ratio. Use of local regression plots is also rather widely used in plotting anatomic growth patterns over time. On the other hand, we completely agree with their conjecture that having a full genetic analysis would result in a more homogenous population and more accurate classification of abnormalities. Unfortunately, not all of our patients had genetic confirmation. Nevertheless, they had been evaluated and diagnosed by an experienced multidisciplinary team at a large referral pediatric craniofacial surgery center. None of the isolated bicoronal synostosis cases were familial. We are aware of the fact that CSF shunting may lead to secondary closure of some of the calvarial sutures. We did not include these patients in the study as we perhaps thought that this was rather self-evident and therefore regret that it was not explicitly mentioned. As for the statement about age disparity in the study being a limitation, we actually preferred including patients of different ages with their age-matched controls to assess the morphology over a wider age range despite introducing some potential complexity. Also, as for the comment that a smaller foramen magnum being statistically associated with hydrocephalus in Pfeiffer and Crouzon syndromes, but not in Apert syndrome, this is an observation that certainly requires further evaluation and confirmation in future studies. We are happy that our work by and large confirms and extends the work previously done in this area by evaluating a larger group of patients and larger number of disorders, thus adding to the growing literature on complex skull base changes in craniosynostosis.
Detection and Characterization of Singlet Oxygen

Light and oxygen are toxic. Environmental chemicals or natural cell constituents that absorb light (such as porphyrins or flavins) can “sensitize” organisms to damage. Examples in man include photosensitive porphyrias, drug photosensitivity, and photoallergy. Aging of sun-exposed skin, cataract induction, and photocarcinogenesis may be caused by related chemical mechanisms. Damage to organisms caused by light and oxygen in the presence of dyes or pigments is called “photodynamic action”; damage to biological target molecules includes enzyme deactivation (through destruction of specific amino acids, particularly methionine, histidine, and tryptophan), nucleic acid oxidation (primarily guanine), and membrane damage (unsaturated fatty acids and cholesterol are targets). There are many naturally-occurring photodynamic sensitizers that can cause harm to humans, mammals, or plants: for example, porphyrins from blood or chlorophyll, the plant toxin hypericin, the fungal pigment cercosporin, and several polyacetylene derivatives.
Disabilities: Best Practices for Vulnerabilities Associated with the ADA

The purpose of this chapter is to present strategies for preventing and quickly correcting legal vulnerabilities associated with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) as amended by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA). To this end, there are three major content areas that serve as a basis for five best practices. The content areas are the definition of the protected class, prehire inquiries, and reasonable accommodation. The best practices are use of job analysis, use of realistic job previews, properly defining what is “reasonable” in reasonable accommodations, proper use of the interactive process between employers and applicants and employees, and use of a trained equal employment opportunity (EEO) officer.
Modifications of hydrosiloxane polymers for coating applications

An alternative approach to the formation of resins by hydrolysis-condensation reactions has been developed and evaluated. It combines the use of inexpensive polysiloxanes and transition metal catalysts to easily modify polymers in a one-pot reaction. Polyhydridomethylsiloxane (PHMS) serves as the base polymer, and it can be cured or modified by dehydrocoupling or a combination of hydrosilylation-dehydrocoupling reactions, both catalysed by transition metal catalysts (Pt and Ru). The modified polymers are linear and contain very high mol% of Si-OH and combinations of Si-OH and Si-OR pendant groups. These groups assist the bonding to surfaces when the modified polymers are deposited as coatings. They then cure by condensation and hydrolysis-condensation reactions, catalysed by both acids and bases. The modified polymers are used for low-temperature paintlike applications, especially where ambient curing is desirable. This article discusses modifications of PHMS for coating applications and describes potential coating applications and typical coating strategies.
WE-B-BRD-00: MRI for Radiation Oncology

The use of MRI in radiation therapy is rapidly increasing. Applications vary from the MRI simulator, to the MRI fused with CT, and to the integrated MRI+RT system. Compared with the standard MRI QA, a broader scope of QA features has to be defined in order to maximize the benefits of using MRI in radiation therapy. These QA features include geometric fidelity, image registration, motion management, cross-system alignment, and hardware interference. Advanced MRI techniques require a specific type of QA, as they are being widely used in radiation therapy planning, dose calculations, post-implant dosimetry, and prognoses. A vigorous and adaptive QA program is crucial to defining the responsibility of the entire radiation therapy group and detecting deviations from the performance of high-quality treatment. As a drastic departure from CT simulation, MRI simulation requires changes in the work flow of treatment planning and image guidance. MRI guided radiotherapy platforms are being developed and commercialized to take the advantage of the advance in knowledge, technology and clinical experience. This symposium will from an educational perspective discuss the scope and specific issues related to MRI guided radiotherapy. Learning Objectives: 1. Understand the difference between a standard and a radiotherapy-specific MRI QA program. 2. Understand the effects of MRI artifacts (geometric distortion and motion) on radiotherapy. 3. Understand advanced MRI techniques (ultrashort echo, fast MRI including dynamic MRI and 4DMRI, diffusion, perfusion, and MRS) and related QA. 4. Understand the methods to prepare MRI for treatment planning (electron density assignment, multimodality image registration, segmentation and motion management). 5. Current status of MRI guided treatment platforms. Dr. Jihong Wang has a research grant with Elekta-MRL project. Dr. Ke Sheng receives research grants from Varian Medical systems.