cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Compound semiconductor photonic integrated circuits at Sandia National Laboratories

Monolithic photonic integrated circuits (PICs) have a long history reaching back more than 40 years. During that time, and particularly in the past 15 years, the technology has matured and the application space grown to span sophisticated tunable diode lasers, 40 Gb/s electrical-to-optical signal converters with complex data formats, wavelength multiplexors and routers, as well as RF and other sensors. Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) has developed a complete InGaAsP PIC capability supporting the needs of U.S. government that may be of interest to industry. This talk will review the Sandia PIC capability and highlight the unique strengths and applications. Examples will be provided from recent R&D activity.
Estimating Evapotranspiration for Dryland Cropping Systems in the Semiarid Texas High Plains Using SWAT

The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) is one of the most widely used watershed models for simulating hydrology in response to agricultural management practices. However, limited studies have been performed to evaluate the SWAT model's ability to estimate daily and monthly evapotranspiration (ET) in semiarid regions. ET values were simulated using ArcSWAT 2012 for a lysimeter field managed under dryland conditions at the USDA-ARS Conservation and Production Research Laboratory at Bushland, Texas, and compared with measured lysimeter values from 2000 to 2010. Two scenarios were performed to compare SWAT's performance: (1) use of default plant leaf area index (LAI) values in the embedded plant database and (2) adjusted LAI values. Scenario 1 resulted in an “unsatisfactory” Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) of 0.42 and 0.38 for the calibration and validation periods, respectively. Scenario 2 resulted in a “satisfactory” NSE value for the calibration period while achieving a “good” NSE of 0.70 for the validation period. SWAT generally underestimated ET at both the daily and monthly levels. Overestimation during fallow years may be due to the limitations of the pothole function used to simulate furrow diking. Users should be aware of potential errors associated with using default LAI parameters. Inaccuracies in ET estimation may also stem from errors in the plant stress functions, particularly when evaluating water management practices for dryland watersheds.
Basic Modeling Equations

Equations describing the conservation of mass, momentum, and energy of a flowing gas—particle suspension or gas—droplet suspension can be found in various books, papers, and reports (Bird et al.,1960; Trusdell and Toupin, 1960; Soo, 1967; Drew, 1971; Smoot and Pratt, 1979). The presentation of these equations in the various sources are often very different among authors. Some equations have included too many assumptions to be of practical use for predicting combustion or gasification of coal and coal slurries. Others are in a form which are too complex to be of utility for practical systems. Although the equations are presented in many sources, very few sources present analytic or numerical solutions for the two-phase flow equations. The fundamental equations are very complex and formulating a solution requires many numerical approximations, large-scale computers, and a significant dedication of time on the part of the user. This book introduces calculational procedures for combustion and gasification of coal and coal slurries which include sufficient detail to describe the important features of the reacting flow field, but which have incorporated adequate engineering approximations to render the solution algorithm tractable. In this chapter we have focused upon the basic conservation equations for the multiphase field.
Conceptual Bases of Conjoint Behavioral Consultation

Conjoint behavioral consultation represents an expansion of traditional behavioral consultation by promoting a coordinated and cooperative problem-solving relationship between parents and professionals. This chapter (1) presents various theoretical frameworks that contribute to our conceptualization of conjoint behavioral consultation (i.e., behavioral theory, systems theory, and ecological theory), (2) defines conjoint behavioral consultation, and (3) explores various assumptions, advantages, goals, and practical considerations.
Assembling the world’s type shallow subduction complex: Detrital zircon geochronologic constraints on the origin of the Nacimiento block, central California Coast Ranges

Temporal and spatial patterns in the architecture of the Franciscan Complex provide valuable insights into the subduction processes through which such patterns arise. The Nacimiento Franciscan belt is an allochthonous sliver of subduction assemblages in the central California Coast Ranges displaced either: (1) from southern California by >300 km of Neogene dextral slip along the San Andreas fault system or (2) from central California to southern California and back again, by >500 km of Late Cretaceous–Paleocene sinistral slip along the Sur-Nacimiento fault followed by San Andreas–related motion. New U-Pb detrital zircon data from 20 (meta)clastic samples indicate that the Nacimiento Franciscan section was assembled between ca. 95 and 80 Ma. Abundant Cretaceous (particularly Late Cretaceous) and diminishing amounts of Jurassic and Proterozoic zircon grains point to a southern California origin for Nacimiento Franciscan protoliths, precluding significant sinistral strike-slip along the Sur-Nacimiento fault. Furthermore, the suite of detrital zircon ages reported here bears a strong resemblance to new and existing data from subduction complexes in southern California that were emplaced during Laramide shallow subduction (i.e., Sierra de Salinas, Portal Ridge, Quartz Hill, Rand, San Emigdio, and Tehachapi schists). Hence, the Nacimiento Franciscan is distinct from Franciscan rocks in central and northern California and more likely represents an outboard element of the Late Cretaceous southern California low-angle subduction system. Upon restoring the Nacimiento block to its Late Cretaceous position, an inboard-younging trend is apparent in the composite Nacimiento–southern California schist belt, suggesting that progressively younger accretionary materials were underplated farther inboard by tectonic erosion. We posit that arc and forearc elements absent from southern California were removed by a combination of physical and tectonic erosion attending shallow subduction, interleaved in the subduction complex, and recycled into the mantle. Steepening of the Laramide slab was marked by a phase of crustal extension in the overriding plate. During this phase, the Sur-Nacimiento fault likely functioned as a segment of a low-angle normal fault system spanning the southern Sierra Nevada batholith to the Nacimiento accretionary system.
Patterns of utilization and outcomes of inpatient psychiatric treatment in Asian Americans.

Most of the knowledge of racial/ethnic disparities in mental health treatment utilization comes from studies examining outpatient services, and less is known about these disparities in inpatient services. This empirical gap may limit our understanding of these disparities since inpatient treatment is the most intensive form of specialty mental health care for patients with psychological disorders. We conducted a systematic chart review of 129 Asian American and 198 White American psychiatric inpatients to examine patterns of inpatient psychiatric treatment utilization. Demographic and clinical data were extracted from admission and discharge records during a two-year timeframe. Patterns of diagnoses revealed that Asian American patients utilized inpatient services for more severe psychiatric diagnoses compared to White American patients. Despite this, there were no racial/ethnic differences in levels of functional impairment at admission, and there were no racial/ethnic differences in length of treatment stay. For Asian American patients, level of psychosocial functioning at admission predicted length of stay. A better understanding of patterns of inpatient treatment use is needed to meet the clinical needs of Asian Americans with psychiatric disorders.
Hamlet and the Scanning of Revenge

Up, sword, and know thou a more horrid hent, When he is drunk asleep; or in his rage; Or in th' incestuous pleasure of his bed; At gaming, swearing, or about some act That has no relish of salvation in'tThen trip him, that his heels may kick at heaven, And that his soul may be as damn'd and black As hell, whereto it goes. My mother stays. This physic but prolongs thy sickly days. (111. iv. 88-96)1
Analysis and suggestion on safety reliability of DCS

With large-scale application of DCS in thermal power plants,thermodynamic automatic system has played a dominant role in safe and economic operation of generating units,meanwhile the safety problems DCS become increasingly prominent.Based on the statistics of DCS faults in the local thermal power plants during the last few years,following the corresponding national regulations and standards of power industry,the faults and safety implications of DCS were analyzed in this paper.It covers the fields of hardware,software,SOE, communication network,power supply and design configuration etc,in addition,this paper proposed the apphcable solutions to improve the safety and reliability of DCS by means of design and configuration optimization,application technology upgrading,operation and management enhancing,etc.
Assessing Schools on Creativity: A Toolbox for U.S. Teachers and Policymakers and a To-Do List for Researchers Worldwide

In much the same way that fashion trends and musical styles come and go, instructional approaches also fall in and out of favor. In the 35 years that I have been involved with education in the U.S., I have seen the pendulum swing from the so-called “open education ” model, to a “drill and kill ”/“back to basics ” mentality, to an age of high-stakes testing. In most U.S. states, high school students now have three opportunities to pass the last of a series of assessments that begin at grade three (age 8). If they do not pass, they do not receive a high school diploma. In addition, teachers often find that pay raises, promotions, and even their job security are tied to their students’ scores. We have moved from a model of educating the “whole child”, to a concern that young Americans perform as well as (if not better than) students in other countries, to the decision that it is the schools that can best be used as the vehicle to equalize opportunities for all. Markedly absent from these reforms has been a concern for the maintenance and growth of student intrinsic motivation and creativity.
A Quantitative Methodology for Security Monitor Deployment

Intrusion detection and forensic analysis techniques depend upon monitors to collect information about possible attacks. Since monitoring can be expensive, however, monitors must be selectively deployed to maximize their overall utility. This paper introduces a methodology both to evaluate monitor deployments quantitatively in terms of security goals and to deploy monitors optimally based on cost constraints. First, we define a model that describes the system assets, deployable monitors, and the relationship between generated data and intrusions. Then, we define a set of metrics that quantify the utility and richness of monitor data with respect to intrusion detection and the cost associated with deployment. Finally, we formulate a method using our model and metrics to determine the cost-optimal, maximum-utility placement of monitors. We present an enterprise Web service use case and illustrate how our metrics can be used to determine optimal monitor deployments for a set of common attacks on Web servers. Our approach is scalable, being able to compute within minutes optimal monitor deployments for systems with hundreds of monitors and attacks.
Early numeracy skills in preschool-aged children: a review of neurocognitive findings and implications for assessment and intervention

AbstractObjectives: The goals are to (1) provide a review of the typical and atypical development of early numeracy; (2) present what is known about the neurocognitive underpinnings of early numeracy; and (3) discuss the implications for early assessment and intervention. Method: Studies on the development of typical and atypical early numeracy are reviewed with a particular focus on longitudinal findings including those from our work on spina bifida myelomeningocele. Implications of this research for assessment are presented. The paper ends with a discussion of early math interventions. Results: Learning to count, identify numbers, and compare and manipulate quantities are key early numeracy skills. These are powerful predictors of school-age mathematical learning and performance. General neurocognitive abilities such as working memory and language, are also important for the development of early numeracy. It is recommended that early assessment for risk of mathematical learning difficulties include test...
Physical, chemical and palatability traits of electrically stimulated, hot-boned, vacuum-packaged beef.

The right sides of six beef carcasses were electrically stimulated, whereas the left sides were not so treated. Sections of longissimus and semimembranosus muscles were removed from electrically stimulated sides at 1 h postmortem (hot-boned) and from sides which were not electrically stimulated at 24 h postmortem (conventionally boned); these muscles were vacuum-packaged immediately after removal and aged for 2 weeks at 1 ± 1 C. After aging, steaks were removed and used for determinations of palatability, cooking loss, pH, sarcomere length and protein solubility. Further evaluation included purification and electrophoresis of myofibrillar proteins. Longissimus muscles from electrically stimulated, hot-boned beef had lower (P .05) on tenderness, flavor desirability, pH, sarcomere length, amount of non-protein nitrogen or percentage of soluble myofibrillar proteins; slight alterations were noted in the electrophoretic banding patterns, on SDS gels, of myofibrillar proteins from electrically stimulated. hot-boned sides. Hot-boned beef was as palatable as conventionally handled beef if sides were electrically stimulated on the kill floor before hot-boning and if beef from both treatments was vacuum packaged and aged for 2 weeks at 1 ± 1 C.
Using ‘smartness’ to reorganise sectors: Energy infrastructure and information engagement

Abstract The second decade of the 21st century is distinctive by the rapid deployment of sensors, meters and other measurement technology that by their ability to detect and report data on events or changes in the environment are considered central in the reorganization of many sectors. The collected information is expected to improve efficiency and coordination, already enhancing the delivery of services in sectors such as health care, environment or entertainment. While infrastructural elements, such as roads, street lighting or waste containers, have traditionally been non-informational, now these kinds of elements are being furnished with sensors as part of an effort to change how their respective sectors operate. Energy sector, with its shift to the ‘smart grid’ infrastructure, provides a case study of how efforts at reorganising the sector are impacted by the relationship households develop to large quantities of energy information. Based on findings from studying ‘smart grid’ development in Japan, I argue that, to enable a reorganisation of the energy sector, extensive tailoring of information is required in order to engage users to develop an active relationship with infrastructure.
A new numerically stable sequential algorithm for coupled finite-strain elastoplastic geomechanics and flow

Abstract We propose a new numerically stable sequential implicit method for coupled flow and finite-strain multiplicative elastoplastic geomechanics. We find from stability analysis that the sequential method that solves the flow problem first by fixing the first Piola–Kirchhoff total stress, solving the geomechanics (solid deformation) problem at the next step, is unconditionally stable (contractive and B-stable). In this sense, this method named the fixed first Piola–Kirchhoff stress method is an extension of the fixed stress method in coupled flow and infinitesimal geomechanics. We also study the fixed second Piola–Kirchhoff stress method, comparing it with the fixed first Piola–Kirchhoff stress method, because the constitutive relations are formulated by the second Piola–Kirchhoff total stress, although fixing the second Piola–Kirchhoff total stress field does not provide theoretical unconditional stability. In space discretization, we use the finite element method for the geomechanics problem with the total Lagrangian approach, while employing the finite volume method for the flow problem. Geometrical nonlinearity from the total Lagrangian approach results in full-tensor permeability even if the initial permeability is isotropic. To consider the full-tensor permeability accurately, we employ the multipoint flux approximation in solving the flow problem. In time discretization, the backward Euler method is used. Then, we perform numerical experiments of the two fixed-stress sequential methods with various scenarios, and find superiority of their numerical stability. Specifically, the two fixed-stress sequential methods provide almost identical results for elasticity. For J 2 plasticity, the two sequential methods yield slightly different numerical results although the trends of the results are similar. For the Drucker–Prager plasticity, we find that the results from the two methods are almost identical. For all the test cases, the two sequential methods are numerically stable.
Generalization of an asymptotic model for constant-rate aerosol reactors

An asymptotic model was previously developed to predictbehaviors of constant-rate aerosol reactors operating with particles in the free-molecular or continuum limits. This model considered the limiting cases of having either condensation or nucleation dominate during a nucleation burst that occurs from steady addition of condensable monomer. In the present article, this model is generalized to allow condensation and nucleation to both be important during a nucleation burst. Criteria are derived to predict the relative magnitudes of nucleation and condensation, and scaling relations are presented for particle number densities, particle sizes, and onset times and durations of nucleation bursts. Comparison of the asymptotic results with numerical integration of the governing equations is favorable both qualitatively and quantitatively.
Effect of Stimulators upon Human Hepatic Adenylate Cyclase Activity: A Tool of Nitroimidazole Cytotoxicity Assessment

Nitroimidazole is an antibiotic and radiosensitizer chemical with great potentials in imaging. The hepato-cytoxicity evaluation of nitroimidazole and possible energy status changes in liver cells due to its anti-inflammatory characteristics are crucial in tumor imaging and chemotherapy. Adenylate cyclase is key enzyme to cause energy imbalance leading to cytotoxicity. To evaluate energy status in hepatocytes and Kupffer cells, adenylate cyclase activities in isolated liver cells were compared in presence of stimulators. To evaluate the effect of effectors on adenylate cyclase in cultured hepatocyte cells, adenylate cyclase enzyme was stimulated by different GITP, GTP, progesterone and nitroimidazole effectors. In cultured Kupffer cells, prostaglandin E~2~ and F~2[alpha]~ were used as effectors. The results showed that nitroimidazole decreased adenylate cyclase specific activity in dose-dependent manner after pre-incubation of hepatocytes with the nitroimidazole in medium. Nitroimidazole stimulated adenylate cyclase activities in hepatocytes were mediated by cAMP and determined by cAMP mesurement. The stimulatory effect of nitroimidazole on adenylate cyclase was independent of the GTP presence in the assay system perhaps due to a direct effect on the catalytic subunit of adenylate cyclase enzyme. In addition, basal cAMP generation in hepatocyte cells was efficiently suppressed by the nitroimidazole. In conclusion, nitroimidazole exhibits direct effect on the catalytic subunit of the adenylate cyclase system. The adenylate cyclase was hormone sensitive in liver cells.
Estimation: The Two-Sample Shift Model

When in Chapter 8 we compared the two-sample t-test to the Wilcoxon test, we briefly mentioned the so-called shift model according to which Y-observations are shifted by an unknown amountδrelative to X-observations as in Figure 9.1.The two-sample shift model represents a generalization of the classical two-sample model underlying the two-sample t-test, whereX-and Y-observations are assumed to be normally distributed with the same standard deviation. In the general two-sample shift model, we only assume that one population may have been shifted relative to the other population, but we do not make any assumptions about the shape of the population distribution. This latter fact is often cited as justification for using the term nonparametric in connection with two-sample shift problems, even though the problems frequently involve explicitly the parameterδ.Indeed, in this chapter we discuss how to estimate the shift parameterδ.
A critique of the (aspirational) code of ethics.

After decades of professional debate, establishing a Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibilities for Health Care Ethics Consultants is a milestone achievement in the professionalization of hea...
Dynamics of the Transpersonal

Given the obscurity of causation relative to the diversity and novelty in consciousness, the more inclusive arguments about evolution in the psyche presume an encounter with inner otherness, what Jung called, paradoxically, the “objective” psyche. According to the nomenclature of analytic psychology, as the psyche evolves toward ego strength, it is better able to withdraw its projections and thus come into greater consciousness of the transpersonal dimension of “subjectivity.” Doubtless Jung’s term “Self ” is problematic, as are its correlatives in Whitman and Nietzsche—the latter, as subject of Jung’s extensive lectures, his most likely inspiration. Thus, we see in Jung’s one term a mythic conflation of what appears interdependent and bifurcated in Tillich: the self as individual and the Self as contingent.
Use of Direct Airside Economizers in Thermal Management of Data Centers: Opportunities and Challenges

Data centers conventionally utilize computer room air conditioner (CRAC) systems that rely on vapor compression refrigeration cycles to maintain the desired environmental conditions. In an effort to increase energy efficiency and reduce operating costs, data center operators have been increasingly implementing economizers to attain “free cooling”. While the direct airside economizers present a practical approach and meaningful energy saving opportunities in most climate zones, they also bring challenges due to greatly increased particle/gaseous contamination and humidity levels that can adversely affect reliability and durability of electronic components. This paper briefly reviews the use of direct airside economizers in thermal management of data centers, and highlights the related opportunities and challenges.
Shared Moral Foundations of Embodied Artificial Intelligence

Sophisticated AI's will make decisions about how to respond to complex situations, and we may wonder whether those decisions will align with the moral values of human beings. I argue that pessimistic worries about this value alignment problem are overstated. In order to achieve intelligence in its full generality and adaptiveness, cognition in AI's will need to be embodied in the sense of the Embodied Cognition research program. That embodiment will yield AI's that share our moral foundations, namely coordination, sociality, and acknowledgement of shared resources. Consequently, we can expect a broad moral alignment between human beings and AI's. AI's will likely show no more variation in their values than we find amongst human beings.
Do the 2018 Leapfrog Group Minimal Hospital and Surgeon Volume Thresholds for Esophagectomy Favor Specific Patient Demographics

OBJECTIVE We examine how esophagectomy volume thresholds reflect outcomes relative to patient characteristics. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA Esophagectomy outcomes are associated with surgeon and hospital operative volumes, leading the Leapfrog Group to recommend minimum annual volume thresholds of 7 and 20 respectively. METHODS Patients undergoing esophagectomy for cancer were identified from the 2007-2013 New York and Florida Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's State Inpatient Databases. Logit models adjusted for patient characteristics evaluated in-hospital mortality, complications, and prolonged length of stay (PLOS). Median surgeon and hospital volumes were compared between young-healthy (age 18-57, Elixhauser Comorbidity Index [ECI] 4). RESULTS Of 4330 esophagectomy patients, 3515 (81%) were male, median age was 64 (interquartile range 58-71), and mortality was 4.0%. Patients treated by both low-volume surgeons and hospitals had the greatest mortality risk (5.0%), except in the case of older-sick patients mortality was highest at high-volume hospitals with high-volume surgeons (12%). For mortality <1%, annual hospital and surgeon volumes needed were 23 and 8, respectively; mortality rose to 4.2% when volumes dropped to the Leapfrog thresholds of 20 and 7, respectively. Complication rose from 53% to 63% when hospital and surgeon volumes decreased from 28 and 10 to 19 and 7, respectively. PLOS rose from 19% to 27% when annual hospital and surgeon volumes decreased from 27 and 8 to 20 and 7, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Current Leapfrog Group esophagectomy volume guidelines may not predict optimal outcomes for all patients, especially at extremes of age and comorbidities.
Learning never stops: Evaluation of peer teachers in high fidelity simulation.

BACKGROUND Nurse educators have used peer teaching as a means of providing effective learning to peer learners and enhancing peer teachers' comfort with teaching. There is a lack of evidence related to providing feedback to peer teachers. Receiving feedback may enhance peer teachers' knowledge synthesis and understanding of the teaching process. METHODS We utilized a mixed methods approach to determine if an evaluation instrument was valid and helpful to peer teachers. Both peer learners and educators completed evaluations of peer teachers, which were then compared. After receiving summarized feedback, peer teachers completed a survey regarding their experience. RESULTS There were no statistical differences between peer learner and educator ratings of peer teachers. Peer learners indicated they found peer teachers to be helpful in the high fidelity simulation setting. Peer teachers indicated satisfaction with the experience. Analysis of qualitative comments on peer-teacher surveys resulted in the identification of three themes: (a) validation of knowledge growth; (b) increased comfort with teaching; and (c) enhanced appreciation of teaching. CONCLUSIONS Peer teaching may enhance knowledge gain and synthesis for both peer teachers and peer learners. Enhanced comfort with teaching may lead to enhanced comfort in teaching both patients and peers in future practice.
Effects of propionate on mechanical and metabolic performance in aerobic rat hearts.

The purpose of this report is to describe the contribution of propionate as an adjunct source of oxidative metabolism in aerobic myocardium. In the first series of studies, six groups of isolated working rat hearts (n=6–8 per group) were perfused for 40 minutes with Krebs-Henseleit media containing 11 mM glucose. Propionate treatment was provided to the media at a constant dose per heart group and extended over a range of dosages, including: 0 (placebo control), 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 5.0, and 10.0 mM, buffered to pH 7.4. Average aerobic coronary blood flow for all groups was 21.5\+-0.6 ml/min; average left ventricular peak systolic pressure was 123.7\+-1.4 mmHg. There were no significant differences among groups compared with placebo hearts for aortic flow, heart rate x aortic pressure product, or myocardial oxygen consumption, although performance tended to decline in the 10 mM group. A clear dose-response relationship was observed in 14CO2 production from labeled propionate, with a 12-fold increase between the 0.1 and 10 mM groups. Most of the increase occurred at the lower dosages, with a relative leveling off at the 1.0, 5.0, and 10.0 mM doses. In part 2, prpionate was examined as a sole substrate. At 1.0 mM without glucose, proionate per se was unable to support mechanical function over the course of the perfusions, but still maintained high rates of oxidation, comparable to that of the 1.0 mM group with glucose in part 1. Thus propionate proved to be a useful intermediate for substrate oxidation in mammalian hearts, and its resulting contribution to energy metabolism may provide one mechanism to understand the benefits of the propionyl-L-carnitine compound.
Focus on...Abusive Roth IRA Transactions

As part of its effort to combat abusive tax shelter schemes and transactions, the IRS has launched a new section on the Retirement Plan page of its Web site, the 'EP Abusive Tax Transactions' section. The IRS has identified eight transactions involving employee benefit plans as "listed transactions." The IRS has made clear its intention of shutting down the listed transactions that it has identified, and of denying to taxpayers the tax benefits they sought. Most practitioners are likely to conclude that simply to ignore the reporting and other requirements is unduly aggressive, if not unethical. With ordinary income, dividend tax rates, and capital gains rates at their current low levels, the best (and cheapest, in the long run) advice for even the most tax-adverse client is to steer clear of listed transactions.
Mass Balance Study of the Engineered Cationic Antimicrobial Peptide, WLBU2, Following a Single Intravenous Dose of 14C-WLBU2 in Mice.

BACKGROUND To address multidrug resistance, we developed engineered Cationic Antimicrobial Peptides (eCAPs). Lead eCAP WLBU2 displays potent activity against drug-resistant bacteria and effectively treats lethal bacterial infections in mice, reducing bacterial loads to undetectable levels in diverse organs. OBJECTIVE To support the development of WLBU2, we conducted a mass balance study. METHODS CD1 mice were administered 10, 15, 20 and 30 mg/kg of QDx5 WLBU2 or a single dose of [14C]-WLBU2 at 15 mg/kg IV. Tolerability, tissue distribution and excretion were evaluated with liquid scintillation and HPLC-radiochromatography. RESULTS The maximum tolerated dose of WLBU2 is 20 mg/kg IV. We could account for greater than >96% of the radioactivity distributed within mouse tissues at 5 and 15 min. By 24h, only ~40-50% of radioactivity remained in the mice. The greatest % of the dose was present in liver, accounting for ~35% of radioactivity at 5 and 15 min, and ~ 8% of radioactivity remained at 24h. High radioactivity was also present in kidneys, plasma, red blood cells and lungs, while less than 0.2% of radioactivity was present in brain, fat, or skeletal muscle. Urinary and fecal excretion accounted for 12.5 and 2.2% of radioactivity at 24h. CONCLUSION WLBU2 distributes widely to mouse tissues and is rapidly cleared with a terminal radioactivity half-life of 22 h, a clearance of 27.4 mL/h/kg, and a distribution volume of 0.94 L/kg. At 2-100 μg-eq/g, the concentrations of 14C-WLBU2 appear high enough in the tissues to account for the inhibition of microbial growth.
Catalytic generation of alkoxy radicals from unfunctionalized alcohols

Alkoxy radicals have long been recognized as powerful synthetic intermediates with well-established reactivity patterns. Due to the high bond dissociation free energy of aliphatic alcohol O–H bonds, these radicals are difficult to access through direct homolysis, and conventional methods have instead relied on activation of O-functionalized precursors. Over the past decade, however, numerous catalytic methods for the direct generation of alkoxy radicals from simple alcohol starting materials have emerged and created opportunities for the development of new transformations. This minireview discusses recent advances in catalytic alkoxy radical generation, with particular emphasis on progress toward the direct activation of unfunctionalized alcohols enabled by transition metal and photoredox catalysis.
741 High-grade sinonasal carcinomas and surveillance of differential expression in immune related transcriptome

Background The skull base is the location of a wide variety of malignant tumors. Among them is sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma (SNUC), a highly aggressive sinonasal neoplasm that was recently reclassified into subgroups of high-grade carcinomas with unique genomic events (e.g., SMARC-deficient carcinoma, nuclear protein in testis NUT carcinoma). Other high-grade carcinomas in this location are neuroendocrine carcinomas, sinonasal adenocarcinomas, and teratocarcinosarcomas. Given the rarity of these tumors, little transcriptomic data is available. The aim of this study was to characterize the immune-oncology gene expression profile in SNUC and other high-grade sinonasal carcinomas. Methods Next-generation sequencing was performed in 30 high-grade sinonasal carcinoma samples using the HTG EdgeSeq Precision Immuno-Oncology Panel. Ingenuity pathway analysis was performed to understand the immunobiology, signaling, and functional perturbations during tumor development. Results The samples were divided into 3 groups: 21 SNUCs and SMARC-deficient sinonasal carcinomas; 5 high-grade neuroendocrine carcinomas (HGNECs), with small cell and large cell variants; and 4 high-grade sinonasal carcinomas (HGSNCs) of mixed histology (1 NUT carcinoma, 1 teratocarcinosarcoma, and 2 sinonasal adenocarcinomas). PRAME and ASCL1 emerged as upregulated transcripts with strong protein validation for SNUC and HGNEC; other upregulated candidates EZH2 and BRCA1 offer consideration for alternative targeted therapy, and downregulation of major histocompatibility complex molecules and chemokines represent another hurdle in the development of effective immunotherapy. Conclusions This immune-oncology gene expression analysis of 3 groups of high-grade sinonasal carcinoma with emphasis on SNUC identified a number of differentially expressed transcripts reflecting effects on tumorigenesis. Identification of immune pathways should be further investigated for possible integration of immunotherapy into a multidisciplinary approach to these cancers and personalized treatment. Ethics Approval MD Anderson Cancer Center Institutional Review Board approval was obtained prior to the start of the study.
Wait expectations: The impact of delisting as an outcome from the kidney transplant waitlist.

BACKGROUND While kidney transplantation is optimal for the treatment of end-stage kidney disease, available organs do not meet demand. Little is known about the outcomes of patients who are delisted (removed from the waitlist) and unable to benefit from transplant. We describe patients who are delisted and their life expectancy after delisting. METHODS Patients ≥ 18 years listed for deceased donor kidney transplant between 01/2003 and 12/2013 were identified in the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients and followed through 12/2018. A competing risk model was used to measure the association of demographic and clinical factors with waitlist outcomes of delisting, transplant, and death. Multivariate Cox modeling was used to evaluate factors associated with death after delisting. RESULTS Of 324,582 patients listed, 18.0% were delisted, most common reasons were "too sick" or "other." After delisting, half (49.7%) had died by end of follow-up; time to death after removal was 5 years. Increasing age and public insurance were associated with increased risk of death. CONCLUSIONS Nearly one in five patients will be delisted from the kidney transplant waitlist. These patients live a surprisingly long time after removal. Much remains unknown about these patients, which could be improved through data collection. Delisting is an important patient outcome that warrants further exploration.
COVID-19 and Restrictions on Religious Worship: From Nondiscrimination to Church Autonomy

Religious litigants challenging COVID-19 restrictions on in-person worship services typically argue that these restrictions discriminate against religion in violation of the Free Exercise Clause. Demands for equal treatment have intuitive appeal, and they also fit with the Supreme Court’s current religion clause jurisprudence. However, there are a number of drawbacks to approaches that focus on equal treatment. It can be difficult to identify the appropriate secular benchmarks for determining whether discrimination has taken place, and religious congregations are usually not actually asking for equal treatment. What they really want is to maximize their ability to gather together safely in person. In Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, New York v. Cuomo, the Supreme Court granted applications for emergency injunctive relief in two cases challenging 10- and 25-person limits on houses of worship in COVID-19 hotspots in New York. The Court found that New York’s rules favored secular activities over religious practice and failed to satisfy the strict scrutiny required of discriminatory action under the Free Exercise Clause. However, many of the examples of discrimination given by those in the majority seemed strained, and the justices appeared less interested in the threshold showing of discriminatory treatment than in applying heightened scrutiny to significant restrictions on religious worship. The Court’s shift in focus from discrimination to close scrutiny of worship restrictions is the right one, but those in the majority neither acknowledged this shift nor signaled a new framework or approach that would explain or guide it. In this short essay, I argue that the appropriate framework for analyzing restrictions on religious worship is the doctrine of church autonomy that has been emerging in the Court’s recent religion clause jurisprudence. Viewing conflicts over COVID-19 restrictions through this lens can better clarify what is at stake when clashes occur as well as better inform the scope and limits of institutional freedom in this context. This essay is based on a presentation for the International Conference on COVID-19 Pandemic & Religious Freedom: Reports from North America and Europe sponsored by Andrews University, Brigham Young University Law School Center for Law and Religion Studies, and University of Portsmouth (December 2-3, 2020) and a shorter presentation for the blog webinar Law, Religion, and Coronavirus in the United States: A Six-Month Assessment organized by Brigham Young University Law School, Emory University Law School, Notre Dame Law School, St. John’s University School of Law, and the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law (October 2, 2020).
Equity via relations of equality: Bridging the classroom-society divide:

Although music educators have asserted the importance of naming systemic inequities, the mechanisms through which practices within music classrooms, such as community formation, may directly challe...
Patterns in cancer management changes for patients with COVID-19 in northern California

1535Background: The COVID-19 pandemic affected oncology practice in ways that are still evolving. In particular, COVID-19 has led to changes in cancer treatment for patients (pts) infected with COV...
Microwave Ablation as Bridging Therapy for Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Awaiting Liver Transplant: A Single Center Experience

To determine the pathologic response of computed tomography-guided percutaneous microwave ablation as bridging therapy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma awaiting liver transplant, and its subsequent effect on survival. A single-center retrospective analysis was conducted on 62 patients (M:F = 50:12) with mean age of 59.6 years ± 7.2 months (SD). Sixty-four total MWA procedures were performed for hepatocellular carcinomas within Milan criteria as bridging therapy to subsequent orthotopic liver transplant between August 2014 and September 2018. The pathology reports of the explanted livers were reviewed to assess for residual disease. Residual disease was categorized as complete or incomplete necrosis. Patient demographics, tumor/procedural characteristics, and laboratory values were evaluated. Survival from time of ablation and time of transplantation were recorded and compared between cohorts using log rank tests. The mean tumor size was 2.4 cm ± 0.7 cm (SD), (range = 1–4.6 cm). 32 (50%) cases required hydrodissection. Histopathologic necrosis was seen in 66% of cases at time of liver transplantation. Median time to liver transplant post-MWA was 12.6 months. [IQR = 8.6–14.8 months]. The median survival from ablation was 60.8 months [IQR = 45.5–73.7 months], and the median survival from transplant was 49.3 months [IQR = 33.7–60.1 months]. There was no significant difference in survival for patients with complete versus incomplete necrosis from ablation or liver transplant (p = 0.49, p = 0.46, respectively). Computed tomography-guided percutaneous microwave ablation is an effective bridge to orthotopic liver transplantation for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Level 3, non-randomized controlled cohort study/follow-up study.
Gravity currents from moving sources

Emerging technologies such as deep-sea mining and geoengineering pose fundamentally new questions regarding the dynamics of gravity currents. Such activities can continuously release dense sediment plumes from moving locations, thereafter propagating as gravity currents. Here, we present the results of idealized numerical simulations of this novel configuration, and investigate the propagation of a gravity current that results from a moving source of buoyancy, as a function of the ratio of source speed to buoyancy velocity. We show that above a certain value of this ratio, the flow enters a supercritical regime in which the source moves more rapidly than the generated current, resulting in a statistically steady state in the reference frame of the moving source. Once in the supercritical regime, the current goes through a second transition beyond which fluid in the head of the current moves approximately in the direction normal to the direction of motion of the source, and the time evolution of the front in the lateral direction is well described by an equivalent constant volume lock-release gravity current. We use our findings to gain insight into the propagation of sediment plumes released by deep-sea mining collector vehicles, and present proof-of-concept tow-tank laboratory experiments of a model deep-sea mining collector discharging dense dyed fluid in its wake. The experiments reveal the formation a wedge-shaped gravity current front which narrows as the ratio of collector-to-buoyancy velocity increases. The time-averaged front position shows good agreement with the results of the numerical model in the supercritical regime.
Analysis of GMO Food Products Companies: Financial Risks and Opportunities in the Global Agriculture Industry

One of the biggest issues facing the global agriculture industry is the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in crops and food products. This study compares financial performance of major GMO food companies to other industries. Findings indicate that GMO companies had an average higher return on equity but also a higher level of risk. In addition, the study presents positive and negative perspectives toward GMO foods, along with a discussion of the risks and opportunities. Agricultural studies indicate that applying GMO technology is likely the most effective way to feed many of the world’s hungry. In addition, research supports the safety and nutritional benefits of GMO food products. However, concerns expressed by GMO opponents have been effective in limiting GMO acceptance by the public. Research indicates that the inconsistency between negative public opinion and positive scientific evidence supporting GM crops is at least partly the result of misrepresentations of GMOs. The ultimate acceptance or rejection of GMO foods will greatly affect food producers, distributors, retailers, and consumers.
Positioning for Urological Procedures

Urological procedures, either open or endoscopic, usually require strategic positioning to allow surgical access to the pelvis, retroperitoneum, and the perineum. Anesthesiologists, urologists, and nurses have a shared responsibility to ensure patient safety while providing optimal surgical exposure. Knowledge of the physiologic changes associated with the various positions is of utmost concern in the care of these patients. Heed should be taken during patient positioning to avoid iatrogenic injuries, including ocular injury, compartment syndrome, and peripheral nerve damage. Improper positioning may cause complications, though rare, that are not only physically and emotionally devastating but may also have medicolegal consequences.
Chapter 92 Endogenous Properties of Equilibrium and Disequilibrium in Spatial Committee Games

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses that experiments demonstrate the extent to which outcomes are responsive to the structure of preferences. Where a preference-induced equilibrium exists, outcomes converge toward that equilibrium. Where a natural majority coalition exists, outcomes cluster around it. Where preferences are widely distributed, so too are outcomes. By and large, the fact that outcomes are sensitive to endogenous preferences comes as some relief. These results indicate that there is a clear patterning to outcomes and they are dependent on the preferences of actors. Rather than throwing up our hands in frustration over the “impossibility” of understanding basic collective choice processes, these results point to the possibility of predicting outcomes. Those theoretical constructs aim at capturing the complex relationships between preference and choices.
Structural dynamics of bacterial ribosomes: V. Magnesium-dependent dissociation of tight couples into subunits: Measurements of dissociation constants and exchange rates

The magnesium ion-dependent equilibrium of vacant ribosome couples with their subunits 70 S⇌k−1k150 S+30S has been studied quantitatively with a novel equilibrium displacement labeling method which is more sensitive and precise than light-scattering. At a concentration of 10−7m, tight couples (ribosomes most active in protein synthesis) dissociate between 1 and 3 mm-Mg2+ at 37 °C with a 50% point at 1.9 mm. The corresponding association constants Ka′ are 5.1 × 105 m−1 (1 mm-Mg2+), 3.5 × 107 m−1 (2 mm), and 1.2 × 109 m−1 (3 mm), about five orders of magnitude higher than the Ka′ value of loose couples studied by Spirin et al. (1971) and Zitomer & Flaks (1972). In this range of Mg2+ concentrations (37 °C, 50 mm-NH4+) the rate constants depend exponentially and in opposite ways on the Mg2+ concentration: k1 = 2.2 × 10−3s−1, k−1 = 7.7 × 104m−1s−1 (2mm-Mg2+); k1 = 1.5 × 10−4s−1, k−1 = 1.7 × 107 m−1 s−1 (5 mm-Mg2+). Under physiological conditions (Mg2+ ∼- 4 mm, ribosome concn ∼- 10−7 m), the equilibrium strongly favors association and the rate of exchange is slow (t12 ∼- 10 min). In the range of dissociation (2 mm-Mg2+), association of subunits proceeds without measurable entropy change and hence ΔGO = ΔHO. The negative enthalpy change of ΔHO = − 10 kcal suggests that association of subunits involves a shape change. Below a critical Mg2+ concentration (∼- 2 mm), the 50 S subunits are converted irreversibly into the b-form responsible for the transition to loose couples. The results are compatible with two classes of binding sites, one class binding Mg2+ non-co-operatively and contributing to the free energy of association by reduction of electrostatic repulsion, and another class probably consisting of hydrogen bonds between components at opposite interfaces whose critical spatial alignment rapidly denatures in the absence of stabilizing magnesium ions.