cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of total radiotherapy dose on survival for head and neck Merkel cell carcinoma after resection

Background Head and neck Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is commonly treated with surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) for high-risk features. The optimal radiation dose is unknown. Methods One thousand six hundred twenty-five eligible patients with head and neck MCC were identified in the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB). Radiation dose was divided into 3 groups: 30 to 55-70 Gy. Cox regression was used to compare overall survival (OS) between groups, accounting for age, sex, stage, surgery type, margin status, comorbidities, and use of chemotherapy. Results With a median follow-up of 33.5 months, 3-year OS was 48.9%, 70.3%, and 58.7% for 30 to 55-70 Gy, respectively (P 55-70 Gy (adjusted HR 1.21; 95% CI 1.0-1.46; P = .06) were associated with worse survival. Conclusion Adjuvant radiation doses within 50-55 Gy may be optimal for head and neck MCC.
“La gran tribulación de Apocalipsis 7:13, 14

Este breve articulo expone el concepto de “gran tribulacion” en el libro de Apocalipsis. Empieza con un analisis contextual del texto y luego se centra en conocer quienes son las personas que pasaran por la “gran tribulacion” en relacion con la “gran multitud”.
Surface Processing by a Pulsed Laser

The pulsed laser approach to surface glazing is analyzed. A heat transfer model is used to evaluate the melt depth and temperature obtained with different laser inputs. Laser parameters such as pulse shape and duration are discussed in terms of energy efficiency and molten material behaviour. Results obtained by surface melting of either uncoated or coated surfaces with a pulsed CO2-TEA laser are discussed. Bulk samples are surface melted while coatings are either shallow or fully densified. Optical integration methods to improve the laser beam coupling efficiency, uniformity and process monitoring reliability are presented. The possibility of real-time thermographic evaluation during the pulsed laser treatment is analyzed.
Intrinsicness, Self-Actualization, and the Ideological Surround:

Previous data have suggested that observation of positive relationships between self-actualization and intrinsic religiosity may be made difficult by an antireligious, humanistic element within sel...
“No Prejudice Here”: Examining Social Identity Work in Starter Pack Memes:

As a performance venue, online social spaces afford users a variety of ways to express themselves. Many of these expressions include social identity work, such as the articulation, affirmation, or ...
Playability as Realism

In this essay I discuss how realism operates to constrain games, especially role-playing games, that take place in a fantasy milieu. The design of these games involves tradeoffs between two values, which are sometimes labeled “realism” and “playability”. These values are ordinarily understood to be wholly independent and competing. Using resources drawn from John Rawls's conception of political theory as a search for a “realistic utopia”, I show how these values can instead be understood as aspects of the more general value of creating and conceiving a realistic fantasy through the medium of game play. I also explain how realism operates differently as a constraint on tabletop role-playing games from how it operates in realistic video games and live-action role-playing.
An ALE/embedded boundary method for two-material flow simulations

Abstract We present a computational framework that combines an embedded boundary method and an arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian (ALE) method for multi-material flow computations of compressible fluids. The methodology is presented for two-material flows and one-material flow with moving boundaries, whereas the concept extends easily to multiple immiscible fluids. The proposed method is capable of handling geometrically complex material interfaces on moving grids and is suitable for multi-material flow computations in the context of ALE shock hydrodynamics. Furthermore, it can serve as the underlying framework for multi-fluid/structure interaction, where a portion of the boundary of a computational domain for a fluid mixture deforms according to the solid domain motion. Specifically, we use a variational multiscale stabilized finite element method to update the fluid state of each material, and define ghost values to enforce the transmission condition at the embedded material interface, which is captured using a level-set approach. Two different strategies to populate ghost values are considered and compared in extensive benchmark numerical tests: simple constant extrapolation and a multi-material Riemann solver, respectively.
Recycling of aluminum metal matrix composite using ionic liquids:: Effect of process variables on current efficiency and deposit characteristics

Abstract Recycling of aluminum metal matrix composite via electrolysis in ionic liquids at low-temperature was investigated. The electrolytic melt comprised of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BMIC) and anhydrous AlCl3. Aluminum metal matrix composite (Duralcan®, Al-380, 20 vol.% SiC) was electrochemically dissolved at the anode, and pure aluminum (>98%) was deposited on a copper cathode. The influence of experimental parameters such as concentration of electrolyte and applied cell voltage on the efficiency of aluminum metal matrix composite recycling was studied at 103 ± 2 °C. High applied voltages and concentration of AlCl3 yielded high current densities. Current densities obtained during this process were in the range of 200–500 A/m2 and current efficiencies in the range of 70–90%. The deposits were characterized by scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffractometer, mass spectrometer, and atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Characteristics of the deposited microstructure ranging from columnar to spherical were obtained. Energy consumption was in the range of 3.2–6.7 kWh/kg-Al for the experimental conditions studied. The optimum conditions obtained in the present investigation for maximum current efficiency and least energy consumption with uniform deposit microstructure were low applied voltage and intermediate electrolyte concentration. Low energy consumption and no emission of pollutants are the two main advantages of this process compared to the current recycling processes.
Cerebral Ischemia: Pathophysiology and Neuroprotection

The high incidence and significant neurological morbidity in patients with cardiovascular disease emphasize our urgent need to understand the pathophysiology of cerebral ischemic injury and to develop mechanistically-oriented means of neuroprotection. Cerebral ischemia is simplistically defined as inadequate delivery of oxygen and substrate to brain tissue relative to its needs. The brain is considerably vulnerable to short periods of ischemia, although some neuronal populations can survive 30 minutes of loss of oxygenation. As blood flow to the brain decreases, numerous well-described compensatory mechanisms are entrained, including initially cerebral vasodilation and increased oxygen extraction. Once the increase in extraction can no longer maintain oxidative metabolism, increases in brain lactate level, decreases in brain pH and in high energy phosphates are striking [1, 2]. As brain blood flow falls below 20 ml/min/100g tissue, marked abnormalities in electroencephalogram (EEG) and somatosensory evoked potentials occur, and surges in extracellular neurotransmitter levels such as glutamate can be detected. However, only modest decreases in adenosine triphosphate (ATP) occur at this level of cerebral ischemia, because the decrease in spontaneous electrical activity acts to conserve energy. Typically, energy failure and reduction of cortical ATP are evident only when cerebral blood flow (CBF) is reduced to below 10–12 ml/min/100g. Energy failure precipitates cell membrane depolarization, accompanied by loss of transmembrane ion gradients, i.e., potassium efflux and sodium and calcium intracellular influx.
Threshold assignment algorithm

The paper presents a new polynomially bounded assignment algorithm, called the threshold assignment algorithm. The algorithm is based on a new theorem concerning label-correcting shortest path algorithms. Preliminary computational findings indicate that the threshold assignment algorithm is much faster than the primal simplex algorithm for solving assignment problems.
Advanced Space Photovoltaic Technology

Solar arrays have been the predominate power sources in space for over thirty years, beginning with the launch of the first U.S. solar powered satellite in 1958 [Ref. 1] . Since that time, hundreds of kilowatts of solar power have been placed in orbit on commercial, civilian and military satellites, and small arrays have been transported and left behind on the surfaces of the Moon and Mars. At least one photovoltaic array has been in orbit for nearly two decades, and is still functional [Ref. 2]. Solar cell efficiencies on the earliest arrays were low, typically around 10%, and much had to be learned about the survivability of solar cells in the space environment. Enormous progress has been made since 1958, both in our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms which limit solar cell efficiency and lifetime, and in our ability to turn that understanding into real system improvements. In the pages that follow we will describe the technologies presently being pursued by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to develop advanced solar cells and arrays, and discuss briefly the improved system capabilities which should result.
The New Financial Capitalists: Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and the Creation of Corporate Value

Kohlberg Kravis Roberts's approach to leveraged buyouts was an important aspect of the corporate restructuring and governance reforms in the American economy from the mid-1970s through 1990. During that period, KKR crafted a series of progressively more elaborate deals tailored to specific companies and market conditions. Through its creative debt financing and its relationships with an evolving cast of investors, companies, and managers, KKR drove the scale and scope of the buyout phenomenon to unprecedented highs. This book, first published in 1999, examines KKR's record in detail. Based upon interviews with partners of the firm and on unprecedented access to KKR's records, George Baker and George Smith have written a balanced and enlightening account of how KKR has approached LBOs. The book focuses on KKR's founding, evolution, and innovations as ways to understand issues in modern American business. In examining KKR as a unique form of enterprise, the book bridges the gap between public perception and academic knowledge of the leveraged buyout.
Collecting an american sign language corpus through the participation of native signers

Animations of American Sign Language (ASL) can make more information, websites, and services accessible for the significant number of deaf people in the United States with lower levels of written language literacy - ultimately leading to fuller social inclusion for these users. We are collecting and analyzing an ASL motion-capture corpus of multi-sentential discourse to seek computational models of various aspects of ASL linguistics to enable us to produce more accurate and understandable ASL animations. In this paper, we will describe our motion-capture studio configuration, our data collection procedure, and the linguistic annotations being added by our research team of native ASL signers. This paper will identify the most effective prompts we have developed for collecting non-scripted ASL passages in which signers use particular linguistic constructions that we wish to study. This paper also describes the educational outreach and social inclusion aspects of our project - the participation of many deaf participants, researchers, and students.
Learning from Nature’s Experiments on the Thyroid Hormone Receptor; X-Ray Structures of RTH Mutant Ligand-Binding Domains

The syndrome of resistance to thyroid hormone (RTH) is characterized by unresponsiveness to thyroid hormone by the product(s) of one of the human thyroid hormone receptor-β (hTR β) genes. It is an uncommon disorder, but thyroid hormone receptor-β (hTR β) genes. It is an uncommon disorder, but nonetheless one that requires diagnosis by the physician to avoid mismanagement of the patient. Study of the syndrome has resulted in substantial insights into the mechanisms for thyroid action. Most cases are due to mutations in the hTR β ligand-binding domain (LBD). Studies of X-ray crystal structures of this domain have provided additional insights into how these mutations affect receptor function, that in turn reveal more information about mechanisms of TR function in general. In this review, we discuss what has been learned from studies using X-ray crystallography of receptors containing mutations found in RTH.
Auxin Modulates Gibberellin-Induced Effects on Growth, Yield, and Raw Product Recovery for Frozen Processing in Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

Tuber shape phenotype is an important determinant of raw product (≥7.6-cm-long French fries) recovery for frozen processing. Tuber length-to-width (L/W) ratios ≥1.8 translate to maximum yield of raw product; however, some cultivars produce tubers with much lower L/W ratios. While gibberellin (GA) can be used to elongate tubers, it also decreases tuber size and can thereby attenuate raw product recovery. We investigated the utility of GA and naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) combination treatments for modifying tuber set, size, and shape to increase yield of raw product from ‘Payette Russet’ and ‘Alturas’; two late-season frozen-processing cultivars that often produce tubers with undesirably low L/W ratios. Models describing L/W ratio and fry yield by tuber size class were developed to translate total U.S. No. 1 tuber yields (>113 g) into yield of raw product. Increases in the L/W ratios of 113–284-g tubers had a greater effect on recovery of French fries (% fresh wt) than for tubers >284 g. Undersize ( 340 g) tubers yielded 0 and 96% fries, respectively, regardless of L/W ratio. GA applied as a seed treatment effectively hastened emergence and altered tuber shape by increasing the L/W ratios of ‘Alturas’ and ‘Payette Russet’ tubers, enhancing total fry yield for the 113–340-g tubers by 24–46%, depending on concentration and application technique (dip, spray, in-furrow). However, GA also decreased apical dominance and shifted tuber size distribution away from >284-g tubers toward higher yields of 113 g) were considered. When combined with GA, NAA maintained apical dominance, attenuated the shift in tuber size distribution, had no effect on the GA-induced increase in tuber L/W ratio, and only partly moderated the GA-induced stimulation of plant emergence. Raw product yield from ‘Payette Russet’ increased 12–39% in spray application trials by using NAA to confine the effect of GA to tuber shape and limit the loss of U.S. No. 1 tubers to undersize. Increases in tuber L/W ratio with GA/NAA seed treatments translated to increased yield of fries only when the relative concentrations were adjusted to minimize loss of >284-g tubers and gain in undersize tubers, as dictated by cultivar sensitivity to GA. ‘Alturas’ was less sensitive to GA than ‘Payette Russet’ for shifts in tuber size distribution but not shape, resulting in 17% increase in raw product with GA alone in pre-plant seed spray application studies. GA/NAA combination treatments provide an effective approach to manipulate tuber size distribution and enhance the yield of raw product for frozen processing in cultivars with a rounder tuber shape phenotype.
Fraction Errors in a Digital Mathematics Environment: Latent Class and Transition Analysis

Student struggles with fractions are well documented, and due to fractions’ importance to later mathematics achievement, identification of the errors students make when solving fraction problems is an area of interest for both researchers and teachers. Within this study, we examine data on student fraction problem errors in pre- and post-quizzes in a digital mathematics environment. Students (n = 1,431) were grouped by prevalence of error types using latent class analysis. Three different classes of error profiles were identified in the pre-quiz data. A latent transition analysis was then used to determine if class membership and class structure changed from pre- to post-quiz. In both pre- and post-quiz, there was a class of students who appeared to be guessing and a class of students who performed well. One class structure was consistent with the idea that early fraction learners rely heavily on whole number principles. Identification of co-occurrence of and changes to fraction errors has implications for curricular design and pedagogical decisions, especially in light of movements toward personalized learning systems.
Evaluation of suspected musculoskeletal infection in children over 2 years of age using only fluid-sensitive sequences at MRI

This study was conducted in order to evaluate whether an MRI protocol with only fluid-sensitive sequences can be used to evaluate for musculoskeletal (MSK) infection of the pelvis and limbs in children. This retrospective study analyzed 90 contrast-enhanced (CE) MRI studies from 88 consecutive patients (52 boys and 36 girls; mean age 9 ± 4.3 years; range 2–17) that were performed for the clinical suspicion of MSK infection. Two radiologists reviewed each study twice. The initial study review included only the fluid-sensitive sequences (fluid-sensitive study); the second review, performed at least 1 month later, included all sequences of the contrast-enhanced study (CE study). At each review, anatomic sites of abnormal signal and overall suspicion for infection were recorded. Cohen’s kappa and percent agreement were performed to compare agreement between readers, types of studies, and clinical diagnoses. Interreader agreement for both types of studies had kappa values between 0.86 and 1. For the assessment of MSK infection, the fluid-sensitive study had 100% sensitivity and 61.3% specificity, with 84.8% interreader agreement; and the CE study had 100% sensitivity and 71.0% specificity, with 88.6% interreader agreement. All cases of septic arthritis (13 cases) and osteomyelitis (25 cases) were identified as possible infection or infection until proven otherwise (negative predictive value 100%) with 100% interreader agreement on fluid-sensitive sequences. An abbreviated MRI study using only fluid-sensitive sequences has the same high degree of sensitivity as a CE study to identify MSK infection in children and could be used to exclude septic arthritis and osteomyelitis. • MRI with only fluid-sensitive sequences can be used to evaluate for musculoskeletal infection in children.
Exploring Free Energy Profiles of Uracil and Cytosine Reactions with Formaldehyde

Simple polymers can be potentially formed by the co-oligomerization of pyrimidine nucleobases, uracil and cytosine, with the small molecule formaldehyde. Using density functional calculations, we have constructed a free energy map outlining the thermodynamics and kinetics for (1) the addition of formaldehyde to uracil and cytosine to form hydroxymethylated uracil (HMU) and hydroxymethylated cytosine (HMC), (2) the deamination of cytosine and HMC to uracil and HMU, respectively, and (3) the initial oligomerization of 5-HMU. For the initial formation of monomeric HMU, addition of formaldehyde to the C5 and C6 positions is thermodynamically favored over N1 and N3, but faces higher kinetic barriers, and explains why 5-HMU is the main product observed experimentally. Oligomerization of 5-HMU is thermodynamically favorable although decreasingly so at the tetramer stage. In addition, decreasing concentrations of initial monomer shifts the equilibrium disfavoring oligomer formation.
Combinatorial ixazomib and belinostat therapy induces NFE2L2-dependent apoptosis in Hodgkin and T-cell lymphoma.

Ixazomib activity and transcriptomic analyses previously established in T cell (TCL) and Hodgkin (HL) lymphoma models predicted synergistic activity for histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitory combination. In this present study, we determined the mechanistic basis for ixazomib combination with the HDAC inhibitor, belinostat, in HL and TCL cells lines (ixazomib-sensitive/resistant clones) and primary tumour cells. In ixazomib-treated TCL and HL cells, transient inhibition followed by full recovery of proteasomal activity observed was accompanied by induction of proteasomal gene expression with NFE2L2 (also termed NRF2) as a prominent upstream regulator. Downregulation of both NFE2L2 and proteasomal gene expression (validated by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction) occurred with belinostat treatment in Jurkat and L428 cells. In addition, CRISPR/Cas9 mediated knockdown of NFE2L2 in Jurkat cells resulted in a significant decrease in cell viability with ixazomib compared with untreated control cells. Using transcriptomic and proteasomal activity evaluation of ixazomib, belinostat, or ixazomib + belinostat treated cells, we observed that NFE2L2, proteasome gene expression and functional recovery were abrogated by ixazomib + belinostat combination, resulting in synergistic drug activity in ixazomib-sensitive and -resistant cell lines and primary cells. Altogether, these results suggest that the synergistic activity of ixazomib + belinostat is mediated via inhibition NFE2L2-dependent proteasomal recovery and extended proteasomal inhibition culminating in increased cell death.
IRG1 and Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase Act Redundantly with Other Interferon-Gamma-Induced Factors To Restrict Intracellular Replication of Legionella pneumophila.

Interferon gamma (IFN-γ) restricts the intracellular replication of many pathogens, but the mechanism by which IFN-γ confers cell-intrinsic pathogen resistance remains unclear. For example, intracellular replication of the bacterial pathogen Legionella pneumophila in macrophages is potently curtailed by IFN-γ. However, consistent with prior studies, no individual genetic deficiency that we tested completely abolished IFN-γ-mediated control. Intriguingly, we observed that the glycolysis inhibitor 2-deoxyglucose (2DG) partially rescued L. pneumophila replication in IFN-γ-treated macrophages. 2DG inhibits glycolysis and triggers the unfolded protein response, but unexpectedly, it appears these effects are not responsible for perturbing the antimicrobial activity of IFN-γ. Instead, we found that 2DG rescues bacterial replication by inhibiting the expression of two key antimicrobial factors, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and immune-responsive gene 1 (IRG1). Using immortalized and primary macrophages deficient in iNOS and IRG1, we confirmed that loss of both iNOS and IRG1, but not individual deficiency in either gene, partially reduced IFN-γ-mediated restriction of L. pneumophila Further, using a combinatorial CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis approach, we found that mutation of iNOS and IRG1 in combination with four other genes (CASP11, IRGM1, IRGM3, and NOX2) resulted in a total loss of L. pneumophila restriction by IFN-γ in primary bone marrow macrophages. Our study defines a complete set of cell-intrinsic factors required for IFN-γ-mediated restriction of an intracellular bacterial pathogen and highlights the combinatorial strategy used by hosts to block bacterial replication in macrophages.IMPORTANCE Legionella pneumophila is one example among many species of pathogenic bacteria that replicate within mammalian macrophages during infection. The immune signaling factor interferon gamma (IFN-γ) blocks L. pneumophila replication in macrophages and is an essential component of the immune response to L. pneumophila and other intracellular pathogens. However, to date, no study has identified the exact molecular factors induced by IFN-γ that are required for its activity. We generated macrophages lacking different combinations of IFN-γ-induced genes in an attempt to find a genetic background in which there is a complete loss of IFN-γ-mediated restriction of L. pneumophila We identified six genes that comprise the totality of the IFN-γ-dependent restriction of L. pneumophila replication in macrophages. Our results clarify the molecular basis underlying the potent effects of IFN-γ and highlight how redundancy downstream of IFN-γ is key to prevent exploitation of macrophages by pathogens.
Prospective Imaging Trial Assessing Gadoteridol Retention in the Deep Brain Nuclei of Women Undergoing Breast MRI.

Rationale and Objectives To assess for indirect evidence of gadoteridol retention in the deep brain nuclei of women undergoing serial screening breast MRI. Methods This HIPAA-compliant prospective observational noninferiority imaging trial was approved by the IRB. From December 2016 to March 2018, 12 consented subjects previously exposed to 0–1 doses of gadoteridol (group 1) and 7 consented subjects previously exposed to ≥4 doses of gadoteridol (group 2) prospectively underwent research-specific unenhanced brain MRI including T1w spin echo imaging and T1 mapping. Inclusion criteria were: (1) planned breast MRI with gadoteridol, (2) no gadolinium exposure other than gadoteridol, (3) able to undergo MRI, (4) no neurological illness, (5) no metastatic disease, (6) no chemotherapy. Regions of interest were manually drawn in the globus pallidus, thalamus, dentate nucleus, and pons. Globus pallidus/thalamus and dentate nucleus/pons signal intensities and T1-time ratios were calculated using established methods and correlated with cumulative gadoteridol dose (mL). Results All subjects were female (mean age: 50 ± 12 years) and previously had received an average of 0.5 ± 0.5 (group 1) and 5.9 ± 2.1 (group 2) doses of gadoteridol (cumulative dose: 8 ± 8 and 82 ± 31 mL, respectively), with the last dose an average of 492 ± 299 days prior to scanning. There was no significant correlation between cumulative gadoteridol dose (mL) and deep brain nuclei signal intensity at T1w spin echo imaging (p = 0.365–0.512) or T1 mapping (p = 0.197–0.965). Conclusion We observed no indirect evidence of gadolinium retention in the deep brain nuclei of women undergoing screening breast MRI with gadoteridol.
Abnormal Saccadic Eye Movements in Psychiatric Patients as Part of a Spatial Management Disorder

Abnormal saccadic intrusions for psychiatric patients during smooth pursuit tasks have been frequently reported in the literature. In this study, 26 schizophrenic, 23 affective, and 8 miscellaneous psychiatric inpatients were compared to 60 controls for smooth pursuit and convergence tracking abilities. Saccadic intrusions occurred far more frequently for psychiatric patients than for controls in both tracking tasks. The findings are consistent with a model proposed by Flach and Kaplan (1983) that psychiatric patients have a spatial management disorder which adapts poorly to motion and interferes with the accurate appraisal of distances and locations.
A comparison of cyanoacrylate glue and radiofrequency ablation techniques in the treatment of superficial venous reflux in CEAP 6 patients.

Abstract Objective Venous leg ulcers (CEAP [clinical, etiologic, anatomic, pathophysiologic] class 6) represent the most severe form of chronic venous insufficiency. As closure techniques for superficial venous reflux evolve, direct outcome comparisons of treatments are integral, because many studies have already demonstrated that early endovenous intervention improves wound healing. The present study compared the rates of venous wound healing between two techniques of superficial vein closure: ClosureFast radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and adhesive closure (VenaSeal; both Medtronic, Inc, Minneapolis, Minn). Methods We performed a multi-institutional retrospective review of all patients with CEAP class 6 who had undergone closure of their truncal veins from 2015 to 2020. Patients undergoing ClosureFast RFA were compared with those undergoing VenaSeal adhesive closure. The primary endpoint was the interval to wound healing from initial vein closure. The secondary endpoints included ulcer recurrence and infection rates. Bivariate analysis involved the χ2, Fisher exact, t, and Wilcoxon rank sum tests. Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to examine the factors affecting the time to wound healing in the most predictive model. Statistical significance was defined as P Results A total of 119 patients with CEAP 6 were included, with a median follow-up of 105 days (interquartile range, 44-208 days). Of the 119 limbs, 68 were treated with RFA and 51 with VenaSeal. Significantly more patients undergoing RFA had had a history of deep vein thrombosis (29% vs 10%; P = .01) and deep venous reflux (82% vs 51%; P = .003). The VenaSeal patients were older (72 years vs 65 years; P = .02) with a greater rate of coronary artery disease (16% vs 37%; P = .01). The median time to wound healing after the procedure was significantly shorter for VenaSeal than for RFA (43 vs 104 days; P = .001). Two RFA patients developed a postprocedure infection. The ulcer recurrence rate was 19.3% (22.1% for RFA vs 13.7% for VenaSeal; P = .25). On multivariate analysis, the treatment modality was the only significant predictor of the time to wound healing. When stratified by ulcer size as small ( 3 cm2), VenaSeal closure healed the wounds significantly faster for all ulcers. Conclusions ClosureFast and VenaSeal are both safe and effective treatments to eliminate truncal venous insufficiency. VenaSeal showed a superior time to wound healing compared with ClosureFast in both large and small ulcers.
Endotracheal Application of Ultraviolet A Light in Critically Ill Patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2: A First-in-Human Study.

Our previous preclinical experiments show that under specific and monitored conditions, ultraviolet A (UVA) exposure reduces certain bacteria, fungi, and viruses including coronavirus-229E without harming mammalian columnar epithelial cells. The goal of this study was to evaluate the safety and effects of narrow-band UVA therapy administered by a novel device via endotracheal tube in critically ill subjects with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Newly intubated, mechanically ventilated adults with SARS-CoV-2 infection and an endotracheal tube size of at least 7.50 mm were eligible for inclusion in the study. Subjects were treated with UVA for 20 min daily for 5 days and followed for 30 days. Five subjects were enrolled (mean age 56.60 years, three male). At baseline, all subjects scored 9/10 on the World Health Organization (WHO) clinical severity scale (10 = death), with predicted mortality ranging from 21% to 95%. Average endotracheal viral load significantly reduced from baseline to day 5 (− 2.41 log; range − 1.16 to − 4.54; Friedman p = 0.002) and day 6 (− 3.20; range − 1.20 to − 6.77; Friedman p < 0.001). There were no treatment-emergent adverse events, with no changes in oxygenation or hemodynamics during the 20-min treatments. One subject died 17 days after enrollment due to intracranial hemorrhagic complications of anticoagulation while receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. The remaining subjects clinically improved and scored 2, 4, 5, and 7 on the WHO scale at day 30. In these subjects, clinical improvement correlated with reduction of viral load (Spearman’s rho = 1, p < 0.001). In this first-in-human study, endotracheal narrow-band UVA therapy, under specific and monitored settings, appears to be safe and associated with a reduction in respiratory SARS-CoV-2 viral burden over the treatment period. UVA therapy may provide a novel approach in the fight against COVID-19. NCT04572399.
Higher Grassmann codes

Abstract We compute the parameters of the linear codes that are associated with all projective embeddings of Grassmann varieties.
Tumor characteristics and survival in patients with extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the female reproductive tract

Objectives: Primary extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) of the female reproductive tract is rare, comprising approximately 1% of all NHL. Studies to date have been limited to case reports without longitudinal follow-up. The objective of this study is to describe tumor characteristics and survival in patients with primary vulvar, vaginal, cervical, uterine and ovarian NHL using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) cancer database. Methods: Adults with a histologic diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (ICD-O-3 9590-9823) and a primary site coded as vulva (ICD-10-CM C51.0-51.9), vagina (C52.9), cervix (C53.0-53.9), uterus (C54.0-C55.9), or ovary (C56.9-C57.4) diagnosed between 1973 and 2015 were included in the analysis. Data was abstracted on variables of interest including age at diagnosis, year of diagnosis, demographics, Ann Arbor stage, histologic subtype, treatment regimens and disease-specific survival (DSS). Descriptive statistics were used to compare characteristics between primary sites. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and multivariable Cox proportional hazards survival analysis were performed using SPSS. Results: A total of 793 patients with primary gynecologic NHL were identified, including vulva (n=60), vagina (n=101), cervix (n=187), uterus (n=142) and ovary (n=303). The median age at diagnosis was 55 years old and ranged from 18 to 94 years. Vulvar, vaginal and cervical primary cancers were more likely to be diagnosed at an early stage compared to uterus and ovary (p Download : Download high-res image (66KB) Download : Download full-size image Conclusions: Overall, extranodal NHL of the female reproductive tract has an excellent prognosis. The clinical characteristics, treatment regimens and survival differ between primary sites.
Chronic resistance to sleep in infancy.

TWENTIETH century America has no stable tradition about how children should be reared. In fact, it has a tradition against traditions. Parents in a quandary do not ask themselves what their own parents or grandparents would have done under the circumstances. They ask what is the latest theory. Twenty years ago, strictness and regulation were the psychologic and pediatric laws of the land. Now we are in the midst of a strong, even violent, swing in the opposite direction. The first impetus came from psychiatrists and educators who had observed the unfortunate effects on at least some individuals, both children and parents, of extreme rigidity in upbringing. Pediatricians began to experiment with new approaches. The so-called self-demand method of feeding, which seemed anarchistic when it was first reported only a few years ago, is now becoming the normal procedure in various parts of the country. There is a tendency to postpone weaning and toilet training and to inaugurate them with regard for the baby9s readiness. It no longer takes courage for a physician or psychologist to advocate cuddling. We seem to be moving in the right direction; a more friendly attitude toward babies, a more natural, relaxed regimen for their care, a respect for their individual needs and developmental levels is good for both them and their parents. But this swift transition is not without its difficulties. The same unstable responsiveness to a new theory, which 25 years ago made some people so enthusiastic for regulation, is today making the corresponding minority totally and uncritically devoted to self-regulation and self-expression.
A Disconnect Between Law and Neuroscience: Modern Brain Science, Media Influences, and Juvenile Justice

Modern brain science has discovered a second period of physical development of the brain in the adolescent years. Paralleling the cognitive development of infancy and early childhood, the judgmental and inhibitory regions of the brain go through a process of synaptic overblooming and later paring in this later period of life. Just as environment affects cognitive development, it appears it also has an effect on judgment and inhibition. This has consequences that should influence the development of the law. First, if environment affects which synapses remain in the developed brain and later influence judgment, there is greater reason to be concerned about the media environment children face. Second, if children are unable to make adult judgments and inhibit their actions, rather than simply being unwilling to do so, that should speak in favor of a juvenile justice system that recognizes that juvenile offenders may be more amendable to rehabilitation than adults.
Self-Defense and Political Justification

I am doubly honored to give these comments today, for they allow me to express my respect and gratitude for not one but two teachers and intellectual models, Sandy Kadish and Jeremy Waldron. In keeping with a major theme in Professor Waldron's work, the importance of disagreement, I shall try to express my regard by being as disagreeable as possible. This is not easy: I have little to add or subtract from his exegesis of Hobbes and Locke-there are others here who can play that role in discussion. Furthermore, I suspect he might agree with many of the points I will go on to make. But here goes. I take up two ideas in this Response. First is the difficulty in bridging the gap between claims about what it is reasonable to expect an agent to do and what it is legitimate for the state to prohibit. Attention to this gap, I will suggest, reveals the limitations of purely agent-relative or agent-neutral justifications for self-defense, and indeed calls into question the extent to which they provide justifications at all. Second, I take up the relation between our obligations and what lies within our power, in order to suggest that there may well be a point to promising the impossible. Because I want to follow Professor Waldron in pursuing the idea of justification, I will only note (in order to put aside) the suggestion that the idea of agent-relative justification, which comes in after Hobbes has posited the Right of Nature, may not fully capture the normative role that claims of right play in his or modern discussions.' Instead, I will raise the issue of rights claims as a consequence rather than as a basis of the fundamental idea of justification. The case of the innocent hostage does indeed make us consider the relevance of a Hobbesian justification for self-defense, but, as
Zearalenone Production by Fusarium Species

One-hundred-and-thirteen isolates of Fusarium were tested for their ability to produce zearalenone on autoclaved corn. They belonged to the following species (number of producers per number tested): F. epispheria, (0/1); F. moniliforme, (0/8); Gibberella fujikuroi, (0/3); F. nivale, (0/7); F. oxysporum, (0/15); F. roseum, (31/51); F. solani, (0/9); F. tricinctum (3/19). The isolates of individual species produced the following amounts of zearalenone per gram of corn: 3 isolates of F. roseum (0.6 to 119 mug), 3 of F. roseum "Culmorum" (1 to 210 mug), 3 of F. roseum "Equiseti" (0.6 to 2.0 mug), F. roseum "Gibbosum" (115 to 175 mug), 21 of F. roseum "Graminearum" (0.2 to 230 mug), and 3 of F. tricinctum (0.2 to 6.0 mug). All isolates of F. roseum "Graminearum" which formed the perithecial stage of G. zeae (G. roseum) produced zearalenone. Production occurred by the wild but not the appressed cultural type. Zearalenone production by F. tricinctum was confirmed by a mouse bioassay.
The Trial of Galileo

Galileo Galilei was born in 1564 - the same year that Shakespeare was born and Michelangelo died. From an early age, Galileo showed his scientific skills. At age nineteen, he discovered the isochronism of the pendulum. By age twenty-two, he had invented the hydrostatic balance. By age twenty-five, Galileo assumed his first lectureship, at the University of Pisa. Within a few more years, Galileo earned a reputation throughout Europe as a scientist and superb lecturer. Eventually, he would be recognized as the father of experimental physics. Galileo's motto might have been follow knowledge wherever it leads us. In the 1633 trial of Galileo Galilei, two worlds come into cosmic conflict. Galileo's world of science and humanism collides with the world of Scholasticism and absolutism that held power in the Catholic Church. The result is a tragedy that marks both the end of Galileo's liberty and the end of the Italian Renaissance.
Capturing more meaning in databases

Abstract:Users must understand the meaning of a database before they can intelligently interpret the data in it. We explore the problem of making databases selfdescriptive. We first examine the levels of semantics of data by analogy to the area of programming languages. Next, we consider several semantic data models, which are formal languages for conceptual data description, and how a semantic description can be linked to the objects in a database. We discuss the advantages of making a semantic description part of a database itself and the types of application programs that would use that description. In particular, we focus on pique, a high-level relational query language that uses such semantic information.
Extremal vectors and invariant subspaces

For a bounded linear operator on Hilbert space we define a sequence of so-called minimal vectors in connection with invariant subspaces and show that this presents a new approach to invariant subspaces. In particular, we show that for any compact operator K some weak limit of the sequence of minimal vectors is noncyclic for al] operators commuting with K and that for any normal operator N, the norm limit of the sequence of minimal vectors is noncyclic for all operators commuting with N. Thus, we give a new and more constructive proof of existence of invariant subspaces. The sequence of minimal vectors does not seem to converge in norm for an arbitrary bounded linear operator. We will prove that if T belongs to a c ertain class C of operators, then the sequence of such vectors converges in norm, and that if T belongs to a subclass of C, then the norm limit is cyclic. INTRODUCTION In this paper we will study diSerent types of extremal vectors for operators on Hilbert space and their connection to invariant subspaces. We present a new method to find invariant subspaces, which we feel is more constructive then the known ones and which gives hyperinvariant subspaces for all compact and all normal operators in a unified way. We feel that the method may give invariant subspaces for several other classes of operators, but so far we have only succeeded in proving this under extra assumptions. The second author started this study by considering the best approximate solutions of the equations Tny = x() for the case when T has dense range and xO is not in the range of T. More precisely, he considered the Yn of smallest norm such that {lTnyn-xoll < 6. Using these backward minimal points, Tnyn's, he proved Theorem 4. The first author introduced forward minimal points vn's such that llvn-xOll < e and ItTnvnll is minimal. This gives even a simpler proof of Theorem 4, and there is a duality between the forward and the backward minimal points as given in Proposition 2. In this paper we also study geometric properties of vn and Tnyn involving scalar products and limit points. These geometric properties have a connection to invariant subspaces. We show that (Tnyn) converges in norm for normal operators. In relation to the norm convergence of the extrerrlal vectors, we introduce a new class of operators, called operators of class 1z. This class generalizes C1-contractions, and we feel that it is of interest in its own right too. Sections 1-2 are due to the second author, 3-4 are due to the first and the appendix is due to both. Received by the editors October 16, 1995. 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification. Primary 4P7A15. Partially supported by NSF grant number 441003. (D)1998 American Mathematical Society
Particle Deposition and Removal of Relevance to Wet Processing in Semiconductor Manufacturing

Removal of particulate contaminants from surfaces is a critical area in the processing of wafers to build integrated circuits and is typically done using wet chemical formulations. Strategies for particle removal require an understanding of particle deposition mechanisms. In the first part of this review paper, colloid chemical principles underlying particle deposition on surfaces is discussed. Specifically, the importance of van der Waals and electrical double layer interaction energy on particle–surface interaction is reviewed. This is followed by a description of commonly used particle removal methods in wafer processing, viz., megasonic cleaning, brush cleaning, and nanospray cleaning. The importance of particle deposition conditions used in research on particle removal efficiency is highlighted through a study on the effect of aging.
The Importance of Security Cases: Proof Is Good, But Not Enough

Security cases explicitly document evidence that supports security claims, and help direct attention to crucial security issues that tend to slip through the cracks.
Emergent behavior of bacteria in a multiagent system

Bacteria forming clusters in a Petri dish is a common example of emergent behavior, i.e. many seemingly simple bacteria, when under stress, form clusters through basic rules of interaction. Under suitable conditions, the clusters form spectacular patterns [1]. Those properties of bacteria have inspired a lot of modeling work, attempting to reproduce the patterns and make sense of them.
Structure of Vanadium Oxide Supported on Ceria by Multiwavelength Raman Spectroscopy

The structure of vanadium oxide species supported on ceria (VOx/CeO2) was investigated under various conditions by in situ multiwavelength Raman spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, isotopic labeling, and temperature-programmed reduction (TPR). For the first time, the detailed structure of dehydrated VOx species was revealed on the polycrystalline ceria support. VOx species can coexist on ceria surface in the structure of monomer, dimer, trimer, polymer, crystalline V2O5, and CeVO4 as a function of VOx loading. These species interact strongly with both the defect sites and labile surface oxygen of ceria, passivating the redox property of ceria. Under ambient condition, the dispersed VOx species are hydrated into polyvanadate species that can be reversibly dehydrated back to the original structure forms. The ceria support with defect sites facilitates the interaction between water (H218O) and V16Ox species, leading to very facile isotopic oxygen exchange between the two even at room temperature. During H2 reduct...
Comparative Returns From Sales of Graded and Breaker Eggs

Abstract Total returns and prices received by a commercial egg producer in northeastern Kansas from eggs sold on a graded basis or as breaker eggs (either on a liquid-yield or a minimum-gross-weight-per-case basis) were compared in relation to the market price situation, season of year, age of layers, and time (March or September) pullets began laying. Cage layers were housed when 20 weeks old and heid for a 65-week laying period. Returns and prices were those of six different market price periods, 1965–66 through 1970–71. Selling eggs on a graded basis resulted in significantly higher gross returns in each price period than did selling them as breaker eggs. Breaker eggs sold on a liquid-yield basis brought higher returns than did those sold on the traditional, minimum-gross-weight-per-case basis. Gross returns for layers beginning to lay in March or September, with eggs sold either as graded or breaker eggs, did not differ significantly.