cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MBO as a Complement to Effective Leadership

M ike Gantz knew he was in trouble. After only two years as vice-president of marketing and sales at Acme Products, his boss had just suggested he resign. Actually, Gantz had seen it coming. He had to admit he'd let Acme down by his inability to get things done the way he had in his previous job. But he still couldn't understand where he'd gone wrong. Prior to coming to Acme, Gantz had earned an excellent reputation as the best division sales manager in a large, diversified industrial firm. He credited much of his success to his highly participative management style. In implementing Management by Objectives (MBO), for example, he had actively involved his subordinates in goal setting and then granted them considerable latitude in meeting their goals. This approach had produced a highly motivated and productive team of subordinates. In fact, Gantz had been recruited to work the same magic at Acme Products, one of his former division's competitors. Unfortunately, the results of his considerable efforts had been very disappointing so far. After two years of his leadership, Acme had lost almost as much market share as top management had expected him to gain, customer dissatisfaction was at an all-time high, and turnover of salespeople had nearly tripled. As far as Acme Products was concerned, Gantz was a disaster and had to go! How could a manager with a proven record fail so badly? Could he have been the victim of the "Peter Principle" and found his level of incompetence? Maybe. But we believe that Mike Gantz's failure came about in large measure from his failure to diagnose the situation and adopt leader behaviors and MBO practices that were compatible with each other as well as appropriate to his new and different situation. Most of the managers reporting to him at Acme did not have the abilities or initiative of his previous subordinates. Nor did the new firm possess most of the well developed support systems to which Gantz had grown accustomed in his previous job. The new organization's culture was very different as well. While extensive participation and trust had been the norm at his previous firm, his new subordinates were used to being told exactly what to do and then having the boss follow up closely to make sure they were actually doing it right. Small wonder that Gantz's participative and permissive style frustrated his new subordinates and resulted in confusion rather than goal attainment. Gantz should have recognized the difference in the capabilities and expectations of his new subordinates and made himself available to be a supportive resource and coach, with more directive and decisive behavior. While the names have been changed to protect the guilty, the above scenario is all too real. It illustrates a very common problem: a failure to achieve a suitable match between leader behavior, MBO implementation, and the organizational situation. It is this very important match that we will consider in this article.
Experiments on Jerk-Limited Slew Maneuvers of a Flexible Spacecraft

Abstract : In this paper, experimental verifications of various jerk-limited control designs are presented. The focus is on a large slew maneuver of a flexible spacecraft where the fast and accurate pointing is required at the end of the maneuver. Various control profiles are investigated including input shaping and jerk-limited optimal control profiles, especially to account the effect of jerk in the control profile. The control design is verified by the experiment using the Flexible Spacecraft Simulator (FSS).
Further experience with plastination as a method of making holograms of human tissue specimens with continuous-beam lasers

If pathological specimens are preserved by a method known as plastination, they are rigid enough to be imaged with continuous beam lasers on a conventional holography table.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Activation of cytokines as a mechanism of disease progression in heart failure.

The scientific quest for the basic mechanism(s) responsible for the development and progression of congestive heart failure in humans has been practically exhaustive; none the less, the mechanisms responsible for the decompensation of myocardial function after myocardial injury or haemodynamic overloading, or both, have remained elusive. Initially clinicians viewed heart failure as a problem of excessive salt and water retention that was caused by abnormalities of renal blood flow (the cardiorenal model). As clinicians began to perform careful haemodynamic measurements, it also became apparent that heart failure was accompanied by reduced cardiac output and excessive peripheral vasoconstriction. This led to the development of a cardiocirculatory or haemodynamic model for heart failure, in which heart failure was thought to arise from abnormalities of the pumping capacity of the heart. Neither of these models explained the progression of heart failure. Subsequently neurohormones were considered to lead to disease progression through myocyte loss, progressive myocardial fibrosis, as well as salt and water retention. More recently, it has become evident that another class of biologically active molecules, generally referred to as cytokines are also important in heart failure.1-8 The term cytokine is applied to a group of relatively small molecular weight protein molecules (generally 15–30 kDa) that are secreted by cells in response to a variety of different inducing stimuli. Classically, cytokines are thought to be secreted by neighbouring “producer cells” and to act in an autocrine, juxtacrine or paracrine manner to influence the biological behaviour of neighbouring “target cells” (see Mann and Young8 for a brief review). However, when cytokines are overproduced they can “spill over” into the peripheral circulation where they can exert endocrine-like effects. It should be recognised that although cytokines are similar in many respects to polypeptide hormones, cytokines can be produced by a variety of different cell …
Understanding the variation in costs among HIV primary care providers

The paper uses a hybrid cost model to identify the determinants of cost variation among programs that offer early intervention services to people living with HIV and AIDS in the US. The model combines the effects of input price and output volume measures from traditional economic cost functions with institutional factors based on program and patient characteristics on the cost of providing primary medical care and support services to people living with HIV and AIDS. The impact of economic factors conforms to conventional theory and reveals the potential for cost savings through greater economies of scale and substitutability of low cost for high cost labor inputs. Similarly, programs that use staff more efficiently and share an affiliation with other organizations exhibit lower costs than more labor intensive and non-affiliated providers. However, patient characteristics are equally important determinants of program spending. Minority patients use services less frequently and generate fewer costs, while patients facing fewer barriers to care, such as those with Medicaid coverage, access services more frequently and incur higher costs. Uninsured patients also generate higher costs, but the higher costs associated with this subgroup more likely stem from a lack of continuity in care and, thus, poorer health status and greater healthcare needs when treatment is sought. Injection drug users require less expensive services, but access services more frequently than other risk groups, while patients with an AIDS diagnosis and those who are co-infected with hepatitis C require more program resources. By separately estimating the economic and institutional determinants of program costs, the study highlights the relative importance of factors that are amendable to internal cost control efforts versus those that reflect the resource needs of local communities.
Conservation of molecular orbital configuration in chemical reactions

The principle of conservation of MO configuration in the course of a chemical reaction is equivalent to the statement that processes in which the bonds of the products may begin to form before those of the reagents are broken will tend to have smaller activation energies than those in which the old bonds must be broken in order for the new ones to begin to form. This postulate, which leads to a generalization of the Woodward-Hoffmann rules derived from orbital symmetry considerations, is reconciled with multi-configuration molecular orbital theory. Application to the case of the hydrogen-iodine makes use of approximate potential surfaces obtained by semiempirical molecular orbital calculation.
The challenge of measuring quality of care from the electronic health record

The electronic health record (EHR) is seen by many as an ideal vehicle for measuring quality of health care and monitoring ongoing provider performance. It is anticipated that the availability of EHR-extracted data will allow quality assessment without the expensive and time-consuming process of medical record abstraction. A review of the data requirements for the indicators in the Quality Assessment Tools system suggests that only about a third of the indicators would be readily accessible from EHR data. Other factors involving complexity of required data elements, provider documentation habits, and EHR variability make the task of quality measurement more difficult than may be appreciated. Accurately identifying eligible cases for quality assessment and validly scoring those cases with EHR-extracted data will pose significant challenges but could potentially plummet the cost and therefore expand the use of quality assessment.
Factors affecting the outcome of foreskin reconstruction in hypospadias surgery.

Abstract Objective Despite ongoing refinement of numerous techniques, the incidence of complications following hypospadias repair is still significant. The aim of this study is to evaluate the factors that affect the success in childhood of foreskin reconstruction with hypospadias repair. Materials and methods A retrospective study was carried out of all primary hypospadias repairs with foreskin reconstruction (n = 408) over the last 23 years. The hypospadias was coronal in 160 (39%), glanular in 114 (28%), subcoronal in 78 (19%) and distal penile in 56 (14%) cases. Foreskin reconstruction was included in 362 cases suitable for a meatal advancement (191) or distal urethral tubularization (171), and 46 cases for a flip-flap procedure (37 Mathieu, nine Barcat). Outcome analysis was of foreskin-related complications post surgery. Results Foreskin repair was successful in 333 cases (92%) that underwent meatal advancement/distal urethral tubularization, and 33 (72%) that underwent a flip-flap operation. Complications related to the foreskin occurred in 10% of the whole group with a urethral fistula rate of 8%. The median age at surgery was 13 months (2–120 months), and the median follow-up period was 11 months (1–100 months). Conclusions A good cosmetic and functional outcome can be achieved with foreskin reconstruction combined with a variety of hypospadias repairs. The outcome in this series was better in cases of distal hypospadias using interrupted polyglactin sutures.
Grape Products and Oral Health

Oral diseases, including dental caries, periodontal disease, and tooth loss, affect the majority of the population and can affect a person's overall health. Raisins contain polyphenols, flavonoids, and high levels of iron that may benefit human health. However, their oral health benefits are less well understood. We hypothesized that raisins contain antimicrobial phytochemicals capable of suppressing oral pathogens associated with caries or periodontal diseases and thus benefit oral health. Through antimicrobial assay-guided fractionation and purification, compounds identified with growth inhibition against oral pathogens were oleanolic acid, oleanolic aldehyde, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, betulin, betulinic acid, 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-furfural, rutin, beta-sitosterol, and beta-sitosterol glucoside. Oleanolic acid suppressed in vitro adherence of cariogenic Streptococcus mutans biofilm. When the effect of raisins and raisin-containing bran cereal on in vivo plaque acidogenicity was examined in 7- to 11-y-old children, it was found that raisins did not reduce the plaque pH decline below pH 6 over the 30-min test period. Compared with commercial bran flakes or raisin bran cereal, a lower plaque pH drop was noted in children who consumed a raisin and bran flake mixture when no sugar was added (P < 0.05). Grape seed extract, high in proanthocyanidins, positively affected the in vitro demineralization and/or remineralization processes of artificial root caries lesions, suggesting its potential as a promising natural agent for noninvasive root caries therapy. Raisins represent a healthy alternative to the commonly consumed sugary snack foods.
Gain and Raman line-broadening with graphene coated diamond-shape nano-antennas

Using Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS), we report on intensity-dependent broadening in graphene-deposited broad-band antennas. The antenna gain curve includes both the incident frequency and some of the scattered mode frequencies. By comparing antennas with various gaps and types (bow-tie vs. diamond-shape antennas) we make the case that the line broadening did not originate from strain, thermal or surface potential. Strain, if present, further shifts and broadens those Raman lines that are included within the antenna gain curve.
Forecasting University Enrollment: An Historical Case Of A College Of Business In Northeast United States Of America

This article attempts to provide a framework for predicting enrollments accurately and in a timely fashion. Several projection models are developed for predicting full-time, first-time enrollment. A case of a regional University in NJ with a large college of business – which we will call COB (standing for College of Business, its primary focus) for purposes of anynomity -- is used to provide an historical example. Information on competitive analysis is also provided.
Pain and the healing wound : controlling pain is more than just a compassionate need : wound care

Breaching the skin surface causes pain. Pain evolves via central interpretation of signalling mediators released following a peripheral stimulus. Short-term release of these mediators may aid in wound healing, but extended release may well have detrimental effects thereon. The longer the pain is endured, the more sensitive the patient becomes to the pain stimuli. Additionally, inflammation is increased which delays healing, and fibrosis can result in exaggerated scarring. Thus, while pain control is obviously sought based on compassionate grounds, its impact on healing and scarring may be added reasons to avoid protraction of its occurrence.
Femtosecond Pulse Laser Damage in Thin Films

The damage behavior of different dielectric oxide thin films commonly used in optical coatings and the underlying excitation and relaxation mechanisms have been investigated using near-infrared, sub-picosecond laser pulses.
Newton’s Method for the Navier-Stokes Equations

The work described in this paper is part of a larger effort whose objective is the development of efficient rapid convergence algorithms for finite difference equations which approximate the steady-state, compressible, Reynolds-averaged, Navier-Stokes equations. The overall program objective has been divided into three parts: (a) Investigate the effects of Jacobian-approximations on the convergence rate of Newton’s method applied to the NS equations. (b) Investigate the usefulness of ‘steady-state solvers’, i.e., those algorithms which are not time accurate, (c) Develop an efficient algorithm for solving finite-difference approximations to the steady-state compressible Reynolds-averaged NS equations.
131 WNT5A: A POTENTIAL LINK BETWEEN INFLAMMATION AND MORPHOGENESIS IN BRONCHOPULMONARY DYSPLASIA.

Introduction Wnt5a is a signaling molecule that is expressed in both the mesenchyme and the epithelium of the embryonic lung and plays a key role in its morphogenesis. Recently, Wnt5a was found in adult mononuclear cells. Whether inflammatory cells from the lungs of preterm neonates at risk for BPD also express Wnt5a is unknown. Objective To examine Wnt5a expression in lung inflammatory cells from preterm neonates. Methods Inflammatory cells (macrophages and neutrophils) were isolated from lungs of human preterm neonates. Cells were incubated in the presence or absence of LPS and Wnt5a mRNA was measured by real-time RT-PCR. Results Wnt5a was constitutively expressed by lung inflammatory cells from preterm infants. LPS stimulated Wnt5a mRNA in some but not all samples. The magnitude of response correlated with gestational age, birth weight, and positive endotracheal tube and blood cultures. Conclusion Expression of Wnt5a by lung inflammatory cells may impact on inflammatory cells functions and/or a morphogenetic impact on lung structural development. Supported by NHLBI and the Hastings Foundation.
‘We’re a little loud. That’s because we like to read!’: Developing positive views of reading in a diverse, urban first grade:

In this formative experiment, we examined interventions in and modifications to literacy instruction in a first-grade classroom with the aim of cultivating a love of reading among the students. Consistent with the design of formative experiments, the teacher established a pedagogical goal of building a love of reading, and throughout the year reflective modifications were made during the literacy block to encourage this love among the students. The participants were part of a diverse urban first-grade class of 28 students in the Southwest United States. The initial intervention included making a broad array of texts accessible to students and frequently discussing the teacher’s and students’ enjoyment of reading. Modifications throughout the year included establishing literary discussion groups, purchasing accessible text sets including many non-fiction books, author studies based on students’ most frequently checked-out books, book spotlights presented by students and a book exchange party proposed by th...
Modeling distortion and residual stress during welding: practical applications

Publisher Summary This chapter explains that welding distortion and residual stress have remained major challenges in manufacturing. Extensive experimental efforts have been made in the history of manufacturing to understand and control the welding distortions and residual stresses. Tremendous work has also been reported in the past two decades in using analytical and computational methods to predict and quantify the effect of the distortion and residual stress during the welding process. The chapter discusses some examples of industrial welding applications using computational methods to highlight the challenges and the benefits of using analysis and simulation tools to improve the quality and to reduce the time and cost of welding process developments and problem resolutions. Welding distortion simulation normally adopts sequentially coupled thermal structural analysis, i.e., the thermal analysis is performed first and then the structural analysis will be performed using the temperature predicted in the thermal analysis as the thermal load in conjunction with any additional mechanical loads or constraints. Material response in a welding process is localized along the welds. The Comprehensive Thermal Solution Procedure (CTSP) is an in-house thermal analysis code specifically developed by Caterpillar Inc. and Battelle Memorial Institute for global distortion prediction of production components.
Non-smoker assertive behaviour against smoke exposure: Chinese and Korean American non-smokers

Introduction and Aims. Non-smokers' assertive behaviour towards smokers by asking them not to smoke is important in promoting smoke-free environments. Korean and Chinese Americans come from countries where most women are non-smokers and assertive behaviour may not be prevalent but may increase after migration because of social-ecological factors. This study assessed the extent to which Korean and Chinese American non-smokers ask someone not to smoke and associated factors. Design and Methods. The 2003 California Chinese American and Korean American Tobacco Use Surveys were analysed. Multivariate logistic regression analyses examined factors related to non-smoker self-reports that they asked someone not to smoke within the past year. Results. About 40% reported past-year assertive behaviour against smoking, with higher rates among Koreans than Chinese (60.4% vs. 34.5%), those living with smokers (63.5%), ever exposed with a smoke-free home rule (62.3%), recently exposed at work without a smoke-free work policy (67.6%) and regularly exposed at other locations (52.3%). In combined multivariate analyses of both ethnic groups, assertive behaviour was associated with individual factors (single vs. married; tobacco exposure knowledge), family factors (living with smokers, exposed at home despite a smoke-free rule), community factors (exposed at work with no smoke-free policy, exposed at other locations) and cultural factors (Korean vs. Chinese ethnicity; lower acculturation). Discussion and Conclusions. Chinese and Korean American non-smokers report assertive behaviour against smoking, which is associated with social-ecological factors. Results help identify target groups and strategies for future intervention, including the need to implement or enforce smoke-free environments and promote empowerment. [Saw A, Tang H, Tsoh JY, Chen MS Jr, Tong EK. Non-smoker assertive behaviour against smoke exposure: Chinese and Korean American non-smokers. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;00:000–000]
From phenologs to silent suppressors: Identifying potential therapeutic targets for human disease

Orthologous phenotypes, or phenologs, are seemingly unrelated phenotypes generated by mutations in a conserved set of genes. Phenologs have been widely observed and accepted by those who study model organisms, and allow one to study a set of genes in a model organism to learn more about the function of those genes in other organisms, including humans. At the cellular and molecular level, these conserved genes likely function in a very similar mode, but are doing so in different tissues or cell types and can result in different phenotypic effects. For example, the RAS-RAF-MEK-MAPK pathway in animals is a highly conserved signaling pathway that animals adopted for numerous biological processes, such as vulval induction in Caenorhabditis elegans and cell proliferation in mammalian cells; but, this same gene set has been co-opted to function in a variety of cellular contexts. In this review, I will give a few examples of how suppressor screens in model organisms (with a emphasis on C. elegans) can identify new genes that function in a conserved pathway in many other organisms. I will also demonstrate how the identification of such genes can lead to important insights into mammalian biology. From such screens, an occasional silent suppressor that does not cause a phenotype on its own is found; such suppressors thus make for good candidates as therapeutic targets. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
Ventricular Tachycardia and Fibrillation in Patients with Structural Heart Disease

Ventricular tachyarrhythmias are common in patients with structural heart disease and cause syncope and/or sudden cardiac death. Sudden cardiac death may represent the initial manifestation of structural heart disease in patients with ischemic or nonischemic cardiomyopathy. In patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy due to coronary artery disease, ventricular tachycardia often results from reentry involving areas of scar and peri-infarct myocardium. Similarly, reentry may occur in patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy, involving areas of patchy fibrosis. During ischemia, or during the early phases of acute myocardial infarction, other mechanisms may play a role in promoting ventricular tachyarrhythmias. The combination of electrophysiology testing, electro-anatomic mapping, and magnetic resonance imaging, have expanded our knowledge of the substrate and mechanism of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with structural heart disease. Prevention and treatment of ventricular tachyarrhythmias is based on firm understanding of the pathophysiology, and epidemiology of ventricular tachyarrhythmias in patients with structural heart disease.
A Crystal Structure Based Guide to the Design of Human Histidine Triad Nucleotide Binding Protein 1 (hHint1) Activated ProTides

Nucleotide analogues that incorporate a metabolically labile nucleoside phosphoramidate (a ProTide) have found utility as prodrugs. In humans, ProTides can be cleaved by human histidine triad nucleotide binding protein 1 (hHint1) to expose the nucleotide monophosphate. Activation by this route circumvents highly selective nucleoside kinases that limit the use of nucleosides as prodrugs. To better understand the diversity of potential substrates of hHint1, we created and studied a series of phosphoramidate nucleosides. Using a combination of enzyme kinetics, X-ray crystallography, and isothermal titration calorimetry with both wild-type and inactive mutant enzymes, we have been able to explore the energetics of substrate binding and establish a structural basis for catalytic efficiency. Diverse nucleobases are well tolerated, but portions of the ribose are needed to position substrates for catalysis. Beneficial characteristics of the amine leaving group are also revealed. Structural principles revealed by ...
Co-delivery of micronized urinary bladder matrix damps regenerative capacity of minced muscle grafts in the treatment of volumetric muscle loss injuries

Minced muscle grafts (MG) promote de novo muscle fiber regeneration and neuromuscular strength recovery in small and large animal models of volumetric muscle loss. The most noteworthy limitation of this approach is its reliance on a finite supply of donor tissue. To address this shortcoming, this study sought to evaluate micronized acellular urinary bladder matrix (UBM) as a scaffolding to promote in vivo expansion of this MG therapy in a rat model. Rats received volumetric muscle loss injuries to the tibialis anterior muscle of their left hind limb which were either left untreated or repaired with minced muscle graft at dosages of 50% and 100% of the defect mass, urinary bladder matrix in isolation, or a with an expansion product consisting of a combination of the two putative therapies in which the minced graft is delivered at a dosage of 50% of the defect mass. Rats survived to 2 and 8 weeks post injury before functional (in vivo neuromuscular strength), histological, morphological, and biochemical analyses were performed. Rats treated with the expansion product exhibited improved neuromuscular function relative to untreated VML after an 8 week time period following injury. This improvement in functional capacity, however, was accompanied with a concomitant reduction in graft mediated regeneration, as evidenced cell lineage tracing enable by a transgenic GFP expressing donor, and a mixed histological outcome indicating coincident fibrous matrix deposition with interspersed islands of nascent muscle fibers. Furthermore, quantitative immunofluorescence and transcriptional analysis following the 2 week time point suggests an exacerbated immune response to the UBM as a possible nidus for the observed suboptimal regenerative outcome. Moving forward, efforts related to the development of a MG expansion product should carefully consider the effects of the host immune response to candidate biomaterials in order to avoid undesirable dysregulation of pro-regenerative cross talk between the immune system and myogenic processes.
Urine Cytology and Existing Urinary Biomarkers for Bladder Cancer

Urine-based testing would seem to be the obvious diagnostic choice for bladder cancer. Conceptually, an ideal diagnostic test would be simple and application of the test would determine if the disease is present or absent. However, like all diagnostic tests for cancer, urine-based tests for bladder cancer suffer from poor performance, limited clinical utility, and the potential for introducing harm. Consequently, none are universally recommended diagnostic tests for use in the evaluation of patients at risk of having bladder cancer [1–3]. Despite this fact, extensive investment into the research and development of urine-based technologies promising to be better bladder cancer tests continues to be made [4].
Serum Sodium and Cognition in Older Community-Dwelling Men.

Background and objectives Mild hyponatremia is a common finding in older adults; however, the association of lower serum sodium with cognition in older adults is currently unknown. We determined whether lower normal serum sodium is associated with cognitive impairment and risk of cognitive decline in community-dwelling older men. Design, setting, participants, & measurements Five thousand four hundred thirty-five community-dwelling men aged ≥65 years who participated in Osteoporotic Fractures in Men, a cohort study with a median follow-up for cognitive function of 4.6 years, were included in this analysis. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the association between baseline fasting serum sodium levels and the odds of prevalent cognitive impairment (cross-sectional analysis; modified Mini-Mental Status [3MS] score 1.5 SD above the mean [>223 seconds]) and cognitive decline (prospective analysis [ n =3611]; decrease in follow-up 3MS score or increase in Trails B time >1.5 SD of the mean score/time change [>9 or >67 seconds]). Results Participants were aged 74±6 years with a fasting mean serum sodium level of 141±3 mmol/L. Fifteen percent ( n =274), 12% ( n =225), and 13% ( n =242) had prevalent cognitive impairment in tertiles 1, 2, and 3, respectively. After adjustment, lower serum sodium was associated with prevalent cognitive impairment (tertile 1 [126–140 mmol/L] versus tertile 2 [141–142 mmol/L], odds ratio [OR], 1.30; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.06 to 1.61). Fourteen percent ( n =159), 10% ( n =125), and 13% ( n =159) had cognitive decline in tertiles 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Lower serum sodium was also associated with cognitive decline (tertile 1 versus tertile 2, OR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.77). Tertile 3 (143–153 mmol/L) was additionally associated with cognitive decline. Results were similar in sensitivity analyses according to clinical cut-offs and by quartiles. Conclusions In community-dwelling older men, serum sodium between 126–140, and 126–140 or 143–153 mmol/L, are independently associated with prevalent cognitive impairment and cognitive decline, respectively.
The Donora Smog Revisited: 70 Years After the Event That Inspired the Clean Air Act.

At a storefront museum approximately 25 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a sign reads, “Clean Air Started Here.” This is not hyperbole. At the end of October 1948, the communities of Donora and Webster in Pennsylvania were visited by a smog that changed the face of environmental protection in the United States. Conservative estimates showed that 20 individuals died, while an additional 5900—43% of the population of Donora—were affected by the smog.This event led to the first large-scale epidemiological investigation of an environmental health disaster in the United States. Questions remain about the long-term effects of the smog, because higher rates of cardiovascular disease and cancer than were expected were observed in the region in the decade following the smog.Recent work has suggested that environmental contaminants from a bygone era in Donora might have an impact even today. In addition, reports regarding air pollution have indicated that levels of pollutants similar to those estimated ...
Vascular endothelial effects of collaborative binding to platelet/endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1).

Targeting drugs to endothelial cells has shown the ability to improve outcomes in animal models of inflammatory, ischemic and thrombotic diseases. Previous studies have revealed that certain pairs of ligands (antibodies and antibody fragments) specific for adjacent, but distinct, epitopes on PECAM-1 enhance each other’s binding, a phenomenon dubbed Collaborative Enhancement of Paired Affinity Ligands, or CEPAL. This discovery has been leveraged to enable simultaneous delivery of multiple therapeutics to the vascular endothelium. Given the known role of PECAM-1 in promoting endothelial quiescence and cell junction integrity, we sought here to determine if CEPAL might induce unintended vascular effects. Using a combination of in vitro and in vivo techniques and employing human and mouse endothelial cells under physiologic and pathologic conditions, we found only modest or non-significant effects in response to antibodies to PECAM-1, whether given solo or in pairs. In contrast, these methods detected significant elevation of endothelial permeability, pro-inflammatory vascular activation, and systemic cytokine release following antibody binding to the related endothelial junction protein, VE-Cadherin. These studies support the notion that PECAM-1-targeted CEPAL provides relatively well-tolerated endothelial drug delivery. Additionally, the analysis herein creates a template to evaluate potential toxicities of vascular-targeted nanoparticles and protein therapeutics.
Riemann Surfaces and the L2\bar{\partial}-Method for Scalar-Valued Forms

In this chapter, we consider some elementary properties of Riemann surfaces, as well as a fundamental technique called the L 2 \(\bar{\partial}\)-method, Rado’s theorem on second countability of Riemann surfaces, and analogues of the Mittag-Leffler theorem and the Runge approximation theorem for open Riemann surfaces. Viewing holomorphic functions as solutions of the homogeneous Cauchy–Riemann equation \(\partial f/\partial\bar{z}=0\) in ℂ allows one to very efficiently obtain their basic properties (see Chap. 1). The intrinsic form of the homogeneous Cauchy–Riemann equation on a Riemann surface is given by \(\bar{\partial}f=0\) (see Sect. 2.5). In order to obtain holomorphic functions (and holomorphic 1-forms) on a Riemann surface (even on an open subset of ℂ), it is useful to consider the inhomogeneous Cauchy–Riemann equation \(\bar{\partial}\alpha=\beta\). One well-known approach to solving this differential equation (as well as differential equations in many other contexts) is to consider weak solutions in L 2. This is the approach taken in this book. In order to do so, we must develop suitable versions of an L 2 space of differential forms (see Sect. 2.6) and an (intrinsic) distributional \(\bar{\partial}\) operator (see Sect. 2.7). The relatively simple approaches to the above appearing in this book are, in part, special to Riemann surfaces; but they do contain important elements of the higher-dimensional versions (see, for example, L. Hormander, An Introduction to Complex Analysis in Several Variables, North-Holland, 1990 or J.-P. Demailly, Complex Analytic and Differential Geometry, online book, for the higher-dimensional versions).
ASC: Educational Anesthesia Simulator with Expert System

ASC, the Anesthesia Simulator Consultant, is an educational computer program for anesthesia and intensive care medicine. The program combines a real-time graphical simulator with a rule-based expert system. The expert system outlines the anesthetic considerations for simulated patients and provides a suggested anesthetic management plan. The system evaluates the status of the simulated patient intraoperatively, providing detailed analysis of the electrocardiogram, vital signs, airway, arterial blood gas, fluid requirements and critical incidents. During abnormal physiological states, the expert system lists a differential diagnosis and then highlights the most likely cause(s) for the disturbance. The expert system was designed to assist anesthesiologists in understanding and analyzing their clinical decision-making processes by providing immediate instructional feedback on simulated case management. The combination of the expert system and the simulator provides a self- contained educational environment which allows anesthesiologists to practice the management of difficult cases and receive tutorials on their management.
Kinetic FP-TDI assay for SNP allele frequency determination.

Strategies for identifying genetic risk factors in complex diseases by association studies require the comparison of allele frequencies of numerous SNPs between affected and control populations. Th...
The Reluctant Manager

This is a field-based disguised case which describes how a small family business deals with small business management, leadership, and subcontractor supervision. The problem for the owners is how to deal with their work foreman’s inability to manage the work of their subcontractors so that homes pass inspection and are built in a timely manner. The case has a difficulty level appropriate for a junior level course in small business, principles of management, or organizational behavior. The case is designed to be taught in one class period and is expected to require between three to six hours of outside student preparation.
Homo reductio: Eco-nihilism and human colonization of other worlds

Abstract Eco-nihilists argue that, until and unless humans can demonstrate an ability to live in harmony with our environment, humankind deserves extinction and thus colonization of other worlds in the foreseeable future would be immoral. This paper responds by examining three implicit assumptions behind this claim: the inevitability of doom, radical moral egalitarianism, and collective guilt. Since these are all, at best, highly debatable, we should focus the debate on how and when to colonize rather than whether to do so at all.
Testing static analyses for precision and soundness

Static analyses compute properties of programs that are true in all executions, and compilers use these properties to justify optimizations such as dead code elimination. Each static analysis in a compiler should be as precise as possible while remaining sound and being sufficiently fast. Unsound static analyses typically lead to miscompilations, whereas imprecisions typically lead to missed optimizations. Neither kind of bug is easy to track down. Our research uses formal methods to help compiler developers create better static analyses. Our contribution is the design and evaluation of several algorithms for computing sound and maximally precise static analysis results using an SMT solver. These methods are too slow to use at compile time, but they can be used offline to find soundness and precision errors in a production compiler such as LLVM. We found no new soundness bugs in LLVM, but we can discover previously-fixed soundness errors that we re-introduced into the code base. We identified many imprecisions in LLVM’s static analyses, some of which have been fixed as a result of our work.
Indications for and Findings on Transthoracic Echocardiography in COVID-19.

Background Despite growing evidence of cardiovascular complications associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), there are few data regarding the performance of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and the spectrum of echocardiographic findings in this disease. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed among adult patients admitted to a quaternary care center in New York City between March 1 and April 3, 2020. Patients were included if they underwent TTE during the hospitalization after a known positive diagnosis for COVID-19. Demographic and clinical data were obtained using chart abstraction from the electronic medical record. Results Of 749 patients, 72 (9.6%) underwent TTE following positive results on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 polymerase chain reaction testing. The most common clinical indications for TTE were concern for a major acute cardiovascular event (45.8%) and hemodynamic instability (29.2%). Although most patients had preserved biventricular function, 34.7% were found to have left ventricular ejection fractions ≤ 50%, and 13.9% had at least moderately reduced right ventricular function. Four patients had wall motion abnormalities suggestive of stress-induced cardiomyopathy. Using Spearman rank correlation, there was an inverse relationship between high-sensitivity troponin T and left ventricular ejection fraction (ρ = −0.34, P = .006). Among 20 patients with prior echocardiograms, only two (10%) had new reductions in LVEF of >10%. Clinical management was changed in eight individuals (24.2%) in whom TTE was ordered for concern for acute major cardiovascular events and three (14.3%) in whom TTE was ordered for hemodynamic evaluation. Conclusions This study describes the clinical indications for use and diagnostic performance of TTE, as well as findings seen on TTE, in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. In appropriately selected patients, TTE can be an invaluable tool for guiding COVID-19 clinical management.
Paraffin-Based Reconfigurable Antenna Operating at 100 GHz

A paraffin-based frequency reconfigurable antenna operating at 100 GHz is reported in this article. Paraffin is a mechanical phase-change material (PCM) that undergoes reversible solid-liquid volumetric change of approximately 15%. In addition, due to its low dielectric loss, this material is suitable for certain electromagnetic applications such as antennas at the millimeter-wave band often defined as 30 to 300 GHz. In this work, paraffin-based micro actuators forming variable capacitors are integrated with a slot antenna structure. Here, paraffin is encapsulated with a dielectric layer and actuated using a Joule heater. A variable capacitor is formed between a metal layer patterned on top of the paraffin and the ground layer. Following multi-physics simulation steps, prototype antennas are fabricated and tested. With a low actuation voltage of 5.4 V, 1.4 $\mu \text{m}$ of displacement and 15.3% change in capacitance are achieved. Actuation and switch off time of the device is found to be 5.7 ms and 1.8 ms, respectively. Performance of the reconfigurable antenna is evaluated through on-wafer probe measurements. The antenna covers the bandwidth of 94.1–104.1 GHz ( $S_{11} dB) and the resonance frequency shift of 6.8 GHz is achieved. Applications of such reconfigurable antenna includes wireless communication, radars, and biomedical imaging. [2020-0180]
Computational Bounds to Light-Matter Interactions via Local Conservation Laws.

We develop a computational framework for identifying bounds to light--matter interactions, originating from polarization-current-based formulations of local conservation laws embedded in Maxwell's equations. We propose an iterative method for imposing only the maximally violated constraints, enabling rapid convergence to global bounds. Our framework can identify bounds to the minimum size of any scatterer that encodes a specific linear operator, given only its material properties, as we demonstrate for the optical computation of a discrete Fourier transform. It further resolves bounds on far-field scattering properties over any arbitrary bandwidth, where previous bounds diverge.
APAC: An Accurate and Adaptive Prefetch Framework with Concurrent Memory Access Analysis

Prefetching techniques have been studied for decades. However, there are few studies on how concurrent memory accesses may affect prefetching effectiveness. When there are multiple concurrent memory requests, we can classify them into sub-classes by analyzing the overlapping relationship. In this work, we first propose pure prefetch coverage (PPC), a novel prefetching metric that can identify an accurate prefetch coverage under the concurrent memory access model. Then we propose APAC, an adaptive prefetch framework with PPC metric that can capture the dynamics of applications and adjust the prefetching aggressiveness. Our experimental results show that the PPC metric has a higher IPC correlation compared to the conventional prefetch coverage (PC) metric. For memory-intensive single-thread benchmarks, APAC provides an average performance improvement by 17.3% and 5.9% compared to the state-of-the-art adaptive prefetch framework FDP and NST. In a multi-core system, APAC outperforms FDP and NST by 8.5% and 5.0% IPC on average, respectively.
Low-bandgap mixed tin–lead iodide perovskites with reduced methylammonium for simultaneous enhancement of solar cell efficiency and stability

High-performance perovskite/perovskite tandem solar cells require high-efficiency and stable low-bandgap perovskite subcells. State-of-the-art low-bandgap mixed tin–lead iodide perovskite solar cells exhibit either a high power-conversion efficiency or improved stability, but not both. Here we report a two-step bilayer interdiffusion growth process to simultaneously meet both requirements for formamidinium-based low-bandgap mixed tin–lead iodide perovskite solar cells. The bilayer interdiffusion growth process allows for the formation of high-quality and large-grained perovskite films with only 10 mol% volatile methylammonium. Additionally, one-dimensional pyrrolidinium perovskite was applied to passivate the perovskite film and improve the junction quality, which resulted in a carrier lifetime of 1.1 μs and an open circuit voltage of 0.865 V for our perovskite film and device with a bandgap of 1.28 eV. Our strategies enabled a power-conversion efficiency of 20.4% for low-bandgap perovskite solar cells under AM 1.5G illumination. More importantly, an encapsulated device can retain 92% of its initial efficiency after 450 h of continuous 1 sun illumination. Low-bandgap tin–lead perovskites are key to all-perovskite tandem solar cells but simultaneous improvement in efficiency and stability has proven challenging. Now, Li et al. fabricate tin–lead perovskite cells with reduced methylammonium content that are 20.4% efficient and stable under illumination for 450 h.
Abstract MP58: Motor Cortex and Spinal Cord Transcriptome After Post-Stroke Optogenetic Neuronal Stimulation

Background: Post-stroke brain stimulation is a promising neurorestorative technique to promote recovery. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms driving recovery are still unclear. Here we inv...
Chronic Kidney Disease Associated with Worsening White Matter Disease and Ventricular Enlargement.

BACKGROUND Chronic kidney disease (CKD), a growing public health issue in the elderly, is associated with increased risk of cognitive impairment. OBJECTIVE To investigate the mechanisms through which CKD impacts brain health using longitudinal imaging. METHODS We identified 97 participants (74 CKD and 23 non-CKD) from the BRINK (BRain IN Kidney Disease), a longitudinal study of CKD with two MRI scans (baseline and 3-year follow-up). We measured the associations between baseline and change in kidney disease biomarkers of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (UACR), considered a measure of microvascular inflammation, and imaging outcomes of cortical thickness and ventricular volume from structural MRI, white matter hyperintensities (WMH) volume from FLAIR images, and fractional anisotropy of the corpus callosum (FACC). RESULTS There were white matter-specific changes as observed by increased WMH volume and decreased FACC in CKD participants, as well as ventricular volume increase in both CKD and non-CKD groups reflective of aging-related changes. Decline in eGFR was associated with decrease in the FACC, suggesting that subtle early white matter changes due to kidney disease can be captured using DTI. An increase in UACR was associated with increase in ventricular volume. CONCLUSION Our results support the role of eGFR as a measure of kidney microvascular disease which is associated with concurrent white matter damage in CKD. Future work is needed to investigate the possible link between endothelial microvascular inflammation (as measured by an increased UACR) and ventricular volume increase.