cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improving the diagnosis and treatment of acral melanocytic lesions

Melanocytic lesions of acral sites are common, with an estimated prevalence of 28–36% in the USA. While the majority of these lesions are benign, differentiation from acral melanoma (AM) is often challenging. AM is a unique subtype of melanoma, with distinct molecular characteristics that are thought to contribute to its high rate of locoregional recurrence and worse prognosis. The advent of dermoscopy has since improved the diagnostic accuracy of AM, resulting in earlier detection and arguably improved survival. Additionally, the identification of unique genomic amplifications in AM invites the potential for future AM-specific targeted therapies. Herein, we discuss the importance of dermoscopy in the diagnosis of acral melanocytic lesions and review the treatment strategies for AM.
Managing Hypertension in Patients Aged 75 Years and Older

On the basis of the available data, we would diagnose a normal blood pressure in elderly persons including those 75 years of age and older if the blood pressure was below 120/80 mmHg. We would diagnose hypertension in elderly persons including those aged 75 years and older if the systolic blood pressure was 130 mmHg and higher or if the diastolic blood pressure was 80 mmHg and higher. We would treat these elderly patients with hypertension to a blood pressure goal of less than 130/80 mmHg if the blood pressure was obtained by automated blood pressure monitoring in a quiet room. We would consider treating high-risk persons aged 75 years and older to a blood pressure goal of less than 120/80 mmHg if they were carefully monitored for serious adverse events. If the blood pressure is more than 20/10 mmHg above the goal blood pressure, we would initiate antihypertensive drug therapy with two antihypertensive drugs. The initial drug of choice for the treatment of hypertension in adults aged 75 years and older should be based on co-morbidities, co-incidental indications, tolerability, and cost.
Remote sensing data integration for mapping glacial extents

Glaciers serve as one of the most prominent natural indicators of climate change, given their sensitivity to even incremental changes in temperature. In recent years the mapping of glacier extent has become accepted as an effective way to measure the effects of climate change. By measuring the extent of a glacier's terminus over multiple years, one can gain valuable information about how a glacier, and its surrounding environment, is changing over time. The glaciology community has recently embraced the advantages that Geographic Information Systems (GIS) offer to glacier mapping, with projects such as Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (GLIMS) establishing a global database for glacier data, including extent measurements. This paper proposes a workflow for integrating data from different platforms, including aerial imagery, natural-color satellite imagery, and multispectral imagery, to map glacier extent in a GIS. We focus on this workflow’s ability to enhance longitudinal glacier studies by increasing the number of unique data sources that can be drawn from. To demonstrate the effectiveness of this method, we mapped the terminus extent of five glaciers in Alaska's Juneau Icefield over a thirty year period (1981-2011), integrating data from three different airborne sensor platforms in our analysis.
Modern sedimentary facies, depositional environments, and major controlling processes on an arid siliciclastic coast, Al qahmah, SE Red Sea, Saudi Arabia

Abstract The facies and environments along the arid siliciclastic coast of Red Sea in Al Qahmah, Saudi Arabia are studied to establish a depositional model for interpretation of ancient rocks deposited in rift settings. Field and petrographic studies of 151 sediment samples in an area of 20 km 2 define seven main facies types: beach, washover fan, tidal channel , dune , sabkha , delta, and wadi (seasonal stream). The wadi and delta facies are composed of poorly to moderately well-sorted, gravelly, medium-to-fine sands. Delta-front sands are redistributed by southward longshore currents to form a beach. Beach facies is composed of well-to-moderately sorted fine sands with minor gravels, which contain high concentrations of magnetite , ilmenite , garnet , pyroxene , amphibole , epidote , titanite , and apatite grains, indicating strong winnowing. Crabs and other burrowers destroy primary sedimentary structures and mix sediments in foreshore and backshore of the beaches. Wind and storm surge rework foreshore and backshore sediments to form washover fans. Sabkha facies occurs extensively in supratidal depressions behind beach, are flooded by rainstorms and spring tide, and capped by a 5-cm-thick crust composed of interlaminated halite , quartz, albite , minor gypsum and biotite , and rarely calcium carbonate . Halite occurs as thin sheets and gypsum as nodules with a chicken-wire structure. Clastic fraction in sabkha sediments ranges from coarse silt to coarse sand with moderate sorting, and is transported by currents and wind. Tidal inlets and tidal creeks assume abandoned wadis and are filled by muddy sand. Sand dunes and sand sheets are 1–7 m high and widely distributed due to variable wind directions. Fine-grained dune sands are moderately well sorted, whereas sheet sands are coarser and poorly sorted due to vegetation baffling. Most eolian sands are sourced from beach deposits. This suite of complex riverine, wave, tidal, wind, chemical, and biological processes form the facies mosaic along the arid Al Qahmah coast, which is strongly affected by climate-driven evaporation and wind action.
What Explains Labor's Declining Share of Revenue in Major League Baseball?

This study examines reasons for the declining share of revenue going to Major League Baseball players. Though the players’ union and team owners have proposed competing explanations, the phenomenon has not received any rigorous academic study. Economic theories for the similar decline of labor’s share in the macroeconomy provide possible explanations. The ability to estimate baseball players’ marginal revenue products through their performance offers a unique opportunity to examine the role of worker productivity in determining labor’s share of income in general. The analysis indicates that the returns to player performance have declined and that collective bargaining agreement terms that promote revenue sharing among teams appear to play a significant role. In addition, increased returns from new non-player revenue sources have lowered the share of league revenue going to players. Competition from substitute labor inputs and changes in returns to physical capital do not appear to be important factors.
The future of the electricity industry: Implications of trends and taxes

Abstract This analysis examines how changes in market trends and technology costs are likely to affect electricity generation in the United States in the context of possible future carbon taxes. The industry today is at a crossroads as older coal-fired plants retire and as nuclear plants begin to reach the end of their originally planned lives. At the same time, new and improved technologies for wind and solar generation are reshaping the industry, alongside dramatic increases in natural gas generation as the result of the shale-gas revolution. How these forces interact will depend on the specific paths that technologies for renewables and shale gas production take over the next couple of decades. The paper uses the detailed DIEM electricity-sector model to examine a wide range of sensitivity cases for technology and fuel costs under different economic conditions. Model results focus on the level of renewable penetration, natural gas generation and emissions, and what all of these factors may mean for CO 2 emissions in the industry. The model finds that carbon taxes can be an effective way to quickly lower emissions. Shifts among natural gas and renewable generation can vary significantly, depending on capital and operating costs.
Clinical Outcome Assessments: Use of Normative Data in a Pediatric Rare Disease.

Abstract Pediatric rare diseases present unique challenges in clinical trial design and in selection of clinical outcome assessments (COAs) used to support claims in medical product labeling. COAs that discriminate level of function relative to a normative sample are particularly important in the pediatric rare disease setting because the literature is often void of natural history data. Pediatric rare disease clinical trials will often include a wide age distribution. Gross and fine motor skills, communication, cognition, and independence in activities of daily living vary by age, and it may be difficult to distinguish between treatment effect and change due to developmental maturation. Asfotase alfa was granted breakthrough therapy designation and subsequently approved for the treatment of hypophosphatasia (HPP; a genetic metabolic musculoskeletal disorder) and is used in this discussion to illustrate COA selection in a pediatric rare disease. Multiple COAs with normative data in HPP clinical trials for asfotase alfa are presented. The assessment instruments included the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-Third Edition, the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Second Edition, the Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire, the Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument, handheld dynamometry, the 6-minute walk test, and the Modified Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment-Gait scale. Multiple end points were required to adequately capture the impact of asfotase alfa treatment on the multiple systems affected in HPP. These data illustrate the importance of using multiple COAs that provide normative data and to use COAs early in the drug development process for rare pediatric disease.
Adenoid size by drug induced sleep endoscopy compared to nasopharyngeal mirror exam.

Abstract Objective To establish how assessment of adenoid size is correlated between drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) with indirect mirror nasopharyngoscopy (IMN). Study Design Retrospective chart review. Setting Tertiary care academic hospital. Methods Over a 6-year period, 154 pediatric patients underwent DISE for obstructive sleep apnea and had IMN. DISE videos were assessed by one reviewer, blinded to results of mirror exams. IMN findings were taken from operative notes recorded by one attending physician. Demographic data, co-morbidities, and sleep study results were also recorded. Results Ninety-three (58.5%) males and 66 (41.5%) females were included. Mean age at DISE was 7.34 ± 3.99 years, with an average of 29 days after DISE until nasopharyngeal mirror examination. The mean initial adenoid size based on DISE assessment was 2.62 + 0.99, and on nasopharyngeal mirror assessment was 2.56 + 0.97. DISE and IMN assessment of adenoid size correlated well (Spearman's Rho = 0.82, P Conclusions DISE has proven to be an excellent tool to assess adenoid size prior to adenoidectomy in children with OSA.
Polychlorinated biphenyl uptake and translation by Spartina alterniflora loisel

This paper presents the findings of initial investigation of the role of Spartina alterniora Loisel. in the movement of chlorinated hydrocarbons. 14C-polychlorinated biphenyls and technical Aroclor® 1254 were used for the determinations. The findings demonstrate that Spartina accumulates 14C-radioactivity from sand and organic mud soil systems treated with 14C-PCB's. These findings also demonstrate that this plant has the capacity to accumulate 14C-radioactivity to levels elevated above that in the treated soil. Other experiments with Aroclor® 1254 demonstrate that cogeners of Aroclor® 1254 are present in Spartina stem and root extracts. These experiments also suggest that the chlorinated hydrocarbon uptake process is modulated by the plant and that this results in selective cogener uptake. The selectivity appears to be for the lesser chlorinated components of the commercial mixture. Overall, this study suggests that Spartina may act as an initial vector for mobilization of sediment bound chlorinated hydrocarbons to the estuarine food chain.
Mapping Faults and Faulted Surfaces

This chapter covers how to correlate individual fault cuts into through-going faults, how to construct and validate fault maps, the integration of fault maps with horizon maps, mapping the displacement transfer zones between faults, mapping cross-cutting faults, and interpreting faults from isopach maps. The topics are covered in the sequence normally followed in order to define, map, and validate the interpretations of faults and faulted horizons. The key to the correct interpretation of faults and faulted horizons is to map the faults together with the displaced horizons. The fault throw and heave shown by the map must match the observed stratigraphie separations observed at the fault cuts.
Special Section Guest Editorial: Medical Image Perceptions and Observer Performance

This guest editorial introduces the special section on Medical Image Perceptions and Observer Performance.
Measurement of Bulk Oxygen Diffusivity in (La 0.8 Sr 0.2 ) 0.95 MnO 3±δ

Strontium-doped lanthanum manganite is widely used as a cathode material for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). In this study, the oxygen diffusivity in A-site-deficient (La0.8Sr0.2)0.95MnO3±δ (LSM-20) was measured as a function of temperature (600°C, 700°C, and 800°C) and oxygen partial pressure (0.03 atm, 0.16 atm, and 0.30 atm). Tracer (O-18) concentration profiles were measured in single-crystal epitaxial thin films of LSM-20 by time-of-flight secondary-ion mass spectroscopy (TOF-SIMS). The profile was fit to a diffusion equation to obtain the diffusivity of oxygen in bulk LSM-20 as a function of temperature and oxygen partial pressure. A defect model was used in conjunction with the experimental data to calculate the activation energies of oxygen migration, Schottky reaction, redox reaction, and charge disproportionation reaction in LSM-20. These calculated data were then used to calculate the Brouwer diagram of (La0.8Sr0.2)0.95MnO3±δ at 800°C, a typical operating temperature of SOFCs.
The integrable time-dependent sine-Gordon equation with multiple optical kink solutions

Abstract In this work, we study the sine-Gordon equation with time-dependent coefficient. We show that this time-dependent equation passes the Painleve test for any analytic time-dependent coefficient. This confirms its integrability in a like manner to the standard sine-Gordon equation with constant coefficients. Multiple real and multiple complex optical kink solutions will be reported.
Tobacco Retail Licensing and Youth Product Use

BACKGROUND: Restricting youth access to tobacco is a central feature of US tobacco regulatory policy, but impact of local tobacco retail licensing (TRL) regulation on cigarette smoking rates remains uncertain. Effects of TRL on other tobacco product use and use as adolescents reach the age to legally purchase tobacco products has not been investigated. METHODS: Prevalences of ever and past 30-day cigarette, electronic cigarette (e-cigarette), cigar, and hookah use were assessed in a survey of a cohort of 1553 11th- and 12th-grade adolescents (mean age: 17.3 years); rates of initiation were evaluated 1.5 years later. An American Lung Association (2014) youth access grade was assigned to each of 14 political jurisdictions in which participants lived on the basis of the strength of the local TRL ordinance. RESULTS: At baseline, participants living in 4 jurisdictions with “A” grades (ie, with most restrictive ordinances) had lower odds of ever cigarette use (odds ratio [OR] 0.61; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.41–0.90) and of past 30-day use (OR 0.51; 95% CI 0.29–0.89) than participants in 10 D- to F-grade jurisdictions. At follow-up at legal age of purchase, lower odds of cigarette use initiation (OR 0.67; 95% CI 0.45–0.99) occurred in jurisdictions with stronger TRL policy. Lower odds of e-cigarette initiation at follow-up (OR 0.74; 95% CI 0.55–0.99) and of initiation with past 30-day use (OR 0.45; 95% CI 0.23–0.90) were also associated with better regulation. CONCLUSIONS: Strong local TRL ordinance may lower rates of cigarette and e-cigarette use among youth and young adults.
Proximity of the Neurovascular Bundle During Posterior-Lateral Meniscal Repair: A Comparison of the Transpatellar, Anteromedial, and Anterolateral Portals.

Purpose To compare the neurovascular proximity of the transpatellar portal with that of the medial and lateral portals and to determine the safe penetration depth for an all-inside device for use on the posterior horn lateral meniscus. Methods Dissection of the popliteal fossa was performed in 10 cadaveric knees to identify all structures. Arthroscopy was performed using penetration depths of 10, 12, 14, and 16 mm with the all-inside system through the anteromedial, anterolateral, and transpatellar portals. Penetrations were made 5 and 10 mm lateral to the posterior horn root at the meniscocapsular junction. Needle-tip distances were measured from the popliteal artery and vein, tibial nerve, and common peroneal nerve. Results Among 240 trials, the average distance to the popliteal neurovascular bundle using the medial, transpatellar, and lateral approaches was 6.9 mm, 6.5 mm, and 3.1 mm, respectively. The transpatellar-portal needle had a larger distance from the neurovascular bundle than the lateral portal (P = .001), with no statistical difference compared with the medial portal (P = .58). Compared with the position at a 10-mm distance from the root, the position at a 5-mm distance from the root was closer to the neurovascular bundle in all approaches (P = .001). The transpatellar approach set to 14 mm had a 5% rate of capsular underpenetration and 10% rate of gastrocnemius penetration. The transpatellar and medial portals had no neurovascular penetrations, whereas the lateral approach had a 14% rate of penetration (P Conclusions The transpatellar portal and anteromedial portal are in less proximity to the neurovascular bundle compared with the anterolateral portal for all-inside meniscal repair of the posterior horn lateral meniscus. Low rates of neurovascular penetration, gastrocnemius muscle penetration, and capsular underpenetration occurred with a depth setting of 14 mm. Clinical Relevance This study shows the utility of medial and transpatellar portals when using all-inside devices to repair posterior horn lateral meniscal tears and neurovascular proximity based on penetration depth.
Social Production of Space and Everyday Microaggressions: A Case Study of (Im)migrant Youth in South Korea.

Space is a dynamic social construction in which human experiences and social realities are constantly constructed, deconstructed, and renegotiated. Educational researchers have persistently claimed...
Evaluation of the CMIP5 Climate Model for Precipitation Projections Over the Upper Blue Nile Basin

Information on precipitation projection over a given basin is vital to determine the future climate and related water resources concerns. General Circulation Models (GCMs) are the primary tools that are used in climate change impact studies. In this study, evaluation of the new generation models from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 (CMIP5) was conducted for various characteristics of precipitation over the upper Blue Nile basin. This is based on over 20 GCMs and two emission scenarios from the Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP), RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. The current period 1971–2000 was compared with future projections of the period 2035–2065, representing the 2050s. The performance of GCMs to project total precipitation at different time scales as well as the frequency of occurrence are thoroughly assessed. The historical evaluation revealed most of the climate models to have a dry bias when compared with observational records. About a third of the models produced acceptable performance in terms of mean error, although there is no clear correlation with the spatial resolution or the type of climate model. Concerning the 2050s projection, a wide uncertainty range comprising both increasing and decreasing precipitation change (~±70%) is estimated based on all GCMs while the median change shows slightly wetter condition (+3%) for this basin. This wide uncertainty indicates the need to carefully consider models when conducting impact analysis studies.
Clinical Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Imipenem–Cilastatin/Relebactam Combination Therapy

On 16 July, 2019, the US Food and Drug Administration approved imipenem–cilastatin/relebactam (Recarbrio™) for the treatment of adults with complicated urinary tract infections and complicated intra-abdominal infections. This decision was based on substantial clinical and pre-clinical data, including rigorous pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic work, and is an important step forward in the management of these debilitating conditions. This article provides an overview of the body of research associated with imipenem–cilastatin/relebactam, beginning with an examination of the fundamental underpinnings of the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic index. This is followed by the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic work that led to the approval of this novel drug combination, including data derived from checkerboard and hollow fiber infection studies, as well as large, multi-center, phase III clinical trials known as RESTORE-IMI 1 and RESTORE-IMI 2. The article also explores how this important new antibiotic may be used to treat other infections in the years to come, including hospital-acquired bacterial pneumonia and ventilator-associated pneumonia attributed to imipenem-non-susceptible pathogens and certain atypical mycobacterial infections.
A latent class analysis to identify how patterns of Intimate Partner Violence influence Early Childhood Development outcomes in Honduras

Abstract Background Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) against women is a complex phenomenon with long-term consequences for victims and their families. Objective The goals of this study are two-fold: to identify common patterns of co-occurring and/or successive experiences with IPV; and to study the association between these IPV patterns and outcomes of Early Childhood Development (ECD) among the victim's children. Data and participants Data was obtained from the 2011−12 Honduras Demographic Health Survey (DHS). Methods A Latent Class Analysis (LCA) was conducted to define homogeneous patterns of experiences with IPV in terms of the type, severity, timing of the last event, and perpetrator of the violence. Outcomes of interest were binary variables indicating if a child is developmentally on track according to the ECD index and its four domains. LCA with distal outcomes and multivariate logistic regressions were used to measure the association between IPV patterns and ECD outcomes. Results Five patterns of lifetime experiences with IPV were identified: (1)"no violence"; (2)"physical and sexual violence by an ex-partner"; (3)"current emotional violence"; (4)"current controlling, emotional and physical violence"; and (5)"past controlling, emotional and physical violence". Multivariate results show that children were less likely to be developmentally on track if their mothers were exposed to patterns of "physical and sexual violence by an ex-partner" or "current controlling, emotional and physical violence", relative to children whose mothers had not experienced violence. Further analysis of specific ECDI domains suggested that IPV hampers children's socioemotional development, but it is not associated with other domains of ECD. Conclusion Experiencing a pattern of co-occurrent forms of IPV negatively influences ECD and the socio-emotional development of the victim’s children in low and middle-income countries. This study provides initial evidence about the complexity of this phenomenon and its long-lasting sequels.
Exploring the Roles of Redemption, Agency, and Motivation in Two Groups of High-Risk Felony Probationers

Problem-solving courts were developed in the 1980s and 1990s to reduce recidivism and probation revocations. The first problem-solving courts focused primarily on treating drug abuse, but the missions have expanded to include issues such as domestic violence and the problems faced by returning war veterans. Research has found these courts to be generally effective, but there is wide variation in their outcomes, and there are questions about the perceptions of problem-solving court participants compared to other probationers. This study presents qualitative analysis of interview data for a group of problem-solving court probationers (n=19) and a similar group of regular probationers (n=19) that explore the differences and similarities in how these groups describe the probation experience in regard to the constructs of redemption, agency, and motivation. In general, the two groups’ descriptions are more similar than they are different, but those small differences suggest that the participants from a problem-solving court may receive better support than regular probationers in regard to perceptions that are favorable to desistance.
DeepSwapper: A Deep Learning Based Page Swap Management Scheme for Hybrid Memory Systems

In this paper, we introduce DeepSwapper, a deep learning-based page swap management scheme that utilizes RNN to perform fast, energy-efficient, and temperature-aware page swapping in hybrid memory systems. DeepSwapper comprises of LSTM units of RNN model to predict the future memory accesses to guide its swap management scheme, a dynamic page swap management scheme that utilizes DRAM capacity efficiently by enabling hot pages in a swap group to be swapped with cold pages of another swap group, and a temperature-aware page swap management scheme, which first predicts the future writes to NVM pages and then, decides to migrate those pages with frequent writes in hot NVM banks to DRAM to enhance the NVM lifetime.
Metabolic reprogramming of the myeloid lineage by Schistosoma mansoni infection persists independently of antigen exposure

Macrophages have a defined role in the pathogenesis of metabolic disease and cholesterol metabolism where alternative activation of macrophages is thought to be beneficial to both glucose and cholesterol metabolism during high fat diet induced disease. It is well established that helminth infection protects from metabolic disease, but the mechanisms underlying protection are not well understood. Here, we investigated the effects of Schistosoma mansoni infection and cytokine activation in the metabolic signatures of bone marrow derived macrophages using an approach that integrated transcriptomics, metabolomics, and lipidomics in a metabolic disease prone mouse model. We demonstrate that bone marrow derived macrophages (BMDM) from S. mansoni infected male ApoE-/- mice have dramatically increased mitochondrial respiration compared to those from uninfected mice. This change is associated with increased glucose and palmitate shuttling into TCA cycle intermediates, increased accumulation of free fatty acids, and decreased accumulation of cellular cholesterol esters, tri and diglycerides, and dependent on mgll activity. Systemic injection of IL-4 complexes is unable to recapitulate either reductions in systemic glucose AUC or the re-programing of BMDM mitochondrial respiration seen in infected males. Importantly, the metabolic reprogramming of male myeloid cells is transferrable via bone marrow transplantation to an uninfected host, indicating maintenance of reprogramming in the absence of sustained antigen exposure. Finally, schistosome induced metabolic and bone marrow modulation is sex-dependent, with infection protecting male, but not female mice from glucose intolerance and obesity. Our findings identify a transferable, long-lasting sex-dependent reprograming of the metabolic signature of macrophages by helminth infection, providing key mechanistic insight into the factors regulating the beneficial roles of helminth infection in metabolic disease.
Achieving superlubricity with 2D transition metal carbides (MXenes) and MXene/graphene coatings

Abstract Two-dimensional (2D) materials have demonstrated unique friction and antiwear properties unmatched by their bulk (3D) counterparts. A relatively new, large and quickly growing family of two-dimensional early transition metal carbides and nitrides (MXenes) present a great potential in different applications. There is a growing interest in understanding the mechanical and tribological properties of MXenes, however, no report of MXene superlubricity in a solid lubrication process at the macroscale has been presented. Here we investigate the tribological properties of two-dimensional titanium carbide (Ti3C2) MXene deposited on SiO2-coated silicon (Si) substrates subjected to wear by sliding against a diamond-like carbon (DLC)-coated steel ball counterbody using a ball-on-disc tribometer. We have observed that a reduction of the friction coefficient to the superlubric regime (0.0067 ± 0.0017) can be achieved with Ti3C2 MXene in dry nitrogen environment. Moreover, the addition of graphene to Ti3C2 further reduced the friction by 37.3% and wear by the factor of 2 as compared to Ti3C2 alone, while the superlubricity behavior of the MXene remains unchanged. These results open up new possibilities for exploring the family of MXenes in various tribological applications.
A Qualitative Study of Rural Low-Wealth Participants’ Experiences with Community Gardens

This qualitative study aims to understand how community garden (CG) participants experience the effects of participation on fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption and health behaviors. Semi-structure...
Balancing selection and drift in a polymorphic salamander metapopulation.

Understanding how genetic variation is maintained in a metapopulation is a longstanding problem in evolutionary biology. Historical resurveys of polymorphisms have offered efficient insights about ...
UNICEF’s lessons learned from the education response to the COVID-19 crisis and reflections on the implications for education policy

COVID-19 triggered mass innovation that grew flexible learning modalities and pathways that can be built upon in future sector plans to make education systems more resilient. These tools must be paired with investments in the people expected to use them and strengthened data systems. To ensure plans are rooted in ever-pressurised budgets, Education Ministers will increasingly need to turn to economic analysis. Expansion of partnerships will be necessary to secure greater and more innovative forms of finance but also affordable digital learning solutions. If these opportunities are seized alongside the disruption wrought by the pandemic, they can equalize opportunities and accelerate progress.
The Ross procedure in children: a systematic review.

Background: The Ross procedure involves autograft transplantation of the native pulmonary valve into the aortic position and reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) with a homograft. The operation offers the advantages of a native valve with excellent hemodynamic performance, the avoidance of anticoagulation, and growth potential. Conversely, the operation is technically demanding and imposes the risk of turning single-valve disease into double-valve disease. This systematic review reports outcomes of pediatric patients undergoing the Ross procedure. Methods: An electronic search identified studies reporting outcomes on pediatric patients (mean age Results: Upon review of 2,035 publications, 30 studies and 3,156 pediatric patients were included. Patients had a median age of 9.5 years and median follow-up period of 5.7 years. Early mortality rates varied from 0.0 to 17.0% and were increased in the neonatal population. Late mortality rates were much lower (0.04–1.83 %/year). Reoperation due to pulmonary autograft failure occurred at rates of 0.37–2.81 %/year and reoperation due to RVOT reconstruction failure was required at rates of 0.34–4.76 %/year. Thromboembolic, bleeding, and endocarditis events were reported to occur at rates of 0.00–0.58, 0.00–0.39, and 0.00–1.68 %/year, respectively. Conclusions: The Ross operation offers a durable aortic valve replacement (AVR) option in the pediatric population that offers favorable survival, excellent hemodynamics, growth potential, decreased risk of complications, and avoidance of anticoagulation. Larger multi-institutional registries focusing on pediatric patients are necessary to provide more robust evidence to further support use of the Ross procedure in this population.
Application of dimensional analysis in sorption modeling of the styryl pyridinium cationic dyes on reusable iron based humic acid coated magnetic nanoparticles.

Abstract Cationic dyes exist in various industrial wastewaters and removal prior to discharge is necessary due to their carcinogenic behavior which poses a serious threat to human health. Iron based humic acid coated magnetic nanoparticles (HA-MNPs) were evaluated for the removal of 2-[4-(dimethylamino) styryl]-1-methylpyridinium iodide (2-ASP) as a model compound for cationic styryl pyridinium dyes from aqueous media. HA-MNPs were prepared by co-precipitation and characterized. The adsorption of 2-ASP, measured by fluorescence, demonstrates HA-MNPs are efficient for the 2-ASP removal with a maximum adsorption capacity of ~8 mg/g. Kinetic behavior and equilibrium studies showed the adsorption process fits with pseudo 2nd order and Langmuir isotherm models. The adsorption is relatively fast with ~70% of the adsorption complete within 30 min. The overall removal increases by increasing solution pH. The observed increase in adsorption can be assigned to an enhanced electrostatic attraction between the positively charged 2-ASP and the increase in the negative charge on the HA-MNPs surface as a function of increasing solution pH. Effective and repetitive regeneration of the HA-MNPs was achieved using NaOH treatment of saturated sorbent. Regeneration of HA-MNPs showed that removal efficiency remains consistently high after five consecutive cycles. Dimensional analysis suggested that initial concentration/sorbent dose ratio should be considered for accurate sorption modeling confirmed by experimental data. Then generalized empirical models for isothermal study and removal efficiency prediction were accurately deduced. This finding will help researchers in sorption studies to design their experiments more efficiently and to develop improved empirical models in removal prediction.
Closed-loop neuromodulation in an individual with treatment-resistant depression.

Deep brain stimulation is a promising treatment for neuropsychiatric conditions such as major depression. It could be optimized by identifying neural biomarkers that trigger therapy selectively when symptom severity is elevated. We developed an approach that first used multi-day intracranial electrophysiology and focal electrical stimulation to identify a personalized symptom-specific biomarker and a treatment location where stimulation improved symptoms. We then implanted a chronic deep brain sensing and stimulation device and implemented a biomarker-driven closed-loop therapy in an individual with depression. Closed-loop therapy resulted in a rapid and sustained improvement in depression. Future work is required to determine if the results and approach of this n-of-1 study generalize to a broader population. This case report describes a biomarker-driven closed-loop therapy for depression using implanted electrodes to continually sense brain activity and automatically trigger direct brain electrical stimulation in high-depression states.
Comfort eating, psychological stress, and depressive symptoms in young adult women

Little is known about whether comfort eating actually functions to reduce psychological stress. In addition, the effectiveness of comfort eating may be particularly relevant in the context of depression, but no study has tested whether comfort eating processes might depend on severity of depressive symptomology. This study tested 1) whether greater comfort eating statistically buffers the relationship between adverse life events and perceived psychological stress at age 18-19, and 2) whether potential stress-buffering effects may differ by level of depressive symptoms. These relationships were examined in the NHLBI Growth and Health Study, comprising 2379 young adult women. Participants self-reported experiences with adverse life events, their perceived psychological stress, and whether they tended to eat more while experiencing certain negative emotions. As hypothesized, the relationship between adverse life events and perceived stress depended on comfort eating status (p = .033). The effect of adverse events on perceived stress was attenuated among comfort eaters compared to non-comfort eaters (p = .004), but this buffering effect was not shown in participants with an elevated level of depressive symptoms. In conclusion, among young adult women without high depressive symptoms, comfort eaters may experience reduced perceived stress compared to those who do not engage in this behavior. Intervention researchers should also consider the possible benefits of comfort eating.
An interview with the incredible 200 year old psychologist 1 2

Abstract An interview with the oldest known living psychologist, or certainly the oldest known American psychologist is reported. Historical as well as present issues and persons in the domains of psychology are discussed. Although clearly deviating from current psychohistorical method, this approach of a live in‐depth interview with a very old individual would seem to hold promise, and may represent a contribution to the developing field of phenomenological retrospective longitudinal methodology. The interviewee, self‐described inventor of shock therapy, who recently had his first article published in an APA journal, was therapist to George Washington, Abe Lincoln, Lizzie Borden and friend to Freud, Thorndike, and others. His episodic and possibly apocryphal memory is plumbed, and appropriate conclusions left open. His putative historical insights are terminated by the interviewer, and further research is not indicated.
Near Misses in High–Risk Occupations

In this study, the authors hypothesize that safety-specific job engagement is important to prevent occupational near misses in high-risk occupations. The authors also hypothesize that safety program–focused justice perceptions and the absence of job distractions provide the workplace conditions necessary to support this engagement. Further, safety-specific job engagement mediates the prediction of occupational near misses by justice perceptions and job distractions. Results of a survey administered to 2,488 full-time employees working in the manufacturing, nuclear research and production, and mining industries provide support for the hypothesized relationships among the individual constructs and partial support for the mediation hypothesis. Through structural equation modeling, the authors found that safety-specific job engagement mediated the relationship between safety program–focused justice perceptions and near misses. Another finding was that the relationship among job distractions, safety-specific job engagement, and near misses is more complex, and a clear understanding of their relationship is subject to future investigation.
A new endovascular approach to treatment of acute iliac limb occlusions of bifurcated aortic stent grafts with an exoskeleton

Endovascular aneurysm repair continues to become increasingly popular. As the number of implanted endografts increases, complications will increase as well. We report a new approach to endovascular treatment in two patients with acute iliac limb occlusions of a bifurcated aortic endograft with an endoskeleton. Neither patient required femoral-femoral bypass grafting because of unilateral limb ischemia. We believe this is the optimal primary approach in patients with a bifurcated stent graft with an endoskeleton.
Mating-Type Regulation of Methyl Methanesulfonate Sensitivity in SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE.

Heterozygosity at the mating-type locus (MAT) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been shown previously to enhance X-ray survival in diploid cells. We now show that a/alpha diploids are also more resistant to the radiomimetic agent methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) than are diploids that are homozygous at MAT (i.e., either a/a or alpha/alpha). Log-phase a/alpha cultures exhibit biphasic MMS survival curves, in which the more resistant fraction consists of budded cells (those cells in the S and G2 phases of the cell cycle). Survival curves for log-phase cultures of a/a or alpha/alpha diploids have little if any biphasic nature, suggesting that the enhanced S- and G2-phase repair capacity of a/alpha cells may be associated with heterozygosity at MAT. The survival of cells arrested at the beginning of the S phase with hydroxyurea indicates that MAT-dependent MMS repair is limited to S and G2, whereas MAT-independent repair can occur in G1.
Limitations of adjunctive surgery in carcinoma of the cervix.

Abstract This study analyzed 41 patients with bulky/barrel-shaped Stage IIB cervical carcinoma. Twenty patients were treated with radical radiation alone. Twenty one patients had post-radiation surgery; ten underwent total abdominal hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy and eleven underwent extrafascial hysterectomy. Histologic review of the submitted specimens showed complete tumor sterilization in all but two. One of these had a microscopic focus of residual tumor with changes suggesting radiation damage; the other had wide-spread disease. All but one of the submitted nodal specimens were negative. Among patients receiving radiation and surgery, there was a 15% incidence of fistulization. In addition these patients had an unusually high incidence (60%) of prolonged (more than 18 months) unilateral and bilateral obstructive uropathy. Patients managed by radiation alone showed a 5% incidence of fistulization and 30% incidence of obstructive uropathy. This high incidence of ureteral obstruction following radiation alone without concurrent disease has not been reported previously. This study questions the routine use of abdominal hysterectomy with or without lymphadenectomy following radical radiation therapy in the treatment of Stage IIB disease and outlines the criteria for the combination of the modalities.
Suprathreshold brain stimulation activates non-corticospinal motor evoked potentials in cats.

Abstract In the feline model of the motor evoked potential (MEP) test, a multiphasic spinal cord signal can be elicited in response to bipolar or transcranial brain stimulation. Previous studies have shown that signals produced by threshold stimulation travel mostly in the corticospinal tract. However, from this study we show that suprathreshold stimulation produces very large amplitude MEPs which travel in the ventral funiculus and therefore are most likely associated with extrapyramidal tract activation. The data supporting this conclusion are: (1) apparent conduction velocities of the first two large amplitude peaks are at least 80 m/s with transcranial stimulation; (2) latency of the transcranial MEP at L2 in the cord is⩽3.50ms; (3) large amplitude, positive monophasic potentials are recorded in the ventral but not dorsal-lateral funiculus for either bipolar or transcranial MEPs; (4) both bipolar and transcranial MEPs are significantly reduced or abolished by selective lesion of the ventral funiculus. The two tracts which we believe are responsible for mediating the suprathreshold MEP in the cat are the reticulospinal and vestibulospinal tracts. This is significant because suprathreshold MEPs can be used to monitor feline ventral cord function. Furthermore, combining the use of threshold and suprathreshold MEPs may provide a differential diagnostic test for pyramidal vs. extrapyramidal motor function.
A piecewise quadratic maximum entropy method for the statistical study of chaos

Abstract Let the Frobenius–Perron operator P S : L 1 ( 0 , 1 ) → L 1 ( 0 , 1 ) , related to a nonsingular transformation S : [ 0 , 1 ] → [ 0 , 1 ] , have an invariant density f ⁎ . We propose a piecewise quadratic maximum entropy method for the numerical approximation of f ⁎ . The role of the partition of unity property of the quadratic functions for the numerical recovery of f ⁎ has been depicted. The proposed algorithm overcomes the ill-conditioning shortage of the traditional maximum entropy method which only employs polynomials, so that any number of moments can be used to increase the accuracy of the computed invariant density. The convergence rate of the method is shown to be of order 3. Numerical results are presented to justify the theoretical analysis of the method.
On the existence ofσ-finite invariant measures for operators

Several necessary and sufficient conditions are given for the existence of aσ-finite invariant measure for a positive operator onL∞. They are ofσ-type: the entire space is an increasing union of setsXk each of which is well-behaved.
Spray cone angle and its correlation in a high pressure fuel spray

An experimental study was conducted to determine the effects of nozzle orifice size and operating parameters on the cone angle of a liquid fuel spray injected into a gaseous environment. High fuel pressures in the range 55 to 130 MPa and background gas density ranging from atmospheric to 40 kg/m3 were used in the study. The results show the spray cone angle to depend on the orifice dimensions as well as on the operating conditions such as the injection velocity and the background gas density. A correlation is derived to predict spray cone angles in terms of Reynolds and Weber numbers. The predicted results are shown to agree well with the experimental findings of other investigators. On a fait une etude experimentale pour determiner les effets de la dimension de l'orifice du gicleur et des parametres de fonctionnement sur l'angle du cone du jet de pulverisation d'un combustible liquide injecte dans un milieu gazeux. On a employe dans cette etude des pressions du combustible elevees variant entre 55 et 130 MPa et une densite du gaz comprise entre celle des conditions atmospheriques et 40 kg/m3. Les resultats ont indique que l'angle du jet de pulverisation depend de la dimension de l'orifice ainsi que des conditions operatoires telles que la vitesse d'injection et la densite du gaz. On a etabli une correlation pour predire les angles des jets de pulverisation en fonction des nombres de Reynolds et de Weber. Les resultats calcules ont bien concorde avec les resultats experimentaux etablis par differents chercheurs.
Staphylococcal Enterotoxin. II. Chemistry.

Abstract A study of some chemical and physical properties of purified staphylococcal enterotoxin has been reported. The enterotoxin has a molecular weight of 24,000 ± 3000 and an isoelectric point at pH 8.6. There is no indication of the presence of carbohydrate and lipide. The amino acid content has been determined.
THA After Acetabular Fracture Fixation: Is Frozen Section Necessary?

Background Infection is uncommon after THA performed for failed acetabular fracture repair, despite a high reported incidence of culture-positive fixation implants. The use of frozen section analysis at the time of THA after acetabular fracture fixation surgery is unknown.
Maternal hyperoxia greatly reduces the incidence of phenytoin-induced cleft lip and palate in A/J mice

The A/J mouse has been used to study the teratogenic affects of phenytoin. The developmental abnormalities produced in offspring of this model are similar to some of the malformations observed in cases of human "fetal hydantoin syndrome." Placing pregnant A/J mice in a hyperoxic chamber after phenytoin injection greatly reduces the incidence of phenytoin-induced cleft lip and palate. These results suggest that phenytoin may affect embryonic development indirectly by altering maternal physiology. This maternally mediated mechanism, and the protection against it afforded by hyperoxia, has general implications for the effects of maternal toxicity on teratogenesis.
Energy flow in hadronic collision around √s ~ 1 TeV

Abstract Simple energy flow measurements at new p p colliders are suggested which will reflect the way in which interaction energy is divided between rest mass and kinetic energy of secondaries. Such experiments will contribute to resolution of a fundamental astrophysical problem, the composition of primary cosmic rays around 1015 eV.