cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Corporate Social Responsibility Redux

The sixties and early seventies were turbulent times. Opposition to the Vietnam War, the environmental and civil rights movements, and radicalism generally roiled the corporate world, as much as the world at large. These disparate strands coalesced into the "corporate social responsibility movement," culminating in strident advocacy of federal chartering of large corporations, mandatory public interest directors, and required social accounting and disclosure. Suddenly, though, the law and economics movement eclipsed (vanquished?, obliterated?) the corporate social responsibility movement. In this Essay, professor Branson recounts events and ideas of those bygone days. He then reviews evidence that a more muted, and international, responsibility movement is well underway in this, the new Millennium. A principal feature of that movement is that, unlike in the early1970s, the social responsibility issue is seen as converging with, rather than diverging from, broader trends in corporate governance, most specifically the "good governance" movement, which has been underfoot in many countries around the globe for well over a decade now.
Adaptations for social cognition in the primate brain

Studies of the factors affecting reproductive success in group-living monkeys have traditionally focused on competitive traits, like the acquisition of high dominance rank. Recent research, however, indicates that the ability to form cooperative social bonds has an equally strong effect on fitness. Two implications follow. First, strong social bonds make individuals' fitness interdependent and the 'free-rider' problem disappears. Second, individuals must make adaptive choices that balance competition and cooperation-often with the same partners. The proximate mechanisms underlying these behaviours are only just beginning to be understood. Recent results from cognitive and systems neuroscience provide us some evidence that many social and non-social decisions are mediated ultimately by abstract, domain-general neural mechanisms. However, other populations of neurons in the orbitofrontal cortex, striatum, amygdala and parietal cortex specifically encode the type, importance and value of social information. Whether these specialized populations of neurons arise by selection or through developmental plasticity in response to the challenges of social life remains unknown. Many brain areas are homologous and show similar patterns of activity in human and non-human primates. In both groups, cortical activity is modulated by hormones like oxytocin and by the action of certain genes that may affect individual differences in behaviour. Taken together, results suggest that differences in cooperation between the two groups are a matter of degree rather than constituting a fundamental, qualitative distinction.
Quality of neck dissection operative reports

Abstract Purpose The operative report is the official documentation of an operation and a key form of surgical communication. The objective of this study is to assess completeness of operative reports for neck dissections. Methods This is a retrospective review of narrative operative reports for neck dissections for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Forty-nine operative reports were provided by ten surgeons from seven academic institutions. Operative report completeness was expressed as a percentage of variables from a standardized checklist created by an expert panel. Results For level 1 dissections, most reports identified critical structures, such as the marginal mandibular nerve (84%) and the submandibular gland (84%). Of the cases that involved submandibular gland excision, reports were deficient in identification of the lingual nerve (74%), hypoglossal nerve (58%) and submandibular duct (22%). For neck dissections involving levels 2, 3 and 4, most described identifying spinal accessory nerve (92%) and internal jugular vein (98%), whereas fewer described identification of carotid artery or vagus nerve (67%), ansa cervicalis (31%), or cervical rootlets (48%). For level 5 dissections, only 75% of reports reported identification of spinal accessory nerve. Sixty percent of reports provided some description of the removed lymph nodes, but there was no consistency in terminology or definitions. Overall completeness of all NORs was 64% (40%–79%, SD 9%). Conclusions There is heterogeneity and incompleteness in neck dissection operative reports across surgeons and institutions, despite being a crucial record of head and neck cancer treatment.
Turbulence Model Effects on RANS Simulations of the HIFiRE Flight 2 Ground Test Configurations

The Wind-US Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes solver was applied to the Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation (HIFiRE) Flight 2 scramjet ground test configuration. Two test points corresponding to flight Mach numbers of 5.9 and 8.9 were examined. The emphasis was examining turbulence model effects on the prediction of flow path pressures. Three variants of the Menter k-omega turbulence model family were investigated. These include the baseline (BSL) and shear stress transport (SST) as well as a modified SST model where the shear stress limiter was altered. Variations in the turbulent Schmidt number were also considered. Choice of turbulence model had a substantial effect on prediction of the flow path pressures. The BSL model produced the highest pressures and the SST model produced the lowest pressures. As expected, the settings for the turbulent Schmidt number also had significant effects on predicted pressures. Small values for the turbulent Schmidt number enabled more rapid mass transfer, faster combustion, and in turn higher flowpath pressures. Optimal settings for turbulence model and turbulent Schmidt number were found to be rather case dependent, as has been concluded in other scramjet investigations.
Comprehensive surveillance of tick-borne diseases in Jiande,Zhejiang province, China

Objective To study the main hosts and vectors of tick-borne diseases in Jiande, Zhejiang province, China in terms of the population seasonality and pathogen infection and to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of tick-borne diseases.Methods Ticks were collected with white cloth or from the host animals. Small mammals were captured using cages(please specify traps used). The infection with tick-borne pathogens was detected by PCR.Results There were Haemaphysalis longicornis, Ixodes sinensis, and Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides in Jiande, and H. longicornis was the dominant species. The population density of ticks was the highest in June, as shown by tick collection with white cloth, while the tick-carrying rate was the highest in June, as shown by tick collection from the host animals. Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia, Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Rickettsia, Bartonella, and Hantaan virus were detected in ticks and small mammals, and there were co-infections.Conclusion The hosts and vectors of tick-borne diseases are widely distributed in Jiande, and various pathogens are harbored by the tick species studies.Mitigation should be taken into consideration to prevent tick-borne diseases.
Lessons from Patients with Anti-Insulin Receptor Autoantibodies

Type B insulin resistance is a rare syndrome caused by autoantibodies to the insulin receptor. Patients typically present with severe insulin resistance and hyperglycemia, but some manifest hypoglycemia ­following a period of hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia alone. The syndrome is predominantly seen in middle-aged black women. Other clinical features of type B insulin resistance are acanthosis nigricans, hyperandrogenism in premenopausal women, autoimmune disorders, proteinuric renal disease, and hematologic abnormalities. In addition to dysglycemia, the metabolic characteristics of the syndrome include low serum triglyceride levels and high adiponectin levels. The autoantibody acts as an agonist at the insulin receptor at low titers, but functions as an antagonist at high titers. The partial agonist properties of the autoantibody are responsible for the spectrum of glycemic states observed in type B insulin resistance. The treatment of type B insulin resistance has been of limited success to date and protocols addressing multiple components of the underlying autoimmune process are being developed.
Representing the national economic agenda in Latin America: Variation by fat and lean times and party brands

Representation is greater when legislators and voters agree on the national agenda. Under what conditions are higher degrees of “issue priority representation” more likely? Our answer focuses on economic conditions and party branding dynamics, and the case of Latin America. With mass and elite survey data we show that economic hard times and left-leaning preferences increase the prioritization of economic issues. We likewise document fairly high levels of economic issue priority representation in most of Latin America. From the perspective of democratic quality, evidence of representation in this domain is good news; yet, variation does exist. Consistent with our argument that party branding dynamics matter, we find that leftist and centrist parties tend to over-prioritize economic issues relative to their supporters, and the reverse for rightist parties. Further, we find a significant interaction between economic conditions and the ideological brand of parties: in economic downturns the left and the center are more likely to express a strong commitment to economic performance, whereas the right is less responsive to lean times.
Enhancement of diffusion length and optical quality of Cr 2+ : ZnSe via annealing in vapors of Zn

The effects of co-annealing in Zn vapor during process of thermal diffusion of Cr2+ in ZnSe are studied. Co-annealing improves the diffusion length by ∼2 times while improving crystal optical quality, and optical damage threshold.
Predicting population extinction or disease outbreaks with stochastic models

Models of exponential growth, logistic growth and epidemics are common applications in undergraduate differential equation courses. The corresponding stochastic models are not part of these courses, although when population sizes are small their behaviour is often more realistic and distinctly different from deterministic models. For example, the randomness associated with births and deaths may lead to population extinction even in an exponentially growing population. Some background in continuous-time Markov chains and applications to populations, epidemics and cancer are presented with a goal to introduce this topic into the undergraduate mathematics curriculum that will encourage further investigation into problems on conservation, infectious diseases and cancer therapy. MATLAB programs for graphing sample paths of stochastic models are provided in the Appendix.
Flexible institutional arrangements and labour productivity: the case of transit industry in the United States: Flexible institutional arrangements and labour productivity

Using the US National Transit Database 1994–2006, the manuscript empirically tests the influence of several institutional arrangements on labour productivity. The main finding of the paper is that not all flexible institutional arrangements may translate into labour productivity gains in the mass transit. While partial contracting may increase labour productivity in the US transit sector during the study period, the special governance actually decreases labour productivity. The potential implications for improvements in labour productivity are discussed.
Bottom-Up Synthesis of Graphene Nanoribbons on Surfaces

The review discusses progress in the synthesis of atomically precise graphene nanoribbons from molecularly defined precursors on surfaces. It covers the literature from 2010 through 2016.
Autoimmunity: The worm returns

Joel V. Weinstock explains why several clinical trials are deliberately infecting people with helminths to treat autoimmune diseases.
Mechanics of Wavy Network With Diamond-Shaped Inclusions

In this investigation, mechanical behavior of periodic cellular solids with diamond-shaped inclusions connected via wavy network were explored. Two families of cellular solids within this category were designed based on two different geometric constraints. Auxetic effects and snap-through instability were observed for each family, respectively. The mechanical properties, including the stress-strain behavior, stiffness and Poisson’s ratio, were systematically quantified via finite element (FE) simulations. The parametric space for auxetic effects and snap-through instability was numerically identified. This study demonstrates the connection and transition between mechanical auxeticity and snap-through instability. The materials designed have potential engineering applications, such as lightweight supporting and protective foams, biomedical devices, smart composites or fabrics with switchable properties responsive to external environments.Copyright © 2017 by ASME
Das Schweigen auf eine Benachrichtigung i. S. der §§ 75h, 91a HGB

Gemas § 91a I HGB gilt ein von einem nur mit der Vermittlung von Geschaften betrauten Handelsvertreter mit einem Dritten im Namen des Unternehmers abgeschlossenes Rechtsgeschaft als von dem Unternehmer genehmigt, wenn dieser das Geschaft nicht unverzuglich dem Dritten gegenuber ablehnt, nachdem er von diesem oder vom Handelsvertreter uber den Abschlus und den wesentlichen Inhalt des betreffenden Rechtsgeschafts benachrichtigt worden ist; die Genehmigungsfiktion tritt nicht ein, wenn dem Dritten der Mangel der Vollmacht bekannt war. Dieselbe Rechtsfolge bestimmt § 91a II HGB fur den Fall, das ein mit Abschlusvollmacht ausgestatteter Handelsvertreter einen Geschaftsabschlus unter Uberschreitung seiner Vollmacht tatigt. Eine entsprechende Regelung in Bezug auf Geschaftsabschlusse von im Ausendienst tatigen Handlungsgehilfen treffen § 75h I HGB und § 75h II HGB.
Fregoli Syndrome in a Manic Setting

Following its original description, by Courbon and Fail (1927), very few reports of the syndrome of Fregoli have appeared in the literature (Christodoulou, 1975; 1976).
Patience as a virtue: Religious and psychological perspectives

This chapter seeks to understand the religious and psychological underpinnings of patience and presents the Patience Scale to measure individual differences in the trait. Undergraduate psychology students completed survey packets containing items to measure patience as well as the Values in Action Strengths Scale (VIA-IS), measures of religiousness/spirituality, and measures of self-control, time perspective, the Big Five, and mindfulness. Patience was significantly related to spiritual transcendence (ST) and to religious behaviors. Anticipated uses of the Patience Scale and implications for future research are discussed in the chapter. Christians are instructed in Ephesians 4:2 to display patience towards other people, Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love". Patience is also a fundamental virtue of Islam. As in Judaism and Christianity, patience is a part of Allah's nature. The Hindu religion also promotes the development of patience as part of a virtuous life. Keywords: Christianity; Ephesians; Hindu religion; Islam; Judaism; Patience; psychology students; religious behaviors; spiritual transcendence (ST); Values in Action Strengths Scale (VIA-IS)
Stochastic Path Finding under Congestion

Most of the path planning algorithms use the edge weights in order to select the best path for navigation from an origin point to a specific target. This research focuses on the case where the edge weights are not fixed. Depending on the time of day/week, edge weights may change due to the congestion through the network. The best path is the path with minimum expected cost. The cost is typically travel time which is highly dependent on the level of congestion in the network. Minimizing the costs helps in reducing traffic in the city, alleviates air pollution, and reduces fuel consumption. For modelling cost functions, we consider three possible cost functions (linear, exponential, and step cost functions) in order to model realistic goals. The interpretation of best path depends on the point of view of car drivers. We model two different goals: 1) drivers who desire the path with the highest probability of reaching the destination before the deadline while minimizing waiting time at the destination and 2) the drivers who desire the best time slot to leave in order to meet the deadline and have a shortest travel time. Our findings show that using a realistic path planning algorithm which satisfies users' goals and picks the least congested path is a cost efficient option.
The Gut Microbiota as a Therapeutic Approach for Obesity

Abstract The rates of obesity, a complex disease that afflicts millions worldwide, have become a global concern. The collection of microorganisms and host factors that interact with them in the intestines, known as the microbiome, plays a crucial role in shaping various diseases including obesity. Investigating how the gut microbiome interacts with diet may provide context into why and how the pathology of obesity is complexed. Moreover, understanding the interface between gut microbiota and the disease could give potential avenues for novel therapeutics. Managing the balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory pathways derived from interactions of the gut microbiome has become a clear objective. Antibiotics, phage therapies, diet supplementation, and fecal transplantation all have potential positives and negatives that deserve further investigation. In this chapter, we review these potential therapeutic options addressing proposed mechanisms of action and highlighting key aspects that warrant additional attention.
Effects of animal protein supplementation of mothers, preterm infants, and term infants on growth outcomes in childhood: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials.

Background Child stunting is a major public health problem, afflicting 155 million people worldwide. Lack of animal-source protein has been identified as a risk, but effects of animal protein supplementation are not well established. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate effects of animal protein supplementation in mothers, preterm infants, and term infants/children on birth and growth outcomes. Methods PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane library, Web of Science, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature were searched for randomized controlled trials of animal protein supplementation in mothers or infants and children (≤age 5 y), evaluating measures of anthropometry (≤age 18 y). Main outcomes included birth weight, low birth weight, small for gestational age at birth; height, height-for-age, weight, weight-for-age, weight-for-length, stunting, and wasting ≤18 y of age. Data were extracted independently in duplicate, and findings pooled using inverse variance meta-analysis. Heterogeneity was explored using I2, stratified analysis, and meta-regression, and publication bias by funnel plots, Egger's test, and fill/trim methods. Results Of 6808 unique abstracts and 357 full-text articles, 62 trials were included. The 62 trials comprised over 30,000 participants across 5 continents, including formula-based supplementation in infants and food-based supplementation in pregnancy and childhood. Maternal supplementation increased birth weight by 0.06 kg, and both formula and food-based supplementation in term infants/young children increased weight by ≤0.14 kg. Neither formula nor food-based supplementation for term infants/young children increased height, whereas the height-for-age z-score was increased in the food-based (+0.06 z-score) but not formula-based (-0.11 z-score) trials reporting this outcome. In term infants, the weight-for-length z-score was increased in trials of formula (+0.24 z-score) and food supplementation (+0.06 z-score), whereas food supplementation was also associated with reduced odds of stunting (-13%). Conclusions Supplementation of protein from animal-source foods generally increased weight and weight-for-length in children, but with more limited effects on other growth outcomes such as attained height.
The “Treat-to-Target” Approach to Rheumatoid Arthritis

Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis has evolved significantly over the past decades. Therapeutic advances have made clinical remission a feasible goal. Systematic treatment approaches taking into account objective measures of disease activity ("treat-to-target"/"T2T") have been shown to result in better outcomes. This article reviews the latest information regarding T2T in rheumatoid arthritis, including a synopsis of the different disease activity scores available, new definitions of remission used in clinical trials and in routine clinical care, studies supporting a T2T approach, the role of imaging to guide treatment, and areas in which uncertainty remains.
The Social Impacts of Legal Marijuana in Pueblo, Colorado: Executive Summary

In December of 2016, the Pueblo County Commissioners contracted with the newly-established Institute of Cannabis Research (ICR) at Colorado State University - Pueblo to study the impacts of legal cannabis on Pueblo County. In the years since 2012, the year that Colorado voters approved Amendment 64, Pueblo has opened the door wider to legal cannabis than many other Colorado counties. In addition to licensing medical and retail cannabis dispensaries, Pueblo County has also approved cannabis grows and cannabis product development companies. It is reasonable to assume that newly legalized cannabis dispensaries, grows, and product development companies will have a significant impact on Pueblo County. Rather than operating in the dark, the Pueblo County Commissioners requested an Impact Study from the Institute of Cannabis Research to shed light on the social impacts of legal cannabis.
Evaluation of Hidradenitis Suppurativa Disease Course During Pregnancy and Postpartum

Importance Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) disproportionately affects women of childbearing potential. There is a paucity of data regarding the HS disease course during pregnancy and in the postpartum period. Objective To explore the HS disease course during pregnancy and in the postpartum period. Design, Setting, and Participants A retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients in the Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan—a large, academic, urban referral center. Women with a diagnosis of HS who became pregnant between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2018, were included.International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, andInternational Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, were used for identification of the diagnosis. Exposures Pregnancy in patients with HS. Main Outcomes and Measures Hidradenitis suppurativa disease status during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Results A total of 127 women with HS were included in this study and accounted for 202 pregnancies. Of the 202 pregnancies, 171 were in black women, 25 in white women, 3 in women of other race/ethnicity, and 3 had unreported data. Mean (SD) age at HS onset was 19.3 (5.6) years; at time of HS diagnosis, 24.4 (5.3) years; and at time of pregnancy, 25.9 (5.0) years. The disease worsened during pregnancy in 70 pregnancies (61.9%), did not change in 34 pregnancies (30.1%), and improved in 9 pregnancies (8.0%). Hidradenitis suppurativa exacerbated in the postpartum period after 82 of 124 pregnancies (66.1%). Dermatologists were involved in managing HS in 28 pregnancies (14.4%) and for a higher proportion of patients with more severe Hurley stage as compared with cases of mild disease (stage 3: 7 of 18 [38.9%] vs stage 1: 10 of 100 [10.0%] or stage 2: 11 of 67 [16.4%];P = .004). In addition, HS medical treatment was administered during 77 pregnancies (38.1%), while HS procedural treatment was administered during 34 pregnancies (16.8%). A significantly higher proportion of patients whose care was managed by dermatologists vs those without dermatologist involvement received any HS medication (22 [78.6%] vs 53 [31.7%],P Conclusions and Relevance Despite a high rate of HS exacerbation during pregnancy and postpartum, this cohort study found that most of the patients did not receive HS-directed medical treatment or care from a dermatologist during pregnancy. Close monitoring and improved collaborative care between dermatology and obstetrics-gynecology services is warranted.
Clinical features of neonatal gastric perforation complicated with intestinal malrotation:a report of 12 cases

Objective To summarize the clinical features of neonatal gastric perforation complicated with intestinal malrotation (NGPM).Methods Twelve patients with NGPM were recruited in this study.The other 23 neonatal gastric perforation patients without malrotation (NGP) were studied as controls.The clinical data including age,birth weight,gender,initial symptom,perforation and mortality were retrospectively analyzed to summarize the clinical features of NGPM.Results Compared with the NGP group,the NGPM group had heavier weight (average weight,3.04 ± 0.70 kg vs 2.49±0.74 kg,P＜0.05),and more frequent vomiting as initial symptom (58.3％ vs 17.4％,P＜0.05).The percentage of premature neonates,male patients,average age at diagnose,and mortality of NGPM group were 16.7％,75％,4.92 ± 1.08 d,and 83.3％,respectively; compared with 47.8％,91.3％,4.09-± 1.73 d,and 47.8％ in NPG group.Of NG-PM group,50.0％ patients had gastric perforation at greater curvature,compared with 26.1％ of NGP group.Among these clinical data,only the differences of average weight and initial symptom frequency were statistically significant between the 2 groups (all P＜0.05).Conclusions NGPM is secondary to the obstruction of duodenum.Exploration of the whole digestive tract is recommended. Key words: Intestinal volvulus; Abdomen,acute; Infant,newborn
Continuous Electroencephalography (cEEG) Characteristics and Acute Symptomatic Seizures in COVID-19 Patients

Background: Neurological manifestations of COVID-19 have only recently been described, with a paucity of literature reporting the potential relationship between COVID-19 and acute symptomatic seizures. Two prior studies found no clinical or electrographic seizures in their cohorts of COVID-19 patients with altered mental status (AMS) and clinical seizure-like events (SLEs). Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, 22 critically-ill COVID-19 patients above the age of 18 years who underwent EEG (electroencephalography) monitoring between April 20th, 2020 and May 20th, 2020 were studied. 19 patients underwent continuous EEG (cEEG) for at least 24 hours, and 3 patients underwent routine EEGs (<1 hour). Demographics including age, gender, comorbid medical, and neurological conditions were collected. Clinical variables included EEG findings, anti-seizure medications, discharge disposition, and survival. Findings: 17 patients underwent EEG monitoring for unexplained altered mental status changes and 5 patients underwent monitoring for a seizure-like event. 5 patients had epileptiform abnormalities on EEG (4 patients on cEEG, 1 on routine EEG); and only 2 of 5 epileptic EEG patients had a prior history of epilepsy. 2 patients in our cohort had electrographic seizures in the absence of prior epilepsy history. No patients with epileptiform abnormalities or electrographic seizures had acutely abnormal neuroimaging on CT or MRI. Interpretation: Encephalopathic COVID-19 positive patients had a range of EEG abnormalities, and a higher proportion of patients in this series had electrographic seizures than previous literature suggests. This may be influenced by the duration of monitoring with cEEG and the use of a 21 channel electrode system. cEEG findings may help to guide antiseizure medical therapy, as well as the workup of altered mental status in the setting of unremarkable neuroimaging. Funding: No funding was used for this study.
Differentially Private Parameter Estimation: Optimal Noise Insertion and Data Owner Selection

In this paper, we study differentially private parameter estimation in which a data acquisitor (DA) accesses data (or signals) from multiple privacy-aware data owners (DOs) to estimate some random parameters. To ensure differential privacy, the DOs add Laplace noises to their private signals and only reveal the noisy signals to the DA. Our goal is to add optimal amount of noises (measured by their variances) so that the mean squared error (MSE) of the DA’s estimate is minimized while differential privacy is satisfied. In the general case, the optimal private estimation can be formulated as a semidefinite program (SDP), which can be readily solved by off-the-shelf optimization methods. In the special case where different DOs have uncorrelated signals, the optimization problem is decomposed across DOs and can be solved very efficiently in almost closed-form. We observe that, in the optimal solution, the DOs should add more noises to the signal entries that are less useful for estimation. Further, when the DA has DO selection constraint (e.g., due to limited budget), a relaxed SDP is put forth to compute a suboptimal solution. Finally, several numerical examples are presented.
Host Factors and Outcomes in Hospitalizations for Pneumocystis Jirovecii Pneumonia in the United States.

Abstract Objective To assess host factors in pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP)–related hospitalizations and compare outcomes between HIV and non-HIV patients. Methods Using the National Inpatient Sample database, we identified 3384 hospitalizations with PCP (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification code: 136.3) as the primary discharge diagnosis from 2005 to 2014. We evaluated hospitalizations for the following host factors: HIV, malignancies, organ transplantation, rheumatologic diseases, and vasculitides. We compared the prevalence of individual host factors among PCP hospitalizations over time, and compared intervention rates and outcomes between HIV and non-HIV patients with PCP. Results Among all hospitalizations for PCP, malignancy was the most prevalent host factor (46.0%, n=1559), followed by HIV (17.8%, n=604); 60.7% (n=946) of malignancies were hematologic. The prevalence of HIV among hospitalizations for PCP decreased from 25.1% in 2005 to 9.2% in 2014 (P Conclusion The epidemiology of PCP has shifted with an increase in the prevalence of non-HIV patients who have higher intubation rates and prolonged hospitalizations compared with matched HIV patients.
Facial Nerve Sacrifice During Parotidectomy for Metastatic Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

ObjectiveWe analyzed the incidence of facial nerve sacrifice during parotidectomy for metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC).Study DesignWe retrospectively reviewed the charts of patie...
Abstract 15351: Changes in Left Ventricular End-diastolic Pressure Following Alcohol Septal Ablation in Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy

Background: LVEDP is a representation of left ventricular diastolic function. An increased LVEDP correlates to decreased compliance and increased left ventricular workload, which can be seen in HOC...
Current knowledge on the immune microenvironment and emerging immunotherapies in diffuse midline glioma

Diffuse midline glioma (DMG) is an incurable malignancy with the highest mortality rate among pediatric brain tumors. While radiotherapy and chemotherapy are the most common treatments, these modalities have limited promise. Due to their diffuse nature in critical areas of the brain, the prognosis of DMG remains dismal. DMGs are characterized by unique phenotypic heterogeneity and histological features. Mutations of H3K27M, TP53, and ACVR1 drive DMG tumorigenesis. Histological artifacts include pseudopalisading necrosis and vascular endothelial proliferation. Mouse models that recapitulate human DMG have been used to study key driver mutations and the tumor microenvironment. DMG consists of a largely immunologically cold tumor microenvironment that lacks immune cell infiltration, immunosuppressive factors, and immune surveillance. While tumor-associated macrophages are the most abundant immune cell population, there is reduced T lymphocyte infiltration. Immunotherapies can stimulate the immune system to find, attack, and eliminate cancer cells. However, it is critical to understand the immune microenvironment of DMG before designing immunotherapies since differences in the microenvironment influence treatment efficacy. To this end, our review aims to overview the immune microenvironment of DMG, discuss emerging insights about the immune landscape that drives disease pathophysiology, and present recent findings and new opportunities for therapeutic discovery.
A Ferroelectric-based Volatile/Non-volatile Dual-mode Buffer Memory for Deep Neural Network Accelerators

In this paper, a dual-mode buffer memory based on the CMOS compatible HfZrO2 ferroelectric material is proposed for DNN accelerators. It can operate in both volatile eDRAM mode and non-volatile ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM) mode. The functionality of the proposed dual-mode memory bit-cell design is verified using SPICE simulation with the multi-domain Preisach physical model. A data-lifetime-aware memory mode configuration protocol is proposed to optimize the buffer access energy for both DNN inference and training. Detailed circuitry and architectural support for the dual-mode memory are discussed. For DNN training with ferroelectric-field-effect-transistor (FeFET) and SRAM-based compute-in-memory (CIM) accelerator, the proposed dual-mode buffer design improves the overall energy efficiency by 92.2%~98.7%, 44.1%~47.6%, 12.6%~13.0% compared to baseline designs using SRAM buffer with the same buffer area, eDRAM and FeRAM with the same buffer capacity, respectively. For DNN inference with tensor-processing-unit (TPU)-like systolic array, the energy efficiency during computing is improved by 40.7%~45.6%, 18.4%~29.6% compared to the designs with eDRAM and FeRAM buffer, respectively. By storing the persistent data using the non-volatile mode, the energy efficiency of systolic array is improved by 2.3~5.5 over SRAM-based design when standby is frequent.
Soil Heterogeneity and Crop Growth

Producers around the world are considering the use of precision agriculture technologies. One of the key factors encouraging this development is the spatially varying performance of agricultural crops. In many instances, yield variability can be associated with differences in soil attributes across agricultural fields. Understanding and managing spatial variability in soils has become one of the main strategies to optimize crop production, based on local needs for fertilizer , lime, water and/or other crop production inputs. This chapter presents some basic concepts related to the formation of soil heterogeneity and discusses several ways agriculturists can account for spatial variability in soils through differentiated cultural practices and management.
Surface storage dynamics in large rivers: Comparing three‐dimensional particle transport, one‐dimensional fractional derivative, and multirate transient storage models

[1] Large rivers are major conduits for sediment and nutrient transport and play an important role in global biogeochemical cycles. While smaller rivers received attention in recent decades for hyporheic exchange and nutrient uptake, fewer studies have focused on the dynamics of surface storage zones in large rivers. We investigate transport dynamics in the St. Clair River, an international river straddling the U.S.–Canadian border, using a combination of modeling and dye tracer studies. We describe a calibrated three-dimensional hydrodynamic model to generate (synthetic) breakthrough data to evaluate several classes of 1-D solute transport models for their ability to describe surface storage dynamics. Breakthrough data from the 3-D particle transport model exhibited multimodal behavior and complex dynamics that could not be described using a single first-order exchange coefficient—an approach often used to describe surface storage in transient storage models for small rivers. The 1-D models examined include multirate transient storage (MRTS) models in which storage zones were arranged either in series or parallel as well as 1-D models based on fractional derivatives. Results indicate that for 1-D models to describe data adequately, the timing of solute pulses that correspond to various in-channel features such as sandbars, islands or meander bends should be taken into account. As a result, the MRTS model with storage zones arranged in series (i.e., exchange rates triggered sequentially) provided the best description of the data. In contrast, fractional derivative models that assume storage zones were arranged in parallel failed to capture the multimodal nature of the breakthrough curves.
Regulatory rules and estimating economic growth: Two perspectives on expensing employee stock options

Government economic statistics generally diverge from statistics based on private sector or regulatory agency data, and they are subject to being updated over time as more tax and administrative data become available. A deeper knowledge of the sources of statistical agency data and the adjustments made to those can help data users avoid confusion.
Discriminative Novel Information Detection of Query-Focused Update Summarization

Current researches of query-focused update summarization often overlook influence of the query upon historical information. In this paper, we proposed a new information detection method which treats query-relevant and query-irrelevant old information in different way. Old information in the document set is removed in the process of sentence scoring stage instead of in additional stage after the sentences scored. Experiment results on TAC 2009 shows effectiveness of our method.
Open-label use of placebos in the treatment of ADHD: a pilot study.

Background This study examined short-term efficacy, side effects and acceptability of a placebo treatment procedure designed to maintain children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on 50% of their usual stimulant dose. Methods An open-label prospective crossover trial was conducted in 26 children with ADHD, ages 7–15 years, stable on stimulant therapy, followed at a community-based developmental paediatrics ADHD clinic. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of two orders of experimental conditions: (1) baseline (100%) dose (1 week), then 50% dose (1 week), then 50% dose + placebo (1 week), or (2) baseline (100%), then 50% dose + placebo, then 50% dose. The inert nature of the placebo was fully disclosed to parent and child. Treatment was open-label for child, parents and physician, but single blind for teachers. Main outcome measures included weekly IOWA Conners parent and teacher rating scales, the Pittsburgh side effects rating scale (PSERS) and the Clinical Global Impressions (CGI) scale. Results Parent IOWA showed ADHD behaviour tended to remain the same when the dose of stimulant medication was reduced with placebo but to deteriorate when the dose was reduced without placebo. There were no significant differences between conditions on the Teacher IOWA. PSERS scores were higher at baseline than on 50% dose. On the CGI, there was a significant difference (P = 0.004) between the 50% dose and the 50% + placebo conditions. Individual subject analysis showed that eight subjects met criteria for responder. Conclusions Results indicate that the open-label placebo treatment was acceptable and efficacious in the short term for some children.
A rapid noninvasive characterization of CT x-ray sources.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to generate spatially varying half value layers (HVLs) that can be used to construct virtual equivalent source models of computed tomography (CT) x-ray sources for use in Monte Carlo CT dose computations. Methods: To measure the spatially varying HVLs, the authors combined a cylindrical HVL measurement technique with the characterization of bowtie filter relative attenuation (COBRA) geometry. An apparatus given the name “HVL Jig” was fabricated to accurately position a real-time dosimeter off-isocenter while surrounded by concentric cylindrical aluminum filters (CAFs). In this geometry, each projection of the rotating x-ray tube is filtered by an identical amount of high-purity (type 1100 H-14) aluminum while the stationary radiation dose probe records an air kerma rate versus time waveform. The CAFs were progressively nested to acquire exposure data at increasing filtrations to calculate the HVL. Using this dose waveform and known setup geometry, each timestamp was related to its corresponding fan angle. Data were acquired using axial CT protocols (i.e., rotating tube and stationary patient table) at energies of 80, 100, and 120 kVp on a single CT scanner. These measurements were validated against the more laborious conventional step-and-shoot approach (stationary x-ray tube). Results: Atmore » each energy, HVL data points from the COBRA-cylinder technique were fit to a trendline and compared with the conventional approach. The average relative difference in HVL between the two techniques was 1.3%. There was a systematic overestimation in HVL due to scatter contamination. Conclusions: The described method is a novel, rapid, accurate, and noninvasive approach that allows one to acquire the spatially varying fluence and HVL data using a single experimental setup in a minimum of three scans. These measurements can be used to characterize the CT beam in terms of the angle-dependent fluence and energy spectra along the bowtie filter direction, which can serve as input for accurate CT dose computations.« less
Mid-infrared QCL as a tunable resonant amplifying photodetector

We report a tunable mid-infrared photo-detector based on quantum cascade laser (QCL). The device is biased below and near threshold and it performs as a resonant optical amplifier and at the same time a photo-detector.
A Review of “Elderburbia: Aging With a Sense of Place in America”

Stafford is an anthropologist and social gerontologist who has collected profiles of community development initiatives and design guidelines for elder-friendly communities. His Elderburbia couldn't...
The effects of levels-of-processing and organization on conceptual implicit memory in the category exemplar production test.

The distinction between item-specific and relational information (Hunt & Einstein, 1981) may be relevant to accounts of conceptual priming in the category exemplar production task. In three experiments, the implications of this hypothesis were tested by examining the effects of organization and levelsof-processing (LOP) on this implicit test. Consistent with the hypothesis, the effects of LOP were greater when study lists were organized by category than when they were presented randomly. Furthermore, when subjects claiming test awareness or intentional retrieval were excluded from the analysis, the LOP effect was reduced (and, in fact, eliminated) in the random list condition but remained robust in the categorized condition. Finally, the experimental design of the LOP manipulation (i.e., mixed-list within, blocked-list within, or between subjects) did not moderate the effects of LOP on this priming task.
SU‐FF‐T‐276: Improving the Accuracy of Linac‐Based Stereotaxy

Purpose: Stereotactic alignment accuracy of couch mount linac systems can be improved by analyzing the film test with a computer program and repositioning the setup appropriately. Method and Materials: The Winston‐Lutz style film test is scanned and analyzed with a computer program that can estimate the 3D alignment error of the stereotactic quality assurance (QA) setup to within 0.1 mm. The program gives repositioning advice, and digital cameras are used by another program to provide laser guided repositioning. A final film test is taken whenever the couch mount needs to be repositioned. The programs remember laser, cone, and gantry offsets, so if the system is used frequently enough the laser guided repositioning often makes it possible to get within 0.2 mm of isocenter on the first couch mount film test. This system can make the couch mount more accurate than the mechanical isocenter standard (MIS). When the MIS has alignment problems it typically takes weeks or months to resolve, and often a site visit from a field service engineer is required. Conversely, our new approach adapts every treatment day to slight gantry, couch, and collimator movements, and always adapts to minimize the overall alignment error. Results: Clinical tests with a Varian 600c at Mercy Hospital in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and a Siemens Mevatron MXE 2 at Christiana Care in Newark, Delaware have shown that 0.2 mm isocenter alignment of the couch mount QA setup can be achieved using this system. This is 7.5 times more accurate than the current 1.5 mm radial alignment specification of a commercial linear accelerator based stereotactic system. Conclusion: This research shows the potential of linac based stereotaxy to approach the accuracy of the dedicated stereotactic systems.
Live Imaging of GFP-labeled Proteins in Drosophila Oocytes

The Drosophila oocyte has been established as a versatile system for investigating fundamental questions such as cytoskeletal function, cell organization, and organelle structure and function. The availability of various GFP-tagged proteins means that many cellular processes can be monitored in living cells over the course of minutes or hours, and using this technique, processes such as RNP transport, epithelial morphogenesis, and tissue remodeling have been described in great detail in Drosophila oocytes. The ability to perform video imaging combined with a rich repertoire of mutants allows an enormous variety of genes and processes to be examined in incredible detail. One such example is the process of ooplasmic streaming, which initiates at mid-oogenesis. This vigorous movement of cytoplasmic vesicles is microtubule and kinesin-dependent and provides a useful system for investigating cytoskeleton function at these stages. Here I present a protocol for time lapse imaging of living oocytes using virtually any confocal microscopy setup.
Investigation of the Compton Rescue technique

Abstract This paper summarizes an investigation of a process to improve the efficiency of position-sensitive gamma-radiation measurements from thin, planar semiconductor detectors. The method entails the use of a second, more efficient coaxial bulk detector placed behind a position-sensitive planar detector to collect Compton scattered photons that escape the volume of the position-sensitive detector. The technique is termed Compton rescue. The investigation consisted of two phases. First, a Monte-Carlo simulation was conducted to test feasibility of employing the technique. The simulation predicted the increase in detection efficiency by directly counting the number of photons added to the data set by Compton rescue and comparing to the number detected without the use of the technique. The simulation indicated that the technique could improve detection efficiency by approximately doubling the number of full-energy photons detected. The technique was tested in a laboratory setting using a coaxial semiconductor detector in coincidence with a thin, planar position-sensitive semiconductor detector. An efficiency improvement of approximately 20% was measured. The effect of Compton rescue data on the energy resolution of the position-sensitive detector was also determined.