cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fine-grained fault tolerance using device checkpoints

Recovering faults in drivers is difficult compared to other code because their state is spread across both memory and a device. Existing driver fault-tolerance mechanisms either restart the driver and discard its state, which can break applications, or require an extensive logging mechanism to replay requests and recreate driver state. Even logging may be insufficient, though, if the semantics of requests are ambiguous. In addition, these systems either require large subsystems that must be kept up-to-date as the kernel changes, or require substantial rewriting of drivers.We present a new driver fault-tolerance mechanism that provides fine-grained control over the code protected. Fine-Grained Fault Tolerance (FGFT) isolates driver code at the granularity of a single entry point. It executes driver code as a transaction, allowing roll back if the driver fails. We develop a novel checkpointing mechanism to save and restore device state using existing power management code. Unlike past systems, FGFT can be incrementally deployed in a single driver without the need for a large kernel subsystem, but at the cost of small modifications to the driver.In the evaluation, we show that FGFT can have almost zero runtime cost in many cases, and that checkpoint-based recovery can reduce the duration of a failure by 79% compared to restarting the driver. Finally, we show that applying FGFT to a driver requires little effort, and the majority of drivers in common classes already contain the power-management code needed for checkpoint/restore.
On the Design of Dynamic Reconfiguration Policies for Broadcast WDM Networks

We study the issues arising when considering the problem of reconfiguring broadcast optical networks in response to changes in the traffic patterns. Although the ability to dynamically optimize the network under changing traffic conditions has been recognized as one of the key features of multiwavelength optical networks, this is the first in-depth study of the trade-offs involved in carrying out the reconfiguration process. Our contribution is three-fold. First, we identify the degree of load balancing and the number of retunings as two important, albeit conflicting, objectives in the design of reconfiguration policies. Second, we formulate the problem as a Markovian Decision Process and we develop a systematic and flexible framework in which to view and contrast reconfiguration policies. Third, we also show how an appropriate selection of reward and cost functions can be used to achieve the desired balance among various performance criteria of interest. Our work demonstrates that it is practical to apply Markov Decision Process theory to obtain optimal reconfiguration policies even for networks of large size. The advantages of optimal policies over a class of threshold-based policies are also illustrated through numerical results.
Tumour oxygenation is increased by hyperthermia at mild temperatures

The effects of hyperthermia on the oxygenation status in R3230 AC tumours of Fischer rats were measured using a polarographic oxygen electrode system. The median pO2 in about 10 mm diameter tumours grown s.c. in the leg of rats was 3.7 � 0.3 mm Hg and it significantly increased upon heating at modest temperatures. For example, the tumour pO2 measured within 10–15 min after heating for 30 min at 42.5 � C was about three-fold greater than that in the control tumours. About 62% of pO2 values measured in control tumours were <5 mm Hg. After heating at 42.5 � C for 30 min, 37% of pO2 values were <5 mm Hg. Such an increase in tumour oxygenation or reoxygenation of hypoxic cells appeared to result from an increase in tumour blood flow caused by the mild temperature hyperthermia. The presence of hypoxic cells in tumours is believed to be a major factor in limiting the effectiveness of radiotherapy, certain chemotherapy drugs and phototherapy. Hyperthermia at mild temperatures easily achievable with the use of presently available clinical hyperthermia devices may be an effective means to overcome the hypoxic protection in the treatment of human tumours.
Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the substantia nigra in schizophrenia

Abstract Background Converging evidence in schizophrenia points to disruption of the dopamine and glutamate neurotransmitter systems in the pathophysiology of the disorder. Dopamine is produced in the substantia nigra, but few neuroimaging studies have specifically targeted this structure. In fact, no studies of the substantia nigra in schizophrenia have used proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). We sought to demonstrate the feasibility of acquiring single-voxel MRS measurements at 3 T from the substantia nigra and to determine which metabolites could be reliably quantified in schizophrenia patients and healthy controls. Methods We used a turbo spin echo sequence with magnetization transfer contrast to visualize the substantia nigra and single-voxel proton MRS to quantify levels of N -acetylaspartate, glutamate and glutamine (Glx), and choline in the left substantia nigra of 35 people with schizophrenia and 22 healthy controls. Results We obtained spectra from the substantia nigra and quantified neurometabolites in both groups. We found no differences in levels of N -acetylaspartate/creatine, Glx/creatine, or choline/creatine between the groups. We found a significant correlation between Glx/creatine and overall cognitive performance, measured with the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), in controls but not patients, a difference that was statistically significant. Conclusions Our study demonstrates the feasibility of obtaining single-voxel MRS data from the substantia nigra in schizophrenia. Such measurements may prove useful in understanding the biochemistry underlying cellular function in a region implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
Acute Cervical Spine Injuries: Prospective MR Imaging Assessment at a Level 1 Trauma Center

PURPOSE: To determine the weighted average sensitivity of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in the prospective detection of acute neck injury and to compare these findings with those of a comprehensive conventional radiographic assessment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Conventional radiography and MR imaging were performed in 199 patients presenting to a level 1 trauma center with suspected cervical spine injury. Weighted sensitivities and specificities were calculated, and a weighted average across eight vertebral levels from C1 to T1 was formed. Fourteen parameters indicative of acute injury were tabulated. RESULTS: Fifty-eight patients had 172 acute cervical injuries. MR imaging depicted 136 (79%) acute abnormalities and conventional radiography depicted 39 (23%). For assessment of acute fractures, MR images (weighted average sensitivity, 43%; CI: 21%, 66%) were comparable to conventional radiographs (weighted average sensitivity, 48%; CI: 30%, 65%). MR imaging was superior to conventional radiography in the ev...
THOMAS MERTON AND LEO SZILARD: THE PARALLEL PATHS OF A MONK AND A NUCLEAR PHYSICIST

Thomas Merton and Leo Szilard, two of the seminal religious and scientific figures of the twentieth century, briefly connected on the issue of the danger of atomic weaponry. This meeting resulted from paths that guided them to an "orbiting" or distancing from human society through a phase of intellectual (Szilard) or spiritual (Merton) abstraction followed by a return to the concerns of human society. These parallel trajectories and their eventual intersection reflect both the similarities and differences in their respective backgrounds. The briefness of their contacts and the unfulfilled possibilities from such contacts also suggest the importance of a continuing dialogue between major figures in religion and science.
A 5 V, 6-b, 80 Ms/s BiCMOS flash ADC

A 5 V single supply, 6-bit flash A/D converter (ADC) has been developed that supports sampling rates of up to 80 Ms/s. The converter is optimized to operate in undersampling applications where the ADC has to deliver greater than 5.2 Effective Number Of Bits (ENOB's) with input frequencies well beyond Nyquist. Excellent dynamic linearity performance has been achieved with input frequencies up to 75 MHz and a gain flatness of better than 0.1 dB is obtained over the input signal spectrum of 50 MHz-95 MHz. This ADC is fabricated on a 1.0 /spl mu/m advanced BiCMOS process that features trench-isolated bipolar devices with an f/sub t/ of 10 GHz. >
Consolidation And The Transformation Of Competition In Health Insurance

This paper presents data on fifty state and substate insurance markets, in terms of the 2003 relative shares of the largest health plans and the antitrust index of concentration. It presents 2000–0...
Wetland plant responses to soil flooding

Abstract Wetland plants possess various characteristics that enable them to survive periodic soil saturation and the accompanying changes in soil chemistry. These changes include the lowering of soil redox potential (Eh) which translates into a progressively greater demand for oxygen within the soil and hence additional stress on the roots. However, information on the relationship between flood-response of wetland plants and reducing soil conditions is limited. In particular, the relationship between soil reduction and plant photosynthesis is largely unknown, but the literature reveals a range of photosynthetic sensitivities to the intensity of soil reduction among wetland species. Initial reductions in net photosynthesis immediately after soil flooding are common among species representing various wetland ecosystems including marshes, forested wetlands, and riparian wetlands. At the whole-plant level, the photosynthetic reductions are attributed to diffusional limitations due to stomatal closure and to metabolic (non-stomatal) inhibition of photosynthesis. Low soil Eh may lead to photosynthetic reduction due to decreased leaf water potential resulting from root dysfunction, reduced activity of major photosynthetic enzymes, disruption in photosynthate transport, alteration in source-sink relationship or reduced sink demand. Furthermore, while root oxygen-deficiency may partially account for the reduction in net photosynthesis, soil phytotoxins produced as by-products of low soil Eh conditions may play a major role in the observed photosynthetic sensitivities. Clearly, the high oxygen demand in soil resulting from intense reduction exerts profound influence on oxygen transport and release to the rhizosphere. However, methods are needed to differentiate wetland plant responses to low oxygen conditions and soil phytotoxins that are byproducts of soil reduction.
The importance of computed tomography slice thickness in radiographic patient positioning for radiosurgery

A new radiographic patient positioning technique developed for radiosurgery has been analyzed to show the effect of computed tomography(CT) slice thickness on the precision of target localization during treatment. The positioning technique establishes the pose of the patient’s anatomy during treatment by comparing treatment room radiographs with digitally reconstructed radiographs derived from a CT study. The measured pose is then used to align the x-ray therapy beam with the treatment site, without resorting to mechanical fixation. The technique has been found to be sensitive to submillimeter changes in skull position, which is the level of precision desired for radiosurgery. In this report it is shown that the precision of head localization improves by a factor of 2 when the CT slice thickness is reduced from 3.0 to 1.5 mm. This indicates that, in radiosurgical applications, image-guided beam alignment can be significantly influenced by the spatial resolution of the reference CT study. This result is relevant to all high-precision radiographic positioning techniques that utilize CTimages.
Distinct Populations of HCN Pacemaker Channels Produce Voltage-dependent and Voltage-independent Currents

Hyperpolarization-activated HCN pacemaker channels are critical for the generation of spontaneous activity and the regulation of excitability in the heart and in many types of neurons. These channels produce both a voltage-dependent current (Ih) and a voltage-independent current (Iinst or VIC). In this study, we explored the molecular basis of the voltage-independent current. We found that for the spHCN isoform, VIC averaged ∼4% of the maximum HCN conductance that could be activated by hyperpolarization. Cyclic AMP increased the voltage-independent current in spHCN to ∼8% of maximum. In HCN2, VIC was ∼2% of the maximal current, and was little affected by cAMP. VIC in both spHCN and HCN2 was blocked rapidly both by ZD7288 (an HCN channel blocker that is thought to bind in the conduction pore) and by application of Cd2+ to channels containing an introduced cysteine in the pore (spHCN-464C or HCN2-436C). These results suggest that VIC flows through the main conduction pathway, down the central axis of the protein. We suspected that VIC simply represented a nonzero limiting open probability for HCN channels at positive voltages. Surprisingly, we found instead that the spHCN channels carrying VIC were not in rapid equilibrium with the channels carrying the voltage-dependent current, because they could be blocked independently; a single application of blocker at a depolarized potential essentially eliminated VIC with little change in Ih. Thus, VIC appears to be produced by a distinct population of HCN channels. This voltage-independent current could contribute significantly to the role of HCN channels in neurons and myocytes; VIC flowing through the channels at physiological potentials would tend to promote excitability by accelerating both depolarization and repolarization.
Small Towns, Rural Linkages, and Employment

Despite the utility of both the urban functions approach and the location-allocation model, further research is required before methods to locate urban activities are widely applied. Both regional ...
Reconciling agricultural productivity and environmental integrity: A grand challenge for agriculture

Agriculture meets a major human need and both affects and depends on all other life support systems. Current trends point to continued human population growth and ever higher levels of consumption as the global economy expands. This will stress the capacity of agriculture to meet food needs without further sacrificing the environmental integrity of local landscapes and the global environment. Agriculture's main challenge for the coming decades will be to produce sufficient food and fiber for a growing global population at an acceptable environmental cost. This challenge requires an ecological approach to agriculture that is largely missing from current management and research portfolios. Crop and livestock production systems must be managed as ecosystems, with management decisions fully informed of environmental costs and benefits. Currently, too little is known about important ecological interactions in major agricultural systems and landscapes and about the economic value of the ecosystem services assoc...
STARDUST: A comet coma flyby sample return

STARDUST, the 4th NASA Discovery Mission, returned the world's first coma sample from a comet with known history. The returned samples gave the world the first opportunity to perform detailed laboratory studies of comet Wild 2 and a time capsule of the formational times of our Solar System. The completion of a comet coma flyby sample return mission required heroic endeavors from many participants, extensive advocacy by officials and reviewers, considerable doses of serendipitous miracles and, invariably, disappointments. This chronicle recounts some of the technology breakthroughs and significant engineering and strategic innovations that made STARDUST possible. For those who dream of future space exploration, this account may provide inspiration for even more incredible discoveries to come. A flight project distinguished by the excellence of its technical concept is only a necessary condition; completing such a mission successfully depends on sufficiency factors that are often slighted-programmatic, interpersonal and cosmic happenstances.
Evidence that a modified type IV pilus‐like system powers gliding motility and polysaccharide secretion in filamentous cyanobacteria

In filamentous cyanobacteria, the mechanism of gliding motility is undefined but posited to be driven by a polysaccharide secretion system known as the junctional pore complex (JPC). Recent evidence implies that the JPC is a modified type IV pilus-like structure encoded for in part by genes in the hps locus. To test this hypothesis, we conducted genetic, cytological and comparative genomics studies on hps and pil genes in Nostoc punctiforme, a species in which motility is restricted to transiently differentiated filaments called hormogonia. Inactivation of most hps and pil genes abolished motility and abolished or drastically reduced secretion of hormogonium polysaccharide, and the subcellular localization of several Pil proteins in motile hormogonia corresponds to the site of the junctional pore complex. The non-motile ΔhpsE-G strain, which lacks three glycosyltransferases that synthesize hormogonium polysaccharide, could be complemented to motility by the addition of medium conditioned by wild-type hormogonia. Based on this result, we speculate that secretion of hormogonium polysaccharide facilitates but does not provide the motive force for gliding. Both the Hps and Pil homologs characterized in this study are almost universally conserved among filamentous cyanobacteria, with the Hps homologs rarely found in unicellular strains. These results support the theory that Hps and Pil proteins compose the JPC, a type IV pilus-like nanomotor that drives motility and polysaccharide secretion in filamentous cyanobacteria.
In Situ Tolerance within the Central Nervous System as a Mechanism for Preventing Autoimmunity

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is believed to be an autoimmune disease in which autoreactive T cells infiltrate the central nervous system (CNS). Animal models of MS have shown that CNS-specific T cells are present in the peripheral T cell repertoire of healthy mice and cause autoimmune disease only when they are activated by immunization. T cell entry into the CNS is thought to require some form of peripheral activation because the blood–brain barrier prohibits trafficking of this tissue by naive cells. We report here that naive T cells can traffic to the CNS without prior activation. Comparable numbers of T cells are found in the CNS of both healthy recombinase activating gene (Rag)−/− T cell receptor (TCR) transgenic mice and nontransgenic mice even when the transgenic TCR is specific for a CNS antigen. Transgenic T cells isolated from the CNS that are specific for non-CNS antigens are phenotypically naive and proliferate robustly to antigenic stimulation in vitro. Strikingly, transgenic T cells isolated from the CNS that are specific for myelin basic protein (MBP) are also primarily phenotypically naive but are unresponsive to antigenic stimulation in vitro. Mononuclear cells from the CNS of MBP TCR transgenic but not nontransgenic mice can suppress the response of peripheral MBP-specific T cells in vitro. These results indicate that naive MBP-specific T cells can traffic to the CNS but do not trigger autoimmunity because they undergo tolerance induction in situ.
More Consequences of Hyperbolicity

Consider two submanifolds V and W of M which intersect at a point p. We say that V and W are transverse at p, V Ψ W, or that p is a point of transverse intersection of V and W, if $${T_o}V + {T_o}W = {T_p}M$$ .
Dirhodium(II) Tetraacetate

[15956-28-2] C8H12O8Rh2 (MW 442.02) InChI = 1S/4C2H4O2.2Rh/c4*1-2(3)4;;/h4*1H3,(H,3,4);;/q;;;;2*+2/p-4 InChIKey = SYBXSZMNKDOUCA-UHFFFAOYSA-J (catalyst for carbenoid reactions of diazo compounds,1 hydroboration of alkenes and alkynes,2 hydrocarbon oxidation;3 nitrene reactions, and miscellaneous reactions) Physical Data: λ 590 nm, ɛ 210 (EtOH); λ 552 nm, ɛ 235 (MeCN).4 IR ν- (CO2) 1585 cm−1.5 Solubility: sol MeOH, acetic acid, MeCN, acetone; slightly sol toluene; insol Et2O, 1,2-dichloroethane, CH2Cl2. Form Supplied in: emerald-green solid for anhydrous form. Preparative Method: prepared from RhCl3·xH2O.6 Handling, Storage, and Precautions: air stable, moderately hygroscopic; stored in desiccator. Removal of axially coordinated solvent can be achieved in vacuum oven at 60–80 °C.
A Stochastic Frontier Analysis of California Safety-Net Hospital Cost Inefficiency through the Great Recession

In the United States, safety-net hospitals play a major role in the provision of low-margin services and medical care access for the poor. These integral providers have been shown to be financially disadvantaged compared to their peers. Their weaker financial status may hinder their ability to uphold their valued mission and underscore the importance of cost-efficiency improvements. Using stochastic frontier analysis, with controls for hospital process-of-care quality and patient burden of illness, we estimated California safety-net hospitals’ cost inefficiency for the years 2005 to 2013. The average estimated level of hospital cost inefficiency increased from 10.06 percent to 14.25 percent during the Great Recession and leveled off at 14.03 percent in succeeding years. In recognition of safety-net hospitals’ vital role in the health care system, the uncertainty surrounding uncompensated care, and the planned erosion of disproportionate-share hospital payments, it is pertinent to assess their cost inefficiency through the Great Recession.
Evolving Treatment for Patients With Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy.

Dynamic left ventricular outflow obstruction is a major cause of exertional symptoms in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The obstruction is secondary to systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve abutting against a hypertrophied septum, resulting in diastolic dysfunction, myocardial
Thermodynamic Functions for 4He Submonolayers

Adsorption of gases on solids is generally studied by pressure isotherms, heat capacity isosteres, or heats of adsorption. By measuring these concurrently, the present study is able to calculate all other thermodynamic functions. The system of helium on Grafoil was chosen because it is exceptionally homogeneous, displaying mainly features of the adsorbate,1 and because it is unusually reproducible.2 This allows direct incorporation of data from other laboratories, which have shown heat capacity peaks attributed to Bose condensation, ordering transitions, and melting.3–5
Aperture guiding in cw, quasi-three-level Yb:YAG lasers

Gain guiding has been demonstrated to significantly impact the cavity modes of high- gain, short-pulse Ti:Al2O3 lasers.1 Here, we demonstrate that aperture guiding, which can be analyzed similarly to gain guiding, can be a significant benefit in low-gain,cw lasers. In end-pumped, quasi-three-level lasers, a soft spatial aperture is formed in the gain medium because the unpumped regions absorb light at tire laser wavelength. We have found that this aperture must be taken into account in calculating mode sizes and resonator stability. These effects are illustrated in a Yb:YAG microchip laser and a Yb:YAG laser in a near-hemispherical cavity, and can be generalized to other quasi-three-level lasers.
EFFECT OF ACTINOMYCIN D ON MORPHINE TOLERANCE.

SummaryThe inhibitor of protein synthesis, actinomycin D, is capable of decreasing the rate of development of morphine tolerance in mice and rats. This effect may be the result of the suppression of the synthesis of new RNA and consequently of proteins or peptides which counteract the effects of morphine.
INDOMETHACIN-SENSITIVE CO2 REACTIVITY OF CEREBRAL ARTERIOLES IS RESTORED BY VASODILATOR PROSTAGLANDIN

To investigate the role of vasodilator prostanoids in the CO2-induced relaxation of cerebral arterioles, the present study examined the effect of exogenous prostaglandin (PG) E2 and nonprostanoid vasodilators, adenosine and sodium nitroprusside, on the indomethacin-impaired pial arteriolar response to CO2 in newborn piglets. Reactivity of pial arterioles (52-131 microns diam) was determined using a closed cranial window with intravital microscopy. Cortical prostanoid synthesis was assessed by analyzing for select prostanoids in cerebrospinal fluid sampled from under the cranial window. Inhalation of 7% CO2 caused an elevation of cortical 6-keto-PGF1 alpha and thromboxane (Tx) B2 and increased pial arteriolar diameter by 34 +/- 5%. Two cyclooxygenase inhibitors, indomethacin (5 mg/kg i.v.) and ibuprofen (30 mg/kg i.v.), abolished the CO2-induced elevation of cortical prostanoids. Indomethacin, but not ibuprofen, blocked the CO2-induced increase in pial arteriolar diameter. The indomethacin-impaired vasodilator response to CO2 was restored when PGE2 (0.1-1 microM) was applied topically to the cortical surface. Adenosine (1-100 microM) and sodium nitroprusside (0.5 microM) only partially restored the vasodilator response to CO2. The data suggest that vasodilator prostanoids facilitate cerebrovascular relaxation to CO2 and may play a permissive role in the relaxation response of vascular smooth muscle. The fact that adenosine (adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate-mediated dilator) and sodium nitroprusside (guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate-mediated dilator), were partially effective suggests a role for those intracellular signaling pathways. We speculate that receptor activation of intracellular pathways may alter Ca2+ sensitivity of the contractile apparatus in such a way that the relaxation response to CO2 can occur.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Selenoid (crescent) bodies.

Cuadra, Manuel: Selenoid (crescent) bodies. Blood 13 :258-265 (March), 1958. On p. 260, line 7, the statement is made: "Selenoid bodies with their inseparable components of central vacuole (‘vesicle’) and pink crescent (‘lunula’) were found in small numbers in normal blood and occurred in very large numbers in cases of acute hemolytic anemias8; they are apparently related to the physiologic and pathologic destruction of erythrocytes." The author desires it to read: "The stromata of the erythrocytes appeared in the shape of a red disc and were clearly differentiated from erythrocytes; they were found in small numbers in normal blood and occurred in very large numbers in cases of acute hemolytic anemias8; they are apparently related to the physiologic and pathologic destruction of erythrocytes."
Crop Diversification Improves pH in Acidic Soils

ABSTRACTSoil acidification has become a major challenge for sustainable crop production in the subsistence farming systems of developing countries. Diversified cropping may reduce soil acidity and improve agricultural sustainability. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of crop diversification on soil acidity in the subsistence farming systems of the mountains and plains of Nepal. We monitored soil pH of 180 sites that included low-diversity farms (LDFs), high-diversity farms (HDFs), and natural forest in mountains of Nuwakot and plains of Chitwan, Nepal. Soils were more acidic in Nuwakot than in Chitwan. The soil pH in HDFs with a value of 5.19 (Chitwan) and 4.03 (Nuwakot) was significantly higher than in LDFs and forests. Soil pH was lowest (4.67) in LDFs in Chitwan and in forest (3.32) in Nuwakot. Crop diversification can potentially improve the sustainability of subsistence farming systems through improvement in pH of the acidic soils.
Remaking the Rust Belt: The Postindustrial Transformation of North America

Tracy Neumann's Remaking the Rust Belt offers an insightful and provocative new way of understanding the transformation of North American cities in the last half of the twentieth century. Using two...
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Inpatients with Psychosis (the REACH Study): Protocol for Treatment Development and Pilot Testing

Patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders frequently require treatment at inpatient hospitals during periods of acute illness for crisis management and stabilization. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a “third wave” cognitive-behavioral intervention that employs innovative mindfulness-based strategies, has shown initial efficacy in randomized controlled trials for improving acute and post-discharge outcomes in patients with psychosis when studied in acute-care psychiatric hospitals in the U.S. However, the intervention has not been widely adopted in its current form because of its use of an individual-only format and delivery by doctoral-level research therapists with extensive prior experience using ACT. The aim of the Researching the Effectiveness of Acceptance-based Coping during Hospitalization (REACH) Study is to adapt a promising acute-care psychosocial treatment for inpatients with psychosis, and to pilot test its effectiveness in a routine inpatient setting. More specifically, we describe our plans to: (a) further develop and refine the treatment and training protocols, (b) conduct an open trial and make further modifications based on the experience gained, and (c) conduct a pilot randomized controlled trial in preparation for a future fully-powered clinical trial testing the effectiveness of ACT.
Abstract 20013: Perioperative Venous Thromboembolism occurs outside the operating room

Introduction: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a recognized complication of surgery. However, it is unknown what the prevalence of preoperative subclinical VTE in the general population of surgical patients and how much this may contribute to clinically symptomatic VTE postoperatively. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that subclinical (asymptomatic) lower extremity (LE) VTE was associated with the development of clinically symptomatic VTE post-operatively. The main objective was to characterize the preoperative prevalence of LE VTEs and understand the time-frame and risk factors that contribute to symptomatic VTE development after surgery. Methods: 230 patients (>18 years) scheduled for any surgical procedure at a tertiary referral hospital between February 2011 and May 2012 were enrolled in an IRB approved prospective observational study. Bilateral LE duplex ultrasound examinations (groin to ankle) were performed immediately prior to surgery and within 24 hours post-operative. Data were prospectively collected and analyzed out to 6 months to identify the development of VTE. Results: Subclinical VTEs were not detected preoperatively or 24 hours post-operative in any patient. 9/230 (3.9%) developed symptomatic VTE in the 30 day follow-up period and 12/230 (5.2%) within 6 months. VTE development correlated with ASA status (P = 0.048) and orthopedic procedures (P = 0.003). Five of the 42 orthopedic patients (11.9%) developed a VTE in 30 days. The 9 patients who experienced clinical VTE had a higher mean ASA score (mean = 2.89, SD = 0.60) than overall participants (mean = 2.47, SD = 0.60). Conclusions: No LE VTE was detected pre-operatively or in the 24 hour follow-up period. Although these results do not support our original hypothesis, they provide an important piece of the timeline for development of symptomatic VTE. The majority of the VTE events occurred within 30 days and were in orthopedic patients suggesting that no detectable VTE formed intraoperatively.
On the Spectrum of Curve Singularities

There is the following crucial problem in the singularity theory: how can we recognize that a singular germ is hypersurface, or complete intersection singularity. Or: is there any criterion which distinguishes the isolated hypersurface singularities among the isolated singularities? These kind of questions arise in many areas of the algebraic geometry and singularity theory, we mention here only one.
Quest for a Better & More Peaceful World

In the last several years, the author and his associates have published quite a few papers that deal with a scientific framework for a better and a more peaceful world. In 2015, he also published two books, one on sigma for a better world, and the other on the nature of ultimate reality with James Kowall. He has since continued his quest for a better and more peaceful world. In this focus issue of JCER granted by the editors, the author presents his recent works. The need for a scientific framework for a better and more peaceful world appears to have increased in the last few years. We hope that the readers will find the ideas and results presented in this focus issue to be stimulating and beneficial.
Structural Brain Abnormalities in the Major Psychoses

Since Kraepelin first described the symptoms associated with schizophrenia or “dementia praecox,” numerous studies have attempted to elucidate its etiology. Explanatory efforts ranged from incorporating schizophrenia into a diversity of normal human experiences (Laing, 1960) to describing it as an organic brain disease (e.g., Crow, 1983, 1984). It is this latter approach that generated great interest in structural parameters of schizophrenic brains.
The veinsheath syndrome in Cunoniaceae IPancheria Brongn. & Gris.

Veinlet sheathing of twenty-six species ofPancheria is described and illustrated. Within the genus foliar vein sheathing varies from almost completely lacking to abundant, and individual sheath cells show much variation in cell wall composition and structure. The topographical distribution of sheath cells along the vein system, when coupled with the structure of individual sheathing elements, can be utilized to distinguish three anatomical groups of species. Although the evolutionary sequence and ecological significance of the diverse sheath types are at present unresolved, features of vein sheathing appear to be of systematic significance and may provide an additional basis for a better understanding of infraspecific relationships within this genus.
The advantages of automated spreadsheets for cogeneration financial analysis

This paper reports that an automated spreadsheet package, COOLGAS, is described. This package performs financial and electrical usage analyses of air conditioning cogeneration units. These types of spreadsheet packages have substantial advantages over traditional spreadsheet models. These include increased user-friendliness, batch analysis, and error-trapping procedures. Some of these programming techniques are discussed.
Perceval and The Seeds of Culture: Work, Profit and Leisure in the Prologue of Perceval

A return to the well trodden terrain of Perceval's prologue can be justified, I think, only by a conceptual refocusing of its function in the romance and against the corpus of Chretien's work. Beginning with the topos of sowing and reaping, the prologue offers a dense and nuanced concept of culture through cultivation. At its rhetorical core lies an equation of work and reward which informs not only the relationships of God to sower and patron to author but later Perceval to his mother, Arthur and Gornemans de Gorhaut. Each relationship transacts an exchange of values -- material, chivalric, spiritual -- whose contractual terms return us to the seminal quid pro quo paradigm of the prologue. Tracing influence to Ovid, and drawing examples from Cliges, Guillaume d'Angleterre and Chretien's love lyrics this article examines the vocabulary of value that underlies notions of work, leisure and profit in Perceval. It observes how these socioeconomic values participate in an evolving argument for culture in Chretien that finds its most mature expression in his final romance.
Next-generation sequencing (NGS) as part of pathologic diagnostic armamentarium.

11076 Background: Because genomic alterations inform tumor biology, treatment decisions, and new research opportunities, we established a Molecular Tumor Board. Cases with NGS results from a CLIA c...
What is the Role of Angiogenesis Markers in Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy Following Heart Transplantation

Purpose Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) remains a major limiting factor in long-term survival post heart transplantation (HT). However the pathophysiology of CAV remains illusive. The aim of this study was to investigate if angiogenesis as assessed by peripheral blood biomarkers is associated with the presence of CAV. Methods 49 consecutive patients ≥ 2 years post-HT were prospectively enrolled in the study and stratified by time post-transplantation ( Results Of 49 patients enrolled in the study, 27 had CAV. Patients with CAV had a trend for a lower LVEF (55.6 ± 14.8% vs 63.1 ±5.8% p 0.08) but no other significant differences including age and immunosuppressive regimen were found between the groups. Peripheral blood angiogenesis factors were similar when patients were stratified by presence of CAV or severity of CAV. Moreover angiogenesis factors did not differ with stratification by time post HT. Conclusion Peripheral blood markers of angiogenesis did not change with duration of time post HT or the presence of CAV. Further studies are needed to evaluate a potential role of angiogenesis in the development of CAV.
Engineering Programmable Synthetic Vesicles with Permeability Regulated by a Single Molecular Bridge

Self-assembly of biomimetic vesicles has broad impacts in the development of functional materials and applications to a variety of fields. Although promising, facile construction of function progra...
THE SPECTRUM OF RANDOM KERNEL MATRICES: UNIVERSALITY RESULTS FOR ROUGH AND VARYING KERNELS

We consider random matrices whose entries are or f(‖Xi – Xj‖2) for iid vectors Xi ∈ ℝp with normalized distribution. Assuming that f is sufficiently smooth and the distribution of Xi's is sufficiently nice, El Karoui [The spectrum of Kernel random matrices, Ann. Statist.38(1) (2010) 1–50, MR 2589315 (2011a.62187)] showed that the spectral distributions of these matrices behave as if f is linear in the Marchenko–Pastur limit. When Xi's are Gaussian vectors, variants of this phenomenon were recently proved for varying kernels, i.e. when f may depend on p, by Cheng–Singer [The spectrum of random inner-product Kernel matrices, preprint (2012), arXiv:1202.3155 [math.PR]]. Two results are shown in this paper: first, it is shown that for a large class of distributions the regularity assumptions on f in El Karoui's results can be reduced to minimal; and second, it is shown that the Gaussian assumptions in Cheng–Singer's result can be removed, answering a question posed in [The spectrum of random inner-product Kernel matrices, preprint (2012), arXiv:1202.3155 [math.PR]] about the universality of the limiting spectral distribution.
FGF Pyramus Has a Transmembrane Domain and Cell-Autonomous Function in Polarity

Summary Most fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) function as receptor ligands through their conserved FGF domain, but sequences outside this domain vary and are not well studied. This core domain of 120 amino acids (aa) is flanked in all FGFs by highly divergent amino-terminal and carboxy-terminal sequences of variable length. Drosophila has fewer FGF genes, with only three identified to date, pyramus (pyr), thisbe (ths), and branchless (bnl), and all three encoding relatively large FGF proteins (∼80 kDa). We hypothesized that the longer FGF proteins present in Drosophila and other organisms may relate to an ancestral form, in which multiple functions or regulatory properties are present within a single polypeptide. Here, we focused analysis on Pyr, finding that it harbors a transmembrane domain (TMD) and extended C-terminal intracellular domain containing a degron. The intracellular portion limits Pyr levels, whereas the TMD promotes spatial precision in the paracrine activation of Heartless FGF receptor. Additionally, degron deletion mutants that upregulate Pyr exhibit cell polarity defects that lead to invagination defects at gastrulation, demonstrating a previously uncharacterized cell-autonomous role. In summary, our data show that Pyr is the first demonstrated transmembrane FGF, that it has both extracellular and intracellular functions, and that spatial distribution and levels of this particular FGF protein are tightly regulated. Our results suggest that other FGFs may be membrane tethered or multifunctional like Pyr.
Uterine Carcinosarcoma: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Uterine carcinosarcomas are rare and extremely aggressive undifferentiated carcinomas which include both carcinomatous and sarcomatous elements. A 52-year-old female presented with heavy irregular menstrual bleeding for several years and new right elbow pain and swelling. Ultrasound and computed tomography showed a large uterine mass with regional and distant metastatic lymphadenopathy and suspicious findings of osseous metastasis to the right elbow. A biopsy confirmed uterine carcinosarcoma, and the patient underwent chemotherapy and then surgical resection of the uterine mass with palliative radiotherapy of the right elbow. The postoperative imaging showed new metastasis, and the patient was scheduled to start on immunotherapy. Considering the highly invasive nature of uterine carcinosarcomas, timely detection of this cancer using characteristic imaging and pathology findings is of extreme importance to improve the patient’s survival.
Evaluation of Routine Coronary Angiography Before Pulmonary Thromboendarterectomy.

Background At the University of California, San Diego, routine coronary angiography has generally been performed in men 40 years of age and older and women 45 years of age and older before pulmonary thromboendarterectomy for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). The prevalence of significant coronary artery disease (CAD) in this population has not been evaluated, however, and the optimal screening strategy has not been established. This study sought to evaluate whether the current approach may be better optimized on the basis of cardiac risk factors. Methods This study included 462 consecutive patients with CTEPH who were undergoing preoperative coronary angiography for pulmonary thromboendarterectomy. Baseline demographic and medical information was recorded. Major cardiac risk factors included: diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, body mass index 25 kg/m2 or greater, tobacco use, and family history of CAD. Charts were then reviewed for presence of significant CAD and revascularization. Results Significant CAD was found in 13.4% of patients who underwent routine preoperative coronary angiography; it was present in only 5% of patients younger than 50 years of age, compared with 16% of patients 50 years old and older. No patient younger than 50 years of age without cardiac risk factors was found to have significant CAD. Furthermore, in patients younger than 50 years of age, significant CAD was found only among those with 3 or more major risk factors. Conclusions In patients younger than 50 years of age with CTEPH, the prevalence of significant CAD was low. Omitting preoperative coronary angiography in this subset of patients is reasonable when no coronary risk factors are present. Preoperative coronary angiography is warranted in individuals 50 years of age and older, as well as in those younger than 50 years who have significant risk factors for CAD.
Computational Characterizations of the Interactions Between the Pontacyl Violet 6R and Exoribonuclease as a Potential Drug Target Against SARS-CoV-2

We report a molecular-docking and virtual-screening-based identification and characterization of interactions of lead molecules with exoribonuclease (ExoN) enzyme in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). From previously identified DEDDh/DEEDh subfamily nuclease inhibitors, our results revealed strong binding of pontacyl violet 6R (PV6R) at the catalytic active site of ExoN. The binding was found to be stabilized via two hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. Molecular dynamics simulations further confirmed the stability of PV6R at the active site showing a shift in ligand to reach a more stabilized binding. Using PV6R as the lead molecule, we employed virtual screening to identify potential molecular candidates that form strong interactions at the ExoN active site. Our study paves ways for evaluating the ExoN as a novel drug target for antiviral treatment against SARS-CoV-2.
The Performance of College Students on the Iowa Gambling Task: Differences Between Scoring Approaches.

The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) is one of the most common behavioral decision-making tasks used in clinical and research settings. Less-than-expected performance among healthy adults generates concern...
A comparative study of interaction of random waves with a cluster of structures on a berm with RANS and LES models

Abstract The interactions of random waves with a cluster of structures positioned in a gridded array are investigated through a series of experiments and high-fidelity RANS and LES simulations. The performances of two different turbulence models, k − ω SST and LES, are evaluated in terms of the predicted flow field and resulting loading on the structures, both in the time and frequency domains. The comparative analyses show that the k − ω SST model predicts the free surface elevations slightly better than that of the LES model. The k − ω SST model fails to resolve the velocity fluctuations leading to the underestimation of the flow kinetic energy. The k − ω SST model underpredicts the wave runup/rundown, as well as the depth-integrated pressure force, compared to the LES model. The wave runup heights and onshore-directed depth-integrated pressure forces are found to follow the Rayleigh distribution. The comparisons of the wave runup heights and corresponding onshore-directed hydrodynamic forces follow a relatively linear trend that is within the ∓ 95% confidence intervals.
Mental Health Considerations for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color: Trends, Barriers, and Recommendations for Collegiate Mental Health

Previous research has consistently demonstrated that university students who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) are less likely to seek help for mental health issues than their White peers. This chapter examines the complex factors that influence the perceptions of mental health care in BIPOC student populations, including self- and perceived stigma, structural racism, racial microaggressions, model-minority stereotypes, and the role that familial and spiritual influences play in seeking help for mental health issues. Education and training in cultural competence, explicit and implicit biases, and racial microaggressions is vital for psychiatrists and other mental health clinicians to understand their roles in the treatment of BIPOC students. Lastly, culturally sensitive outreach to BIPOC student populations is crucial to improving mental health awareness and to address underutilization of collegiate mental health-care services.
Centering unacknowledged histories: revisiting NABSW demands to repeal ASFA

The Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 has now been actively implemented in the United States for 24 years and remains largely unchanged from its initial conception. Initial critiques of ASFA i...
The Quick Development of Equivalence Classes in a Paper-and-Pencil Format Through Written Instructions

This study asked whether a paper-and-pencil protocol can be used to study stimulus equivalence, and whether stimulus equivalence can emerge from conditional discriminations established by verbal instructions. The subjects were undergraduate university students. Of the 28 subjects who acquired the baseline relations defined by the written instructions, 50% responded to those conditional relations as equivalence relations. Another 20 subjects who were not instructed in these baseline relations were probed in the same way, to examine the possibility that the subjects might inadvertently achieve a consistent pattern of responding that could be scored as stimulus equivalence despite the nonestablishment of the baseline relations. None of those subjects showed an equivalence pattern. These results demonstrate that stimulus equivalence classes can emerge in conditional relations quickly established by written instructions, and that the paper-and-pencil protocol can be used to study equivalence relations.