cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Popliteal vein entrapment: a benign venographic feature or a pathologic entity?

Abstract Purpose: Asymptomatic morphologic popliteal vein entrapment is frequently found in the healthy population (27%). In our institution, popliteal vein compression on plantar flexion was observed in 42% of all ascending venograms. Some authorities consider the lesion benign, without pathologic significance. This study examines the pathophysiologic importance in select patients, describes treatment with surgery, and suggests a diagnostic tool. Method: Thirty severely symptomatic patients with venographic evidence of popliteal entrapment were selected to have popliteal vein release after a process of elimination (ie, other causes of chronic venous insufficiency [CVI] were ruled out by means of comprehensive hemodynamic and morphologic studies). In the last nine limbs, popliteal vein pressure was also measured by means of the introduction of a 2F transducer tip catheter. Patients were clinically and hemodynamically assessed before and after surgery, and anatomical anomalies encountered during surgery were recorded. Results: Popliteal vein release was performed without mortality or serious morbidity. Anomalies of the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle caused entrapment in 60% of the patients; anatomic course venous anomalies were infrequent (7% of the patients). Significant relief of pain and swelling occurred in the patients who had surgery. Stasis ulceration/dermatitis resolved in 82% of patients. Popliteal venous pressures had normalized in the six patients who were studied postoperatively. Conclusion: Popliteal vein entrapment should be included in the differential diagnosis of CVI in patients in whom other, more common etiologies have been excluded on the basis of comprehensive investigations. Popliteal vein compression can be demonstrated venographically in a large proportion of patients with CVI, but the lesion is likely pathological only in a small fraction of these patients. A technique for popliteal venous pressure measurement is described; it shows promise as a test for functional assessment of entrapment. Immediate results of popliteal vein release surgery are encouraging; long-term follow-up is necessary to judge the efficacy of surgical lysis of entrapment in symptomatic patients who fail to improve with conservative treatment measures. (J Vasc Surg 2000;31:631-41.)
Exponential stabilization of linear delayed systems using sliding-mode controllers

This brief deals with the problem of robust exponential stabilization of a class of time-delay systems using sliding-mode controllers. Continuous controllers are synthesized to guarantee that the motions of the sliding surface are uniformly exponentially convergent to a ball whose radius and the rate of exponential convergence toward it can be chosen arbitrarily. Furthermore, the reduced-order sliding-mode dynamics as well as the deviation from ideal sliding motion are uniformly exponentially convergent to a ball whose radius is minimized and the exponential convergence toward it is maximized. The problem is formulated as an optimization problem with linear matrix inequality constraints. Finally, an example is included to illustrate the results developed in this brief.
Chronic ethanol drinking reduces native T-type calcium current in the thalamus of nonhuman primates.

Abstract Background: Chronic ethanol use is known to disrupt normal sleep rhythms, but the cellular basis for this disruption is unknown. An important contributor to normal sleep patterns is a low-threshold calcium current mediated by T-type calcium channels. The T-type calcium current underlies burst responses in thalamic nuclei that are important to spindle propagation, and we recently observed that this current is sensitive to acute low doses of ethanol. Methods: We used a combination of current clamp and voltage clamp recordings in an in vitro brain slice preparation of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) of macaque monkeys that have chronically self-administered ethanol to determine whether chronic ethanol exposure may affect T-type currents. Results: Current clamp recordings from the LGN of ethanol naive macaques showed characteristic burst responses. However, recordings from the LGN in macaques that self-administered ethanol revealed a significant attenuation of bursts across a range of voltages ( n = 5). Voltage clamp recordings from control LGN neurons ( n = 16) and neurons ( n = 29) from brain slices from chronically drinking macaques showed no significant differences ( P > 0.05) in T-type current kinetics or in the membrane resistance of the thalamic cells between the two cohorts. However, mean T-type current amplitude measured in the chronically drinking animals was reduced by 31% ( P Conclusions: We conclude that chronic ethanol self-administration reduces calcium currents in thalamic relay cells without altering underlying current kinetics, which may provide a mechanistic framework for the well-documented disruptions in sleep/wake behavior in subjects with chronic ethanol exposure.
Assessment of emotion and language processing in psychopathic offenders: results from a dichotic listening task

Abstract Previous research has demonstrated that psychopaths exhibit abnormal language lateralization, and it has been proposed that psychopaths may be characterized by abnormal processing asymmetries in other domains as well [ Hare, (1998). Psychopathy, affect, and behavior. In D. J. Cooke, A. E. Forth, & R. D. Hare (Eds.), Psychopathy: theory, research and implications for society (pp. 105–137). Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers. ]. The present study employed Bryden and MacRae's [Bryden, M. P., & MacRae, L. (1988). Dichotic laterality effects obtained with emotional words. Neuropsychiatry, Neuropsychology, and Behavioral Neurology, 1, 171–176] dichotic listening task to investigate language and emotion lateralization among criminal psychopaths. Contrary to expectations, psychopaths demonstrated a normal right-ear advantage for word targets. However, psychopaths did show a reduced left-ear advantage for emotion targets, which was driven by high right-ear accuracy. We propose that psychopaths’ abnormal processing asymmetries are evident primarily on complex tasks and may be related to poor interhemispheric integration.
Why Site Networks

Long term experiments reveal the dynamics of ecosystems over relatively long time periods and agricultural field experiments comprise probably the largest long-term spatial data base of ecosystem experiments available. Networks of these long-term sites have a greater value than the individual sites alone for the following reasons. Networks can increase our understanding of ecosystems by combining data from a range of sites so allowing investigators to increase numbers of observations and examine how well the data can be generalized. Furthermore, a comparison of differences between experimental designs and locations may lead to new insight about agroecosystems and fundamental knowledge about ecosystem distributions can be tested and used to address important practical problems. Another advantage of site networks is that responses can be summed for a region based upon the distribution of driving variables and they also allow us to test our understanding embodied in ecosystem models and determine the level of confidence in the ability of the model to reproduce ecosystem behavior. Networks also provide data to support defensible regional projections and additional testing power is gained when time series of model output is compared with field data obtained over a period of years. It should be noted that responses of ecosystem components include interactions and feedbacks inherent in whole system dynamics. Currently, extensive networks are organized, or being organized in the U.S., Australia, Western and Eastern Europe (see this volume) and, to a lesser extent, in Africa. Additional efforts should be mounted, especially in the tropics.
Pain Assessment in Children With Special Needs: A Review of the Literature

Challenges in assessing the pain of children with special needs are created by the differing abilities of these students to self-report pain presence and intensity. This article reports the results of a literature review examining methods of pain assessment for children with special needs. The authors note the need to foster partnerships with parents and educators when assessing pain in difficult-to-assess students, and identify research priorities, including: obtaining perspectives of school nurses and parents on child perception of pain and challenges encountered during the assessment process, including educators in research, identifying current assessment practices used by school-based caregivers, and including a broader population of children with special needs in pain assessment research.
Synthesis of [(SnSe)1.16–1.09]1[(NbxMo1–x)Se2]1 Ferecrystal Alloys

Modification of the modulated elemental reactant method allowed the first reported synthesis of quaternary [(MX)z]m[(TxT′1–x)X2]n compounds with controlled compositions. Metastable ferecrystal compounds, [(SnSe)1.16–1.09]1[(NbxMo1–x)Se2]1 with x = 0, 0.26, 0.49, 0.83, and 1, were synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction, electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Misfit layer dichalcogenide analogues, showing controlled alloying of the dichalcogenide layers, have not been reported. Changes in lattice parameters, as a function of x, were similar to literature observations for the (NbxMo1–x)Se2 system. The c-lattice parameters of the ferecrystal alloys decreased linearly from 12.53(2) A for [(SnSe)1.09]1(MoSe2)1 to 12.27(2) A for [(SnSe)1.16]1(NbSe2)1. The a-lattice parameters of the dichalcogenide constituent increased from 3.329(8) A for [(SnSe)1.09]1(MoSe2)1 to 3.461(4) A for [(SnSe)1.16]1(NbSe2)1. The a-lattice parameter of the rocksalt constitue...
Ultraviolet–Visible Spectroscopy and Temperature-Programmed Techniques as Tools for Structural Characterization of Cu in CuMgAlOx Mixed Metal Oxides

Ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy was used in combination with temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) methods to provide information about the Cu structure in CuMgAlOx mixed oxides. UV–vis ...
Four ricin chain A-based immunotoxins directed against the common chronic lymphocytic leukemia antigen: in vitro characterization

Abstract The common B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) antigen (cCLLa) appears to be ideal for targeted immunotherapy in that it is the most prevalent and disease-restricted marker in B-CLL. To assess this potential, we developed four immunotoxins (ITs) of anti-cCLLa monoclonal antibody CLL2m (an lgG2a K), using ricin chain A (RTA) or its deglycosylated derivative (dgA), each conjugated to either the whole IgG molecule or its Fab’ fragment. Each IT was tested in vitro for specificity and cytotoxic activity (assessed by protein synthesis inhibition [PSI] and by cell kill [CK] in the clonogenic assay) against B-CLL cells. RTA-based anti-CD5 ITs and enriched normal B and T lymphocytes were used as controls. Each IT exhibited antigen-specific, dose-dependent activity. Thus, whereas B-CLL cells exhibited dose-dependent PSI and CK (whether the B-CLL clone was CD5+ or CD5–), normal B (cCLLa–/CD5–) and T lymphocytes (cCLLa–/CD5 +) remained unaffected. IT potency was independent of toxin glycosylation, but was slightly influenced by antibody valence; divalent ITs were twice as potent as monovalent ITs (IC50, 2.3 v 7.1 × 10–11 mol/L; CK, 2.6- v2.0-log reached with 524 v 1,072 IT molecules bound/cell, respectively). In the presence of ammonium chloride or Verapamil, IT-induced CK was enhanced 10- to 80-fold. These data suggest that the cCLLa is a promising target for IT-based immunotherapy of B-CLL in vivo and ex vivo.
An Empirical Analysis of Nominal and Interacting Groups

No significant differences were found between nominal and interacting groups in number of items generated, number of unique responses, or quality of responses, thus contradicting previously publish...
Spirituality and Health Care: Internet Resources

Medicine and spirituality have had an enduring, complementary relationship from the earliest days of health care. Recent publications, Web site developments, and education programs underscore the continuing enthusiasm for the study of the relationship between spirituality and patient care in the health care community. This article outlines a selective list of Internet sites and online resources and serves as a guide for further inquiry into spirituality and health care concepts.
Calcification Transformation of Diasporic Bauxite

The disposal of red mud, which is a solid waste that is generated during the extraction of alumina from bauxite, is one of major problems faced by the aluminum industry. Alkali in red mud seeping under the soil may pollute land and water. The Northeastern University, China, has proposed a calcification–carbonation method to deal with low-grade bauxite or red mud. Its main purpose is to change the equilibrium phase of red mud to 2CaO·SiO2 and CaCO3 hydrometallurgically, so that recomposed alkali-free red mud can be widely used. We conducted calcification transformation experiments using diasporic bauxite sampled from Wenshan, and investigated the effects of parameters such as diasporic bauxite grain size, temperature and treatment time on the calcification transformation digestion rate, which is also termed the calcification transformation rate (CTR). The main phase in the calcification transformation slag (CTS) is hydrogarnet with different grain sizes. The CTR increases with decrease in diasporic bauxite grain size, or increase in temperature or reaction time. The CTR reaches a maximum of 87% after 120 min reaction at 240°C. The Na2O/Al2O3 ratio decreases with increase in temperature and reaches 1.5. The sodium content in the CTS decreases with increasing reaction time and is lower than that in the red mud treated using the Bayer process (4–12%).
Precipitating antibody against pigeon antigens in sera of asymptomatic pigeon breeders.

Abstract The purpose of the present study was to investigate the incidence of precipitating antibody against pigeon antigens in asymptomatic pigeon breeders and to evaluate the reaction on a semiquantitative basis. Sera from 200 pigeon breeders who were without the clinical features of pigeon breeders' disease were tested with pigeon serum and extract of pigeon droppings for the presence of precipitins. Over 40 per cent of the sera contained precipitins to the extract of pigeon droppings, while only 20 per cent reacted with pigeon serum. Strong reactions, comparable to those of acutely ill breeders, were seen with 2 sera tested against pigeon serum and 5 sera tested with the extract of pigeon droppings. Our data indicates that the presence of even strong precipitin reactions may not be indicative of pigeon breeders' disease, and this finding should be supplemented with other clinical features to allow a definite diagnosis.
Instruments for Use with Flexible Steel Wire in Bone Surgery

A wire tightener has been developed which tightens and then twists the ends of wire loops in a manner which is reproducible from loop to loop, and which does not place excessive strain on the basic twist where loops are liable to be weakened so that they subsequently break. Fifteen years of surgical experience have proved the dependability of this instrument and the value of its unique features. It provides strong and reliable fixation of bone fragments in a diversity of surgical procedures in which wire loops have the virtues of introducing a minimum of foreign material and of holding bone fragments in constant contact. The tightener is designed for use with 18-gauge and 20-gauge surgical stainless- steel wire, which sizes have been found most suitable for internal fixation of the major bones of the upper and lower extremities. Two devices have also been developed which expand the field of usefulness of the tightener. The wire-washer set provides strong longitudinal fixation through a single drill hole in bone. The C clamp, with removable drill guide and special drill, aids in reducing certain fractures about major joints, and in holding the fragments securely during appropriate internal fixation. These two devices are of limited application but of great usefulness in specific situations.
Initial Characterization of Mutator-Induced Photosythesis Mutations

The chloroplast encodes and synthesizes many of the polypeptides involved in photosynthesis, but it is dependent on the nuclear genome for normal development. Each of the complexes involved in photosynthetic electron transport includes proteins encoded by nuclear genes as well as those synthesized in the chloroplast. In addition to structural proteins there are nuclear-encoded peptides which mediate transport, serve as regulatory signals and/or participate in assembly of the complexes. We have induced mutants in maize for the purpose of studying the interaction between the nucleus and the chloroplast in the regulation, assembly and function of the light reaction polypeptides.
Strain-sensing smart skin: A noncontact optical strain sensor using single-walled carbon nanotubes

Abstract A novel noncontact strain measurement technology is developed in which single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) serve as sensors. This approach exploits the characteristic near-infrared fluorescence signatures of semiconducting SWCNTs, which systematically shift in wavelength when the nanotubes are axially strained. A strain-sensing smart skin (“S4”) is prepared by coating the surface to be monitored with a thin film of a composite containing well-dispersed SWCNTs embedded in a polymeric host. Strain in the substrate is transmitted through the polymer to the nanotubes, causing systematic and predictable spectral shifts of the nanotube near-infrared fluorescence peak wavelengths. This promising new method should allow quick and precise strain measurements at any position and along any direction of the substrate.
Associations among adolescents' cyber-specific beliefs and information management strategies

The current study investigated associations among adolescents’ reports of harmfulness and family decision-making beliefs regarding potentially problematic cyber behaviors (e.g., talking to strangers online), cyber-specific information management strategies (disclosure, secrecy, concealment), and family rules regarding adolescents’ use of information and communication technology (ICT). The sample consisted of 159 adolescents aged 12 to 18 years (M = 14.45, SD = 1.72, 59% female, 80% Caucasian). Youth were more likely to disclose their ICT behavior when they recognized the harm associated with cyber risks and viewed their family as less restrictive about ICT activities. Age differences indicated that older adolescents’ ICT beliefs were more strongly related to their information management strategies, whereas families’ ICT rules were more predictive of cyber disclosure for younger adolescents. Results demonstrate that both adolescents’ conceptualization of ICT risks and families’ ICT-specific rules contribut...
Mapping Climate Justice

This chapter maps international climate change mitigation and adaptation regimes in order to derive fair climate stability implementation strategies. Based on insights on the current endeavor to finance climate change mitigation and adaptation around the globe, a three-dimensional climate justice approach will be introduced to share the burden of climate change fair within society. First, climate justice within a country should pay tribute to the fact that low- and high-income households share the same burden proportional to their dispensable income. Secondly, fair climate change burden sharing between countries comprises of argumentations that those countries benefiting more from a stable climate should also bear a higher burden of climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. Thirdly, climate justice over time is proposed in an innovative climate change burden sharing strategy. Innovative compensation schemes to share the burden of climate change with bonds help weight the burden of climate change more equally between today’s and tomorrow’s society. Deriving respective policy recommendations for the wider climate change community is aimed at ensuring to share the burden but also the benefits of climate change within society, between countries and over time in an equitable and fair way.
Hydrogen release at metal-oxide interfaces: A first principle study of hydrogenated Al/SiO 2 interfaces

Abstract The Anode Hydrogen Release (AHR) mechanism at interfaces is responsible for the generation of defects, that traps charge carriers and can induce dielectric breakdown in Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors. The AHR has been extensively studied at Si/SiO 2 interfaces but its characteristics at metal-silica interfaces remain unclear. In this study, we performed Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations to study the hydrogen release mechanism at the typical Al/SiO 2 metal-oxide interface. We found that interstitial hydrogen atoms can break interfacial Al Si bonds, passivating a Si sp 3 orbital. Interstitial hydrogen atoms can also break interfacial Al O bonds, or be adsorbed at the interface on aluminum, forming stable Al H Al bridges. We showed that hydrogenated O H, Si H and Al H bonds at the Al/SiO 2 interfaces are polarized. The resulting bond dipole weakens the O H and Si H bonds, but strengthens the Al H bond under the application of a positive bias at the metal gate. Our calculations indicate that Al H bonds and O H bonds are more important than Si H bonds for the hydrogen release process.
Glycans in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

IntroductionPseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen known to encode a neuraminidase, PaNA. It is known that some strains of P. aeruginosa glycosylate pilin and flagellin and that pseuda...
Themes and trends in intentional self-poisoning: Perspectives from critical care toxicology.

Abstract This research investigated the substances employed by and experiences of patients who come to acute treatment after self-poisoning. A retrospective search of the Toxicology Investigators Consortium Registry was performed to characterize a large cohort of patients. A detailed prospective study of one inpatient toxicology service was also conducted. Patients chose readily available agents for self-poisoning. Most cases involved at least one substance that affects the central nervous system (CNS). The majority were prescription psychotropics and narcotics. When they had access to both CNS-active and CNS-inactive medications, patients almost invariably ingested a mind-altering agent. After recovering neurocognitive function, most patients were not actively experiencing suicidal thoughts. However, more than half of patients without CNS toxicity continued to have suicidal ideation after coming to care. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that many suicidal patients may be seeking an altered psychosomatic state rather than death per se .
NUTRITIONAL IMPAIRMENT AFTER HIP FRACTURE.

Hip fracture patients are often undernourished at the time of the fracture event as measured by serum albumin levels and/or standardized dietary assessments. Reduced food intake, particularly during the acute recovery period, further contributes to poor recovery after hip fracture. This presentation will discuss the evidence related to the importance of nutritional status on recovery and the effectiveness of nutritional supplementation after hip fracture to improve patient outcomes. The limitations of research to date in this area will be presented and discussed. Finally, potential strategies to mitigate the risk of malnutrition after hip fracture will be presented in the context of multimodal interventions that include nutritional supplementation.
Measuring Complexity: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis Approach:

This study examines complexity as a measure of support for organizational redirection. This study considers whether 16 items (culture, mission, values, decentralization, policies and procedures, ad...
A Critical Guide to Using the Legislative History Of The Fourteenth Amendment to Determine The Amendment's Original Meaning

Judges, lawyers, and scholars often look to the Fourteenth Amendment’s legislative history for evidence of the Amendment’s original meaning. Members of the Supreme Court, for instance, have cited floor statements, committee records, preliminary proposals, and other documents relating to the drafting and approval of the Fourteenth Amendment in many important cases. The documents containing this legislative history, however, are difficult to use. As explained in this Article, the Amendment came about through a complex process, in which Congress rejected several prior proposals for constitutional amendments before settling on a markedly different proposal that became the Fourteenth Amendment. Although the primary sources containing the legislative history are widely available online, some of them lack useful indexes and are only partially electronically searchable. In addition, statements made during the drafting and debate over the Fourteenth Amendment do not always yield clear answers to modern questions. Aggravating the situation, most lawyers, judges, law clerks, and legal scholars receive little or no instruction on how to use the documents containing the legislative history of the Fourteenth Amendment. Accordingly, they may feel unequipped either to use the legislative history to make claims about the Amendment’s original meaning or to evaluate the claims of others. Even the Supreme Court appears to have difficulty with the details. This Article seeks to improve the situation by providing a critical guide to the Amendment’s legislative history.
Power and Area Efficient Sorting Networks Using Unary Processing

Sorting is a common task in a wide range of applications from signal and image processing to switching systems. For applications that require high performance, sorting is often performed in hardware. Hardware cost and power consumption are the dominant concerns. The usual approach is to wire up a network of compare-and-swap units in a configuration called a Batcher (or Bitonic) network. This paper proposes a novel area-and power-efficient approach to sorting networks based on "unary processing." Data is encoded as serial bit-streams, with values represented by the fraction of 1's in a stream of 0's and 1's. (This is an evolution of prior work on stochastic logic. Unlike stochastic logic, the unary approach is deterministic and completely accurate.) Synthesis results of complete sorting networks show up to 87% area and power saving compared to the conventional binary implementations. However, the latency increases. To mitigate the increased latency, the paper uses a novel time-encoding of data. The approach is validated with implementation of an important application of sorting: median filtering. The result is a low-cost, energy-efficient implementation of median filtering with only a slight accuracy loss.
Trademarks: A Social Perspective

This chapter discusses trademark law and relates that discussion to semiotics. Trademark law has been treated in many contexts, even those who are directly relative to semiotics. However, this chapter will talk more specifically about trademark dilution, a relatively recent area of trademark protection and an area that has not been discussed at length as applied to semiotics. It is precisely the dimension of dilution that leads us to formulate social perspectives of the many legal solutions inherent to the trademark law. Semiotic insights sustain that analysis.
On the Period-doubling Bifurcation in PWM controlled Buck Converter

DC-DC converters are being widely used in electrified transportation systems. It has been proven that chaos in this family of converters can lead to instability. This digest presents a mathematical study of bifurcation and chaos in PWM- controlled DC-DC buck converters. The derivation of discrete time models for the period −1, period −2, period −4 and period −8 orbits are demonstrated. A practical circuit has been constructed and tested, and the experimental results verified the validity of the theoretical analysis.
Severe Hypocalcemia and Dramatic Increase in Parathyroid Hormone after Denosumab in a Dialysis Patient: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) is frequently present in advanced stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients with high risk of fracture and elevated socioeconomic burden. Denosumab, an injectable human monoclonal antibody with affinity for nuclear factor-kappa ligand (RANKL), is an effective treatment for osteoporosis in postmenopausal women and men. Unlike the bisphosphonates, the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of denosumab are not influenced by the renal function and are being increasingly used for patients having CKD-MBD with low bone mineral density (BMD) to reduce the risk of fragility fractures. Hypocalcemia is a known side effect of this drug along with compensatory increase in parathyroid hormone (PTH). However, limited information is available in the literature regarding this potentially life-threatening side effect with denosumab in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients on dialysis. We present a patient with ESRD on peritoneal dialysis who developed severe symptomatic hypocalcemia and dramatic increase in PTH following denosumab therapy. She was conservatively managed with calcium supplementation and appropriate adjustment in calcium dialysate. We have also reviewed the literature on the use of denosumab in dialysis patients and looked at additional factors that may precipitate severe hypocalcemia in these patients. We believe that denosumab should be used with caution in dialysis patients since it may lead to profound hypocalcemia. Clinicians should ensure special attention in recognizing patients at risk of developing this serious adverse effect, so that prompt treatment and preventive strategies can be implemented.
Symptomatic malignant spinal cord compression in children: a single-center experience

Malignant spinal cord compression (MSCC) is associated withpoor prognosis and may lead to permanent paralysis, sensory loss, and sphincter dysfunction. Very limited data are available on incidence and etiology of MSCC in pediatric population. We aimed to examine etiology, clinical presentation and treatment of pediatric patient with MSCC admitted to the Santobono-Pausilipon Children’s Hospital, Naples, Italy. Forty-four children under 18 yearsadmitedsince 2007 and assessed for MSCC clinical presentations, evaluation, and treatment.were retrospectively collected from our institutional pediatric oncology and neurosurgery database. The median age at time of MSCC diagnosis was 52 months, with a peak in young (≤3 years) patients. The leading cause of MSCC was extramedullary tumors (63.6%), in particular neuroblastoma (27.2%) followed by Ewing sarcomas (15.9%). Cord compression was the presenting feature of a new malignancy in 33 (75%) patients, and a consequence of metastatic disease progression or relapse in the remaining 11 (25%) patients. Motor deficit was the initial symptoms of spinal compression in all patients, while pain was present in about 60% of patients, followed by sphincteric deficit (43.2%). The primary tumor site was located in the neck in 3 (6.8%) patients, thorax in 16 (36.4%), cervico-thoracic region in 3 (6.8%), thoraco-lumbar region in 8 (18.2%), abdomen in 5 (11.4%), lumbar-sacral region in 7 (15.9%) and thoracic-lumbar-sacral region in 1 (2.3%). The median length of the interval between symptom onset and tumor diagnosis varied widely from 0 to 360 days in the entire population, however this interval was significantly shorter in patients with known neoplasia in comparisonto patients with new diagnosis (at relapse 7 days [interquartile range 3–10] vs at diagnosis 23 days [7–60]). Pre and post-operative spine magnetic resonance imagingwas performed in all cases, and most(95%) patients underwent neurosurgical treatment as first treatment. Severe motor deficit was associated with younger age and severe motor deficit at diagnosis was associated withworst motor outcomes at discharge from neurosurgery. Patients with progression or relapsed disease showed a worst prognosis, while the majority of patients (70.5%) were alive at 5 years after diagnosis. The natural history of MSCC in children is associated to permanent paralysis, sensory loss, and sphincter dysfunction, thus prompt diagnosis and correct management are needed to minimize morbidity. Treatment strategies differed widely among cancer types and study groups in the absence of optimal evidence-based treatment guidelines. When the diagnosis is uncertain, surgery provides an opportunity to biopsy the lesion in addition to treating the mass.
Forum Communication—“Reply to José Luis Guil-Guerrero’s Comment on ‘Neanderthals, Vitamin C, and Scurvy’ by John D. Speth”

Abstract Jose Guil-Guerrero has raised a number of issues concerning the suitability of putrefied (i.e., fermented) meat and fish as viable sources of vitamin C for Eurasian Middle and Upper Paleolithic foragers when forced to subsist for extended periods on heavily meat- or fish-based diets. I question a number of the (implicit) underlying assumptions that give rise to Guil-Guerrero's concerns, as well as the appropriateness of data he uses in his critique.
Inception of memories that guide vocal learning in the songbird

Animals learn many complex behaviors by emulating the behavior of more experienced individuals. This essential, yet still poorly understood, form of learning relies on the ability to encode lasting memories of observed behaviors. We identified a vocal-motor pathway in the zebra finch where memories that guide learning of song-element durations can be implanted. Activation of synapses in this pathway seeds memories that guide learning of song-element duration and can override learning from social interactions with other individuals. Genetic lesions of this circuit after memory formation, however, do not disrupt subsequent song imitation, which suggests that these memories are stored at downstream synapses. Thus, activity at these sensorimotor synapses can bypass learning from auditory and social experience and embed memories that guide learning of song timing.
Chief executive officer compensation, firm performance, and strategic coopetition: A seemingly unrelated regression approach

Coopetition denotes the simultaneous cooperation and competition in a business relationship and is broader in depth and width than competition. This pioneering comparative study employs a seemingly unrelated regression system to investigate the impact of peer‐pay bias and pay‐for‐relative performance upon the highly controversial chief executive officer (CEO) pay. The analysis of the 21 Dow–Jones firms from 1992 to 2013 shows that the pay‐for‐performance relationship is contingent on the fit between CEO's strategic decisions and firm's core competency. The CEO pay is driven by the intensification of firm coopetition. We contribute to executive compensation, corporate strategy, and econometric methods.
Abstract P510: Association of Animal and Plant Protein Intake With Mortality Among US Adults: A Prospective Cohort Study

Introduction: Animal protein sources, especially red and processed meat, have been associated with adverse health outcomes. Epidemiological evidence on the isocaloric substitution of plant for anim...
A New Laniifera Species from the Dominican Republic (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)

Laniifera Hampson is diagnosed and compared to related genera of Asciodini (Crambidae: Spilomelinae). Laniifera rawlinsi, n. sp., is described from the Dominican Republic. The larvae are predicted to feed in Opuntia cacti, as do related taxa.
Intersectional English(es) and the Gig Economy: Teaching English Online

This article introduces LanguaSpeak, a heretofore underexplored digital platform that functions as a market for language learners and teachers. It argues that LanguaSpeak, through both its interface and users’ communicative practice, unwittingly reinforces existing language ideologies, particularly around race. In making this argument, the article suggests the notion of “intersectional English(es)” as a means through which scholars can productively consider the ways in which race, nationality, and language intersect and are (re)enforced through online interfaces/interaction. Drawing on data collected from the profiles of English teachers from the United States and the Philippines, this article examines how language, nationality, and race intersect on LanguaSpeak. Key differences identified between the two countries’ teachers include price and marketing strategies. Specifically, White male American teachers are found to enjoy significant advantages over other teachers, reflecting dominant language ideologies. This has implications for English language teaching and language discrimination more broadly.
Damned from release: the effects of neighborhood churches on general and technical parole violation reincarcerations across time

Recently, interest has piqued on the effects of neighborhood context on parolee recidivism; however, examinations often neglect to model neighborhood institutions. One type of institution that may ...
Post-synthetic modification of CARDO-based materials: application in sour natural gas separation

A new homopolymer, 6FDA-CARDO(t-Bu), was prepared from 6FDA-CARDO through one-step chemical modification by adding bulky tert-butyl groups, using Friedel–Crafts alkylation. The incorporation of the bulky groups led to a significant increase in the fractional free volume (FFV) within the matrix of membranes prepared from the modified polymer. The thermal properties of the modified polymer were not greatly affected compared to those of its parent 6FDA-CARDO homopolymer, where the Td5% and the Tg were measured to be 517 °C and 366 °C, respectively. The hydrazine-assisted cleavage of 6FDA-CARDO(t-Bu) led to the preparation of the new diamine monomer CARDO(t-Bu) in high yield. Pure-gas and multicomponent sweet and sour mixed-gas permeation studies of dense films prepared from 6FDA-CARDO(t-Bu) were carried out and compared to those of membranes prepared from 6FDA-CARDO. For example, the carbon dioxide (CO2) pure-gas permeability of the 6FDA-CARDO(t-Bu) membrane was measured at 100 psi feed pressure and 22 °C, and found to be 271 Barrer which is 4.6-fold higher when compared to that of 6FDA-CARDO membranes. Due to a simultaneous increase in the methane (CH4) pure-gas permeability, a reduction in the CO2/CH4 selectivity of the 6FDA-CARDO(t-Bu) membrane was recorded. A similar effect was observed for the sweet mixed-gas separation studies. Interestingly, the sour mixed-gas (containing 21% hydrogen sulfide, H2S) separation properties of the 6FDA-CARDO(t-Bu) membrane showed a different trend. At 500 psi and 22 °C, the H2S/CH4 selectivity was 10% higher, and the CO2 and H2S permeability coefficients were 3.2- and 3.8-fold, respectively, higher compared to those obtained for 6FDA-CARDO membranes.
Evaluating the Effect of Prebiotics on the Gut Microbiome Profile and β-cell Function in Youth with Newly-Diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes

Abstract Data show that disturbances in the gut microbiota play a role in glucose homeostasis, type 1 diabetes (T1D) risk and progression. The prebiotic high amylose maize starch (HAMS) alters the gut microbiome profile and metabolites favorably with an increase in bacteria producing short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that have significant anti-inflammatory effects. HAMS also improves glycemia, insulin sensitivity and secretion in healthy non-diabetic adults. Additionally, a recent study testing an acetylated and butyrylated form of HAMS (HAMS-AB) that further increases SCFA production prevented T1D in a rodent model without adverse safety effects. The overall objective of this human study will be to assess how daily HAMS-AB consumption impacts the gut microbiome profile, SCFA production, β-cell heath, function and glycemia as well as immune responses in newly-diagnosed T1D youth. We hypothesize that HAMS-AB intake will improve the gut microbiome profile, increase SCFA production, improve β-cell health, function and glycemia as well as modulate the immune system. We describe here a pilot, randomized crossover trial of HAMS-AB in 12 newly-diagnosed T1D youth with residual β-cell function. In Aim 1, we will determine the effect of HAMS-AB on the gut microbiome profile and SCFA production; in Aim 2, we will determine the effect of HAMS-AB on β-cell health, function and glycemia; and in Aim 3, we will determine the peripheral blood effect of HAMS-AB on frequency, phenotype and function of specific T cell markers. We anticipate beneficial effects from a simple, inexpensive and safe dietary approach.
A disease-associated mutation that weakens ZAP70 autoinhibition enhances responses to weak and self-ligands

The cytoplasmic kinase ZAP70 is critical for T cell antigen receptor (TCR) signaling. The R360P mutation in ZAP70 is responsible for an early-onset familial autoimmune syndrome. The structural location and biochemical signaling effects of the R360P mutation are consistent with weakening of the autoinhibitory conformation of ZAP70. Mice with a ZAP70 R360P mutation and polyclonal TCR repertoires exhibited relatively normal T cell development but showed evidence of increased signaling. In addition, the R360P mutation resulted in enhanced follicular helper T cell expansion after LCMV infection. To eliminate the possibility of a TCR repertoire shift, the OTI transgenic TCR was introduced into R360P mice, which resulted in enhanced T cell responses to weaker stimuli, including weak agonists and a self-peptide. These observations suggest that disruption of ZAP70 autoinhibition by the R360P mutation enables increased mature T cell sensitivity to self-antigens that would normally be ignored by wild-type T cells, a mechanism that may contribute to the break of tolerance in human patients with R360P mutation.
Gate-All-Around Strained Si 0.4 Ge 0.6 Nanosheet PMOS on Strain Relaxed Buffer for High Performance Low Power Logic Application

For the first time, we report a short channel high performance, gate-all-around strained Si 0.4 Ge 0.6 nanosheet PMOSFET with aggressively scaled dimensions. We demonstrate realization of s-Si 0.4 Ge 0.6 nanosheet with 5nm thickness and device with L G =25nm featuring record high I ON =508 µA/µm at I OFF =100nA/µm and V DS = -0.5V. This result is obtained with the combination of (a) novel Si-cap-free gate oxide solution featuring thin EOT=9.1A, low D IT and N IT for s-Si 0.4 Ge 0.6 channel, (b) record high hole mobility= 450 cm2/Vs owing to compressive strain imparted by Si 0.7 Ge 0.3 strain relaxed buffer (SRB), (c) low R EXT =150 Ω-µm due to highly active, strained source/drain SiGe process and novel p++ cap layer, (d) optimized source/drain tip and junction to minimize GIDL impact to I OFF . Additionally, the impact of operating temperature on GIDL and I OFF is comprehensively studied to prescribe optimal V CC range of operation for this technology.
Adjudicating Reasons for Hospitalization Reveals That Severe Illness From COVID-19 in Children Is Rare.

In this issue of Hospital Pediatrics , Kushner et al1 conducted an extensive chart review of 117 pediatric hospitalizations with a positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test from May 10, 2020, to February 10, 2021, at a quaternary care academic children’s hospital in northern California. Study authors used a set of predetermined criteria to characterize each hospitalization as either likely or unlikely for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). They found that 53 hospitalizations (45%) were unlikely to be due to disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. Rather, patients were hospitalized for a wide range of other diagnoses, including bacterial infections, scheduled surgical procedures, appendicitis, ingestions, anaphylaxis, and neurologic conditions. Of the 64 patients who were likely to have been hospitalized for COVID-19, 3 were asymptomatic and 27 had mild to moderate symptoms, with 20 characterized as either severe or critical (the remaining 14 were diagnosed with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children [MIS-C]). Webb et al2 reviewed the charts of 146 children hospitalized with a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test result at another large children’s hospital in …
God After the Death of God

What happens to “God” after the death of God? It is hard to believe or disbelieve in God in any straightforward sense, and the answer to this question lies beyond “atheism” and “theism.” Nevertheless, three ways of thinking about God can be considered: First, God as an absolute ideal who personifies all the highest values that we aspire to. Second, God as the image of transcendence, and the absolutely other that is glimpsed in the infinity of another person, or the sublime. And third, God as the name for the spiritual dimension of life which corresponds to a higher or greater power that we are bound to defer to—in justice, nature, or truth, for example—and this is something that we can call “God.”
Application of a newly-developed cynomolgus macaque BiTE-mediated cytotoxic T-lymphocyte activity assay to various immunomodulatory agents in vitro.

The immunotoxic potential of drug candidates is assessed through the examination of results from a variety of in vitro and in vivo immunophenotyping and functional study endpoints in pre-clinical studies. CD8+ cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) activity impairment by immunosuppressive agents is recognized to be a potentiating factor for decreased antiviral defense and increased cancer risk. A bi-specific T-cell engager (BiTE®)-mediated CTL activity assay that applies to ex vivo experimentation in non-human primates in the context of toxicology studies was successfully developed and applied in cynomolgus monkey regulatory studies. While an ex vivo analysis conducted in the context of repeat-dose toxicology studies focuses on the long-term impact on CTL function, an in vitro assay with the same experimental design captures acute effects in the presence of the test article. Here, the in vitro assay was applied to a list of drugs with known clinical immunomodulatory impact to understand the applicability of the assay. The results showed this assay was sensitive to a wide range of immunosuppressants directly targeting cell-intrinsic signaling pathways in activated CTL. However, agents executing immuno-modulation through inhibiting cytokines/cytokine receptors, co-stimulatory molecules, and cell adhesion and migration pathways did not impair the CTL activity in this short-term in vitro culture. In addition, anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint blockers enhanced the CTL activity. Taken together, the results here demonstrate that in concordance with their mechanism of action, the in vitro BiTE®-mediated CTL assay is applicable and sensitive to immunomodulatory agents acting via a variety of mechanisms.
Infant Mental Health

Abstract This review explores diverse theories that provide the basis and rationale for infant mental health, a relatively new service designed to reduce social and emotional disturbances in infancy and early parenthood. Psychoanalytic theory, attachment theory, social and contextual theories, developmental theories and the work of Donald Winnicott and Daniel Stern contribute to the fundamentals of infant mental health practice, increasing the understanding of development in early childhood and the power of relationships in defining a context for social and emotional growth. Infant mental health practice influences psycho therapeutic change in early parenthood and the possibility of attachment security in early infancy.