cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On-Pump and Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

Surgery for coronary artery disease is known as coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). It was one of the landmark operations in the history of cardiac surgery that rescued millions of people afflicted by coronary artery disease. It was first performed by Kolesov,1 was popularized by Favaloro,2 and is still the leading heart operation performed today. Current reasons for performing CABG are the presence of 3-vessel disease (all the 3 major arteries to the heart are blocked), left main coronary artery disease (the main artery itself is critically narrowed), and 3-vessel disease in diabetics. It also is used for patients with severely depressed heart function and for patients who need surgery for heart conditions in addition to coronary artery disease (such as replacement of valves or reconstruction of the heart muscle). Similar to a detour on a highway in the setting of a roadblock, CABG involves the strategic placement of bypass grafts that will provide an alternative route for the blood to flow around the blockage (Figure). These bypass grafts are composed of other arteries and veins from the body of the patient that are harvested only when they are numerous in their location or their function in their primary location can be safely and effectively taken over by …
Stat3 enhances the growth of LNCaP human prostate cancer cells in intact and castrated male nude mice.

BACKGROUND Prostate cancer frequently progresses from an initial androgen dependence to androgen independence, rendering the only effective androgen ablation therapy useless. The mechanism underlying the androgen-independent progression is unknown. Stat3, a member of the family of signal transducers and activators of transcription, is activated in numerous cancers, including prostate. This study is to investigate the role of Stat3 activation in the growth of prostate cancer cells. METHODS A constitutively active Stat3 was ectopically expressed in androgen-sensitive LNCaP prostate cancer cells and resulting stable clones expressing activated Stat3 were isolated. The effect of Stat3 activation on LNCaP cell growth in response to androgen in vitro and in vivo was examined. RESULTS We show that the levels of activated Stat3 are associated with the progression of androgen-independent prostate cancer. Activation of Stat3 in androgen-sensitive LNCaP prostate cancer cells results in enhancement of tumor growth in both intact and castrated male nude mice and enhances androgen receptor-mediated prostate specific antigen expression. CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate that intracellular signaling mediated by Stat3 can enhance the growth of androgen-sensitive human LNCaP prostate cancer cells in both intact and castrated male nude mice. Prostate 52:123–129, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Accounting Software Selection And Satisfaction: A Comparative Analysis Of Vendor And User Perceptions

We comparatively analyze the accounting software selection, retention, and satisfaction perceptions of 43 accounting software vendors as compared to 57 accounting software users. We identify key areas of agreement and disagreement between the groups. With respect to major factor categories, vendors rate vendor support significantly higher than users, while users rate functionality and compatibility significantly higher than vendors. Key differences also exist with respect to vendor and user perceptions of the most important features present within the major categories. For instance, vendors and users rate ten of the fourteen components of functionality/capability significantly different. Similar differences are found with respect to features in vendor stability and vendor support. Vendors and users also differ in their perceptions as to why companies change software. By highlighting some of the key areas where vendors and users differ in their perceptions of important items, we hope to help bridge the gap between vendor efforts and user desires. By knowing their customers better and focusing increased attention on areas that users value, we believe that vendors will be able to develop software that better fits user objectives and, in turn, improves user satisfaction.
Rivastigmine: Dementia with Lewy Bodies

*Assistant Professor, †Director of Drug Information, Department of Pharmacy Practice, University of Montana, Skaggs School of Pharmacy, Missoula, Montana BACKGROUND Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD) are both classified as Lewy body dementias. DLB and PDD are caused by the accumulation of protein deposits of alpha-synuclein inside neurons called Lewy bodies. The distinction between DLB and PDD is based on the sequence and timing of when the symptoms of dementia and movement disorders (parkinsonism) occur. DLB is diagnosed when cognitive impairment develops within 1 year of movement difficulties; if movement disorders (parkinsonism) precede cognitive decline by more than 1 year, PDD is diagnosed. DLB accounts for approximately 20% of all patients diagnosed with dementia and has the following common features: cognitive decline, memory impairment, decrease in executive functioning, hallucinations (especially visual), parkinsonism, changes to REM sleep, and neuroleptic sensitivity.1,2 In patients with DLB, the use of neuroleptic medications should be avoided to treat hallucinations because approximately 30% to 50% of patients may experience severe drug sensitivity reactions such as worsening cognition, parkinsonism, sedation, hypotension, and neuroleptic malignant syndrome.3,4 Cholinesterase inhibitors including donepezil, galantamine, and rivastigmine tartrate, which are US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)–approved treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, have been utilized to treat the cognitive symptoms of DLB.1,2,5 PATIENT POPULATION Adult patients with dementia with Lewy bodies.
The Evolution, Use, and Effects of Integrated Personal Health Records: A Narrative Review

Objective: To present a summarized literature review of the evolution, use, and effects of Personal Health Records (PHRs). Methods: Medline and PubMed were searched for ‘personal health records’. Seven hundred thirty-three references were initially screened resulting in 230 studies selected as relevant based on initial title and abstract review. After further review, a total of 52 articles provided relevant information and were included in this paper. These articles were reviewed by one author and grouped into the following categories: PHR evolution and adoption, patient user attitudes toward PHRs, patient reported barriers to use, and the role of PHRs in self-management. Results: Eleven papers described evolution and adoption, 17 papers described PHR user attitudes, 10 papers described barriers to use, and 11 papers described PHR use in self-management. Three papers were not grouped into a category but were used to inform the Discussion. PHRs have evolved from patient-maintained paper health records to provider-linked electronic health records. Patients report enthusiasm for the potential of modern PHRs, yet few patients actually use an electronic PHR. Low patient adoption of PHRs is associated with poor interface design and low health and computer literacy on the part of patient users. Conclusion: PHR systems that account for patient’s needs and skills can facilitate their adoption. Common barriers are avoidable when patients receive adequate guidance on useful features as well as technical support. When implemented effectively, PHRs can increase patient participation in health management, and improve patient-physician communication and health related decision making.
Aerodynamic control in apraxia at three intraoral pressure levels.

Summary.-Five neurologically normal and five apractic subjects were required to develop and maintain target intraoral pressure Levels during 5-sec. trials. The apractic subjects showed increased latencies in gaining the target and reduced maintenance time and increased variabiliry in attempts to stay at target. Results suggest that physiologically based assessment tasks provide sensitive indices of the degree of oral apraxia in pacients with left-hemisphere brain damage. Knowledge of oral apractic deficits in ~atients with left-hemisphere brain damage is based primarily on rating-scale judgements of performance on oral movement tasks. Although results from studies using rating scales have been important in establishing the high incidence of oral apraxia in Broca's aphasia and the differential effects of aphasia type on isolated compared to sequential oral movements, they have not provided the finegrained analysis necessary to make qualitative decisions regarding the severity of involvement. The purpose of this study was to investigate oral apraxia in patients with Broca's aphasia utilizing an aerodynamic monitoring task. Five subjects with Broca's aphasia and apraxia selected on the basis of performance on the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination (Goodglass & Kaplan, 1972), computerized tomography and neurological examination, and five neurologically normal subjects participated in a series of tasks char required sequential coordinated movements of the respiratory apparatus and upper alru8ay Each subject was seated in a dental chair in front of a Tektronix RM 564 storage oscilloscope with dual beam trace amplifier. Two 6-in. pieces of Intramedic .070-in tubing were placed in the subject's mouth and sealed with the lips. One piece of tubing was connected to a Statham 131 TC pressure transducer and the other served as a "bleed" tube to allow airflow during the course of the tasks. The subjects were required to inspire as fully as possible and blow into the pieces of tubing with maximum force for 3 sec. Each trial was recorded on the storage oscilloscope and on a Honeywell 1858 Visicorder. The subject's mean maximum intraoral pressure was calculated over the 3-sec. trials and was used to set target levels of 25%, 50%, and 75% of mean peak intraoral pressure for the experimental tasks. The subjects were required to match and track a target cursor set at each of these target levels on a dual beam oscilloscope with another cursor which reflected the intraoral pressure applied to the transducer. The three levels were randomized for each subject and five 5-sec. trials were completed at each of the three target levels. Oscillographic records of the 15 trials of each subject were used to determine onset time, maintenance time, and variability in performance of the tasks. Onset time was measured from the triggering of the target cursor to the point at
Action of typhoid bacillus on Russell's double-sugar medium

Russell's double-sugar medium was first described in 1911.1 This medium is a meat-extract agar, containing 0.1 fo of dextrose, l.Ofo of lactose, and an indicator. It is used in the form of an agar slant, with a long butt, the slant surface and the butt being about equal in length. The medium is inoculated by making a deep stab into the butt, then a streak along the slant surface. Russell's medium has found a wide application in the preliminary differentiation of members of the typhoid-colon group. When a colony of an organism belonging in this group is transferred to double-sugar medium, the following changes may be observed after 24 hours: (a) If the organism ferments dextrose and lactose with acid and gas, slant and butt are acid, and there are gas bubbles throughout the medium (for example, Bact. coli). (b) If the organism ferments dextrose with acid and gas and does not ferment lactose, the slant is alkaline, the butt is acid, and there are gas bubbles chiefly in the butt (for example, paratyphoids?intermediates). (c) If the organism ferments dextrose with acid, but no gas, and does not ferment lactose, the slant is alkaline, the butt is acid, and there are no gas bubbles (for example, typhoid?dysentery), (d) If the organism ferments neither dextrose nor lactose, the slant and butt are alkaline (for example, Bacillus alkaligenes). It is possible, therefore, by means of this medium, to determine the subgroup in which an organism belongs; its complete identification is thereby facilitated. More recently, Krumwiede and Kohn2 have advocated the addition of 1.0% of saccharose to Russell's medium for the purpose of detecting certain members of the intermediate group which ferment dextrose and saccharose with acid and gas, but which ferment lactose slowly or not at all. On Russell's medium these organisms might be mistaken for members of the paratyphoid group.
Multi-Objective Optimization of Weapon-Target Assignment (WTA) Using NSGA-II

This paper applies multi-objective genetic algorithm—NSGAⅡ(Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm Ⅱ) to solve weapon-target allocation(WTA) problems.Firstly,to revise the one-sidedness of previous work at establishing the optimization model of WTA problems,this paper views WTA problems as multiobjective optimization problems,then a dual-objective optimization model of WTA considering the combat effectiveness and the defense effectiveness synthetically is built.Secondly,on the basis of this optimization model,the NSGA-Ⅱ is introduced and employed to solve WTA problems.Finally,this paper performs simulation to testify the application of the NSGA-Ⅱ to WTA problems,and simulation results indicate that the NSGA-Ⅱ is capable of finding the Pareto-optimal solution set of WTA problems quickly;hence,this paper provides an effective approach to solve the multi-objective optimization WTA problem.
Preliminary observations of a synergistic bladder-sphincter relationship following spinal cord injury in a quadruped animal.

Background/objectives High urethral resistance or detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia (DSD) is characterized by obstructed voiding during bladder contractions. DSD is caused by an exaggerated pelvic floor reflex resulting from sensory input from elevated pressure in the bladder that produces reflex constriction of the urethral sphincter. The objective of this study was to determine whether sensory input from the bladder produced synergistic or dyssynergic pelvic floor reflexes following SCI in an animal model. Methods A pelvic floor reflex that shares the same motor pathway with DSD is the bulbocavernosus (BC) reflex. The BC reflex was elicited with electrical stimulation in 4 male cats with T1 spinal injury, and recorded as an anal sphincter contraction. Recordings were obtained during control and elevated bladder pressures. Increased bladder pressure was induced with either manual pressure (Crede procedure) or spontaneous contractions resulting from bladder filling. Results During the control period, the BC reflex indicated by the peak anal pressure response was 23 +/- 6 cmH2O. During elevated bladder pressure of 34 +/- 18 cmH2O, the BC response decreased to 10 +/- 3 cmH2O (not significant), showing a synergistic relationship. Anal sphincter tone between BC reflex tests showed a dyssynergic response. All 4 animals showed increased tone during elevated bladder pressures that averaged 9 +/- 5 cmH2O. Because abdominal pressure was not recorded, the significance is not clear. However, there was further support of a dyssynergic relationship based on increases in the anal and urethral electromyography recordings and some pelvic floor spasms during the elevated bladder pressure. Conclusions Because 2 different pelvic floor activities were observed during increased bladder pressures, this animal model may be described best as a mixed model. This model shows both synergistic and dyssynergic relationships between the bladder and the BC contractions. Although observed changes were not significant, the unique observations of synergistic bladder-sphincter activity shown by the inhibited BC reflex is in marked contrast to the strictly dyssynergic bladder-sphincter relationship seen in SCI patients.
The Future of Open-Source Hardware and Science

The open-source hardware design approach develops extremely low-cost, high-quality, customized scientific instruments. The once onerous learning curve associated with open source has largely been overcome due to innovation and rapid development of tools such as Arduinos, RepRaps, and Linux-based software. The entire process of designing, printing and assembling new scientific research tools is facilitated by scientists drawing extensively on previously completed open-source work. As more scientists take up this methodology and share back with the open-source scientific community, the time for another group to build their own high-quality instruments will continue to decline along with the cost as the quality of the instruments increases. This methodology promises heretofore unheard-of access to sophisticated instrumentation in underdeveloped and developing world laboratories. The future is bright as a virtuous cycle is created with the benefits of sharing designs helping further accelerate research within all of our laboratories.
LATE-BREAKING ABSTRACT: High density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) and severe chronic lung disease (CLD) exacerbations in the general population

Introduction: CLD exacerbations are a major cause of morbidity, yet risk factors in the general population are poorly defined. HDL, especially large subfractions, contains ceramides that cause emphysema in mice; HDL and related genes are associated with radiographic emphysema. Aims: Test associations of HDL and large subfractions with incident severe CLD exacerbations in the general population. Methods: Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities Study, Cardiovascular Health Study and Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis enrolled persons ages 45 and older. Severe exacerbations were defined as hospitalization/death with CLD as primary diagnostic code. HDL and subfractions were measured by enzymatic methods and precipitation or nuclear magnetic resonance. Analyses were sex-stratified and adjusted for age, race/ethnicity, BMI, cigarette and alcohol use, low density lipoprotein, cholesterol medication, baseline CLD, FEV1 and cohort. Results: Among 27,622 adults (mean age 60, 57% ever smokers, 15% baseline CLD), mean HDL was 1.2+/-0.3 mmol/L in men and 1.5+/-0.4 mmol/L in women. Cumulative incidence of severe exacerbations was 4% over median 17 years follow-up. In men, one standard deviation increase in HDL conferred a HR of 1.11 for first severe exacerbation (95% CI 1.01-1.22), including among those without prevalent CLD (HR 1.13, 95% CI 1.00-1.28). There was no effect modification by smoking (p=.99). Large HDL subfractions showed similar associations (HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.03-1.26). Associations were not present among women. Conclusions: Higher levels of HDL and large subfractions were associated with higher incidence of severe CLD exacerbations among men independent of the FEV1.
Phase-change sintering of BaCl2 transparent ceramics

Abstract We report on the compaction of anhydrous BaCl 2 powders under severe plastic deformation and the conversion of their native orthorhombic cotunnite crystalline structure into a fine-grained cubic fluorite structure. This conversion, supported by x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy data, and which enables the production of highly dense ceramics of BaCl 2 , occurs 500 °C below the known phase transition temperature of 925 °C for this material at 1 atm. We discuss this phase change in the context of a stress-induced polymorphic transformation and its implication on the fabrication of transparent ceramics for scintillator applications.
Differential expression of zinc transporter 1 (hZIP1) in normal and malignant prostate tissues from African Americans and European Americans

A28 The genetic and molecular mechanisms responsible for and associated with the development and progression of prostate malignancy are largely unidentified. The peripheral zone is the major region of the human prostate gland where malignancy develops. The normal peripheral zone glandular epithelium has the unique function of accumulating high levels of zinc. In contrast, the ability to accumulate zinc is lost in the malignant cells. This lost ability of the neoplastic epithelial cells to accumulate zinc is a consistent factor in their development of malignancy. Recent studies identified ZIP1 (SLC39A1) as an important zinc transporter involved in zinc accumulation in prostate cells. Furthermore, incidence rates for prostate cancer are higher in African Americans (AAs) than in European Americans (EAs). Our laboratory is attempting to decipher the interaction of environmental and genetic factors that result in the development of prostate cancer in AAs. We hypothesize that since Africa is a mineral-rich continent, and the zinc levels in the water and diet are high, Africans may have genetically downregulated their zinc transporters; otherwise, they would absorb abnormally high levels of zinc, resulting in various serious neurodegenerative and biochemical disorders. It is therefore possible that African descents living in low-zinc areas (i.e. North America, Jamaica, etc) may absorb low zinc when compared with other racial groups because of their inherent downregulation of zinc transporters. Therefore, we investigated the possibility that the down-regulation of hZIP1 gene expression might be involved in the inability of malignant prostate cells to accumulate zinc and have compared the relative zinc uptake and as well gene expressions in 19 pairs of age-matched, Gleason-Score-matched prostate tissues from AAs vs. EAs. Results: 1) generally, hZIP1 gene expression and cellular zinc were prominent in normal peripheral zone glandular epithelium. In contrast, hZIP1 gene expression was markedly down-regulated and zinc was depleted in adenocarcinomatous glands and in prostate intra-epithelial neoplastic foci (PIN). These changes occur early in malignancy and are sustained during its progression in the peripheral zone. 2) As compared to EAs the paired tissues from AAs exhibited a significant down-regulation of hZIP1 and a lower accumulation of zinc (p>001). Conclusion: The studies demonstrate that hZIP1 gene expression is down regulated and zinc is depleted in adenocarcinomatous glands and that AAs as compared to EAs accumulate zinc at much lower levels and this appears to be the due to the down-regulation of hZIP1 transporters. These observations, coupled with the numerous and consistent reports of loss of zinc accumulation in malignant cells in prostate cancer, lead to the plausible proposal that down regulation of hZIP1 is a critical early event in the development of prostate cancer and most likely plays a more significant role in AAs as compared to EAs.
Using Facially Expressive Robots to Calibrate Clinical Pain Perception

In this paper, we introduce a novel application of social robotics in healthcare: high fidelity, facially expressive, robotic patient simulators (RPSs), and explore their usage within a clinical experimental context. Current commercially-available RPSs, the most commonly used humanoid robots worldwide, are substantially limited in their usability and fidelity due to the fact that they lack one of the most important clinical interaction and diagnostic tools: an expressive face. Using autonomous facial synthesis techniques, we synthesized pain both on a humanoid robot and comparable virtual avatar. We conducted an experiment with 51 clinicians and 51 laypersons (n = 102), to explore differences in pain perception across the two groups, and also to explore the effects of embodiment (robot or avatar) on pain perception. Our results suggest that clinicians have lower overall accuracy in detecting synthesized pain in comparison to lay participants. We also found that all participants are overall less accurate detecting pain from a humanoid robot in comparison to a comparable virtual avatar, lending support to other recent findings in the HRI community. This research ultimately reveals new insights into the use of RPSs as a training tool for calibrating clinicians' pain detection skills.
Inattentional blindness for a gun during a simulated police vehicle stop.

People often fail to notice unexpected objects and events when they are focusing attention on something else. Most studies of this “inattentional blindness” use unexpected objects that are irrelevant to the primary task and to the participant (e.g., gorillas in basketball games or colored shapes in computerized tracking tasks). Although a few studies have examined noticing rates for personally relevant or task-relevant unexpected objects, few have done so in a real-world context with objects that represent a direct threat to the participant. In this study, police academy trainees (n = 100) and experienced police officers (n = 75) engaged in a simulated vehicle traffic stop in which they approached a vehicle to issue a warning or citation for running a stop sign. The driver was either passive and cooperative or agitated and hostile when complying with the officer’s instructions. Overall, 58% of the trainees and 33% of the officers failed to notice a gun positioned in full view on the passenger dashboard. The driver’s style of interaction had little effect on noticing rates for either group. People can experience inattentional blindness for a potentially dangerous object in a naturalistic real-world context, even when noticing that object would change how they perform their primary task and even when their training focuses on awareness of potential threats.
Effects of Shoe Wear on Slipping – Implications for Shoe Replacement Threshold:

In the workplace, slips and falls account for a large portion of injuries. Although past research has identified relationships between shoe wear and shoe-floor-contaminant dynamics (coefficient of ...
Broadening your library’s collection: Implementing a LGBTQIA collection development project

A constant concern for libraries is providing a collection of resources that are relevant to its patron population. Since most libraries have budgetary concerns that must be weighed against these needs, sometimes certain collection areas go underdeveloped. This is by no means the fault of the librarians, but priorities must be set and things fall behind. However, in many cases, it takes a reminder of patron needs to bring to light holes in a library’s collection. This is what transpired to me at Jackson Library at Lander University.
Automated diagnosis of colon cancer using hyperspectral sensing

BACKGROUND Surgical management of colorectal cancer relies on accurate identification of tumor and possible metastatic disease. Hyperspectral (HS) sensing is a passive, non-ionizing diagnostic method that has been considered for multiple tumor types. The ability to use HS for identification of tumor specimens during surgical resection of colorectal cancers was explored. METHODS Patients with colorectal cancer who underwent operative resection were enrolled. HS measurements were performed both intra- and extra-luminally. Spectral results were correlated with pathologic evaluation. RESULTS Fifteen patient specimens were analyzed. For patients with confirmed colorectal cancer, extraluminal spectra analysis yielded 61.68% sensitivity with 90% specificity. For intraluminal specimens, sensitivity increased to 91.97% with 90% specificity. CONCLUSIONS Hyperspectral sensing can reliably detect tumors in resected colon specimens. This research offers promising results for a diagnostic technology that is non-ionizing and does not require the use of contrast agents to achieve accurate colorectal cancer detection.
Proprietary Costs and Disclosure Substitution: Theory and Empirical Evidence

This study develops and tests a simple model of voluntary disclosure where managers can choose to withhold (i.e., redact) information from mandatory disclosure. We consider a setting where mandatory disclosure is a disaggregated disclosure (e.g., a financial statement), voluntary disclosure is an aggregate disclosure (e.g., an earnings forecast), and the costs of each type of disclosure are distinct. In this setting, we show that concerns about the proprietary cost of mandatory disclosure motivate managers to withhold information from mandatory disclosure and substitute voluntary disclosure. We test our predictions using a comprehensive sample of mandatory disclosures where the SEC allows the firm to redact information that would otherwise jeopardize its competitive position. Consistent with our predictions, we find strong evidence that redacted mandatory disclosure is associated with greater voluntary disclosure.
Still a role for second-line chemoimmunotherapy in chronic lymphocytic leukemia?

In this issue of the Journal, Cuneo et al . report a retrospective observational study of the efficacy of bendamustine rituximab (BR) given as first salvage therapy for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients within the GIMEMA and ERIC networks.[1][1] Among 237 patients, the median progression-
Pyrogeography and Biogeochemical Resilience

The response of biogeochemical fluxes to perturbation has been a major focus of ecosystem studies for decades (Bormann and Likens 1979a; Vitousek and Melillo 1979; West et al. 1981). Perturbation is a fundamental component of conceptualizations of system resilience (Holling 1973; Carpenter et al. 2001; Folke et al. 2004), complex adaptive cycles (Norberg and Cumming 2008), self-organization (Rietkerk et al. 2004a), cross-scale interactions (Allen and Holling 2002; Peters et al. 2004; Allen 2007), and abrupt shifts in ecosystem behavior (Groffman et al. 2006; Sonderegger et al. 2009).
The Effect of Ambient Light Conditions on Quantitative Pupillometry

Automated devices collecting quantitative measurements of pupil size and reactivity are increasingly used for critically ill patients with neurological disease. However, there are limited data on the effect of ambient light conditions on pupil metrics in these patients. To address this issue, we tested the range of pupil reactivity in healthy volunteers and critically ill patients in both bright and dark conditions. We measured quantitative pupil size and reactivity in seven healthy volunteers and seven critically ill patients with the Neuroptics-200 pupillometer in both bright and dark ambient lighting conditions. Bright conditions were created by overhead LED lighting in a room with ample natural light. Dark conditions consisted of a windowless room with no overhead light source. The primary outcome was the Neurological Pupil Index (NPi), a composite metric ranging from 0 to 5 in which > 3 is considered normal. Secondary outcomes included resting and constricted pupil size, change in pupil size, constriction velocity, dilation velocity, and latency. Results were analyzed with multi-level linear regression to account for both inter- and intra-subject variability. Fourteen subjects underwent ten pupil readings each in bright and dark conditions, yielding 280 total measurements. In healthy subjects, median NPi in bright and dark conditions was 4.2 and 4.3, respectively. In critically ill subjects, median NPi was 2.85 and 3.3, respectively. Multi-level linear regression demonstrated significant differences in pupil size, pupil size change, constriction velocity, and dilation velocity in various light levels in healthy patients, but not NPi. In the critically ill, NPi and pupil size change were significantly affected. Ambient light levels impact pupil parameters in both healthy and critically ill subjects. Changes in NPi under different light conditions are small and more consistent in healthy subjects, but significantly differ in the critically ill. Practitioners should standardize lighting conditions to maximize measurement reliability.
A Transdisciplinary Framework for SLA: Essential Understandings for L2 Researchers and Teachers

The transdisciplinary framework, initially proposed by the Douglas Fir Group (2016) and elaborated upon in Essentials of SLA for L2 Teachers (Hall, 2019), is new intellectual structure for understanding the many dimensions of learning additional languages [i] . In this paper, I first overview the framework, and then lay out eight fundamental themes on language and learning that derive from the framework and offer action possibilities for research. Finally, I offer six implications arising from the themes for L2 teaching. Keywords: transdisciplinary framework; SLA; L2 learning; L2 teaching [1] A version of this paper was presented as a plenary presentation at the 2018 conference of the Applied Linguistics Association of Korea, held at Sogang University, Seoul, South Korea.
Non-invasive transcriptomic classification of de novo Glioblastoma patients through multivariate quantitative analysis of baseline preoperative multimodal magnetic resonance imaging

Glioblastoma, the most common primary malignant brain tumor, is genetically diverse and classified into four transcriptomic subtypes, i.e., classical, mesenchymal, proneural, neural. We sought a noninvasive robust quantitative imaging phenomic (QIP) signature associated with this transcriptomic classification of glioblastoma patients, derived from clinically-acquired imaging protocols and without the need for advanced genetic testing. This QIP signature was discovered and evaluated in a retrospective cohort of 112 pathology-proven de novo glioblastoma patients for whom basic preoperative multi-parametric MRI (mpMRI) data (T1, T1-Gd, T2, T2-FLAIR) were available, and compared with the tumor subtype as obtained through an RNA isoform-based classifier. Comprehensive and diverse QIP features capturing intensity distributions, volume, morphology, statistics, tumors’ anatomical location, and texture for each tumor sub-region, were multivariately integrated via support vector machines to construct our QIP signature. The performance/generalizability of the model was evaluated using 5-fold cross-validation. The overall accuracy of the proposed method was estimated equal to 71% for identifying the transcriptomic tumor subtype; 82.14% [AUC:0.82], 75.89% [AUC:0.78], 75.89% [AUC:0.81], and 88.39% [AUC:0.84] for predicting proneural, neural, mesenchymal and classical subtypes, respectively. The obtained QIP signature revealed a macroscopic biological insight of the complex tumor subtypes, including more pronounced presence of tissue with higher water content in neural subtype, larger enhancement component of the tumor in mesenchymal subtype, and overall smaller tumors in classical subtype. Our results indicate that quantitative analysis of imaging features extracted from clinically-acquired mpMRI yields prompt non-invasive biomarkers of the molecular profile of glioblastoma patients, important in influencing surgical decision-making, treatment planning, and assessment of inoperable tumors.
Study of surface topography in Abrasive Water Jet machining of carbon foam and morphological characterization using Discrete Wavelet Transform

Abstract Carbon foam (CFOAM) is a light weight alternative to composite tooling and other applications in aerospace industry. Secondary machining of CFOAM is challenging due to machining induced damage to its thin walled structure and also the production of carcinogenic dust during the conventional machining processes. In this study, machinability of CFOAM was investigated using Abrasive Water Jet (AWJ). Three pressure levels – 200, 275, 350 MPa and jet traverse speed between 2 and 100 mm/s was used to machine 50 mm thick carbon foam. The kerf surface topology and morphology was inspected using non-contact profilometry, optical and scanning electron microscopy. A lumped process parameter – power-to-speed ratio ( E ˙ / u ) was effectively used to describe the kerf characteristics in terms of kerf geometry and kerf wall roughness. A novel method using Discrete Wavelet Analysis was proposed to study the surface topology and establish correlation with E ˙ / u . The most common material removal mechanisms were found to be erosion, cell shape distortion, cell and pore engulfment, ligament fractures, debris entrapment with cell wall cracking. Overall, surface topology and morphology was characterized with a strong correlation with the process parameters which assisted in determining optimal window for AWJ process parameters.
A comparison of neuropsychological function between monozygotic twins with neurofibromatosis, type 1: A case report

Objective: Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1) is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder that commonly presents with cognitive impairment and greater rates of learning disorders and academic difficulty compared to the general population. Investigations of neurological and physiological expression of NF-1 in monozygotic twins identified intrapair similarities and differences. Monozygotic twins with NF-1 have been found to have similar IQ scores as well as concordant diagnoses of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and learning disabilities. There have been no previous reports on similarities and differences in neuropsychological profiles between monozygotic twins with NF-1. The purpose of this article is to examine the results of comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations for a pair of monozygotic twins with NF-1.Method: A pair of 19-year-old female, African-American monozygotic twins with NF-1 underwent neuropsychological evaluations in an outpatient clinic. Findings are reported following the CAse REport (CARE) guidelines.Results: The twins demonstrated similar impairment in processing speed, working memory, and attention span; however, differences also were found.Conclusions: Intrapair similarities and differences on neuropsychological assessment were found between monozygotic twins with NF-1. Primary deficits were suggestive of a frontal-subcortical pattern and could be consistent with remote neuroimaging. When differences did occur, performance was typically better for Twin A, who had also showed greater improvement on neuroimaging. Implications and directions for future research are discussed. Specifically, this case demonstrates the need for inclusion of neuropsychological assessment in studies of larger cohorts of monozygotic twins with NF-1 and correlation of neuropsychological findings with neuroimaging and postzygotic mutations.
Spin-dependent quark beam function at NNLO

We calculate the beam function for longitudinally polarized quarks through next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) in QCD perturbation theory. This is the last missing ingredient needed to apply the factorization theorem for the $N$-jettiness event-shape variable in a variety of polarized collisions through the NNLO level. We present all technical details of our derivation. As a by-product of our calculation we provide the first independent check of the previously obtained unpolarized quark beam function. We anticipate that our result will have phenomenological applications in describing data from polarized collisions.
O(3P) + CO2 scattering cross-sections at superthermal collision energies for planetary aeronomy

We report new elastic and inelastic cross sections for O($^3P$)+CO$_2$ scattering at collision energies from 0.03 to 5 eV, of major importance to O escape from Mars, Venus, and CO$_2$-rich atmospheres. The cross sections were calculated from first principles using three newly constructed ab-initio potential energy surfaces correlating to the lowest energy asymptote of the complex. The surfaces were restricted to a planar geometry with the CO$_2$ molecule assumed to be in linear configuration fixed at equilibrium. Quantum-mechanical coupled-channel formalism with a large basis set was used to compute state-to-state integral and differential cross sections for elastic and inelastic O($^3P$)+CO$_2$ scattering between all pairs of rotational states of CO$_2$ molecule. The elastic cross sections are 35\% lower at 0.5 eV and more than 50\% lower at 4+ eV than values commonly used in studies of processes in upper and middle planetary atmospheres of Mars, Earth, Venus, and CO$_2$-rich planets. Momentum transfer cross sections, of interest for energy transport, were found to be lower than predicted by mass-scaling.
Biological characterization of surface-treated dental implant materials in contact with mammalian host and bacterial cells: titanium versus zirconia

Commercially pure titanium (cpTi) remains the material of choice for dental implants due to its surface properties which promote osseointegration. Recently, zirconia (ZrO2) has been used as an alternative material due to its immunity to corrosion, mechanical strength, and biocompatibility. Previous in vitro studies evaluating oral bacterial attachment and mammalian host cell response to cpTi and ZrO2 have yielded mixed results. Thus, the aim of the present study was to systematically evaluate the growth of early-colonizing oral bacteria and mammalian host cells on cpTi and ZrO2 after three clinically-relevant surface treatments: polishing, acid-etching, or sandblasting. Polishing produced smooth surfaces (Sa: 0.08–0.22 μm) while acid-etching (Sa: 0.75–1.20 μm) and sandblasting (Sa: 0.87–1.00 μm) yielded rough variants. All surfaces were relatively hydrophilic (θc ≤ 31°). Overall, the adherent bacterial count did not significantly differ between cpTi and ZrO2 after 1 or 3 days for all Streptococcus strains (p > 0.05). Bacterial count was only greater on rough versus smooth variants for S. sanguinis and S. salivarius. Acid-etched cpTi induced the highest proliferation of macrophages and fibroblasts but the lowest for pre-osteoblasts after 1 and 3 days. All surfaces exhibited comparable fibroblast and pre-osteoblast proliferation by 7 days. Pre-osteoblast differentiation continually increased between 7 and 14 days and was higher on rougher surfaces. No differences in mammalian cellular attachment on cpTi and ZrO2 were observed. Within the study's limitations, early-colonizing oral bacterial adhesion and mammalian cell growth is similar on both smooth and rough cpTi and ZrO2.
Outcomes of Macrolide Deescalation in Severe Community-acquired Pneumonia.

Abstract Purpose Current data suggest potential benefits with β-lactam plus macrolide combination therapy for empiric treatment of intensive care unit (ICU) patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). However, it is unclear whether deescalation to β-lactam monotherapy in the absence of positive results on diagnostic tests, such as the BioFire FilmArray Respiratory Panel 2 (BioFire polymerase chain reaction [PCR]), affects clinical outcomes. The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes between patients with negative BioFire PCR results deescalated to β-lactam monotherapy with those not deescalated. Methods This single-center, retrospective cohort study assessed the in-hospital mortality rates of critically ill adults with CAP treated for ≥48 h with combination β-lactam and azithromycin therapy. Additional end points included hospital length of stay (LOS), ICU LOS, duration of mechanical ventilatory support, 30-day readmission, and incidence of azithromycin-related adverse effects. Findings A total of 94 patients were included: 53 in the deescalation group and 41 in the nondeescalation group. No difference was observed with respect to in-hospital mortality (2.4% vs 11.3%, P = 0.312), although patients in the deescalated group experienced shorter ICU (1.9 vs 3.4 days, P = 0.029) and hospital LOS (6 vs 7 days, P = 0.025). No differences were found between groups with respect to additional secondary end points. Simple logistic regression confirmed that deescalation was not associated with hospital mortality (odds ratio = 0.17, 95% CI, 0.02–1.70). Implications In this study of ICU patients with severe CAP and a negative BioFire PCR result, deescalation from combination β-lactam and macrolide therapy to β-lactam monotherapy was not associated with increased in-hospital mortality but was associated with decreased hospital and ICU LOS. Larger prospective studies are warranted to verify these findings.
Realising Climate Reparations: towards a global climate stabilization fund and resilience fund programme for loss and damage in marginalised and former colonised societies

In response to global climate breakdown and the financial and macro-economic instability that underpins the current era of the Anthropocene, climate reparations represent an important remedy for the Global South. While not a new concept, climate reparations offer an appropriate encompassing philosophical and policy apparatus for first coming to terms with the magnitude of climate breakdown associated with the fallout from the climate crisis, and second for mounting a response that applies a framework that has history and ethics at the centre. This policy paper offers analysis of the current and historical factors that give rise to the necessity of, and an action agenda for realising climate reparations, namely the interrelated effects of colonialism and the disproportionate role of former colonising powers in greenhouse gas emissions. Through an examination of the macroeconomic character and repercussions of the climate crisis, relevant data and financial needs associated with ongoing long-term loss and damage especially of formerly colonised regions and marginalised societies, the paper offers two policy solutions - a Global Climate Stabilization Fund that effectively replaces any role the current International Monetary Fund have regarding climate change governance and a Resilience financing scheme for loss and damage. Ex-colonial regions face an extremely uncertain and volatile future and because of their economic and institutional vulnerabilities, current mechanisms and policy tools have fallen far short of their needs and fail to recognise the historical condition of their colonisation as cause for growing social and economic inequities borne and aggravated by the climate crisis. In response, this paper sets out the argument for a global climate stabilisation and resilience programmes through which climate reparations can be materialised. In addition, climate stabilization requires appropriate democratic and institutional structures at the multilateral, regional and national levels. As such, the paper discusses governance arrangements and fund and programme leadership comprising civic groups and developing-country governments and organisations. At the national and regional level, central banks and regional development banks will play a critical role to localise the institutional relationships and fast-track funding disbursements in response to climate-induced events and disasters that affect livelihoods, agriculture, increased displacement, and a range of other needs and social and economic support systems. This paper thus explores and offers a starting point for a policy framework around macroeconomic effects and financial instability borne and aggravated by climate change that offers an important case for climate reparations for the Global South.
Usage of endobronchial blocker in infant for one-lung ventilation

Objective Our goal was to investigate feasibility and safety of placing extraluminal 5F Arndt Endobronchial Blocker (AEB) guided by Cook guide-wire for thoracic surgery in infants. Methods We retrospectively examined the anesthetic records for details of AEB placement and evaluated the effect of lung isolation in 22 children under the age of 2 years undergoing OLV with a 5F AEB for thoracic surgery at our department. All the patients firstly had the AEB placed into the trachea with the Cook guidewire, followed by the intubation of a cuffed Endotracheal tube (ETT) 0.5F size below the size expected for the age. The position of the AEB was adjusted with using ideo-assisted flexible fiber optic bronchoscope through the Arndt multi-port airway adaptor while the patients were ventilated. Results Twenty-two cases were included, aged from 4 months to 2 year old, weighted from 5.6 kg to 11.0 kg. We were able to successfully achieve lung isolation in 20 of 22 patients using a 5F AEB, 2 cases had AEB migrated and one case had hypoxia after one lung ventilation. Conclusions Extraluminal 5F AEB can be applied for thoracic surgery in young children, but there is a danger of migration. Key words: One-lung ventilation; Infant; Endobronchial blocker