cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Use of Re-irradiation in Locally Recurrent, Non-metastatic Rectal Cancer.

The optimal approach to patients with locally recurrent, non-metastatic rectal cancer is unclear. This study evaluates the outcomes and toxicity associated with pelvic re-irradiation. Patients undergoing re-irradiation for locally recurrent, non-metastatic, rectal cancer between 2000 and 2014 were identified. Acute and late toxicities were assessed using common terminology criteria for adverse events version 4.0. Disease-related endpoints included palliation of local symptoms, surgical outcomes, and local progression-free survival (PFS), distant PFS and overall survival (OS) using the Kaplan–Meier method. Thirty-three patients met the criteria for inclusion in this study. Two (6 %) experienced early grade 3+ toxicity and seven (21 %) experienced late grade 3+ toxicity. Twenty-three patients presented with symptomatic local recurrence and 18 (78 %) reported symptomatic relief. Median local PFS was 8.7 (95 % CI 3.8–15.2) months, with a 2-year rate of 15.7 % (4.1–34.2), and median time to distant progression was 4.4 (2.2–33.3) months, with a 2-year distant PFS rate of 38.9 % (20.1–57.3). Median OS time for patients was 23.1 (11.1–33.0) months. Of the 14 patients who underwent surgery, median survival was 32.3 (13.8–48.0) months compared with 13.3 (2.2–33.0) months in patients not undergoing surgery (p = 0.10). A margin-negative (R0) resection was achieved in 10 (71 %) of the surgeries. Radiation treatment modality (intensity-modulated radiation therapy, three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy, intraoperative radiation therapy) did not influence local or distant PFS or OS. Re-irradiation is a beneficial treatment modality for the management of locally recurrent, non-metastatic rectal cancer. It is associated with symptom improvement, low rates of toxicity, and similar benefits among radiation modalities.
The role of defective cytomegalovirus particles in the induction of host cell DNA

Abstract Cytomegalovirus (CMV)-induced stimulation of cellular DNA synthesis was studied by autoradiography-immunofluorescence in susceptible human embryonic lung (HEL) cells in which DNA synthesis had been suppressed by serum starvation or treatment with 5-fluorouracil. Those cells in the culture which had been stimulated to synthesize detectable amounts of cellular DNA between 24 and 48 hr did not synthesize detectable amounts of viral antigens even as late as 96 hr postinfection, indicating that infection was abortive in these cells. To determine the role of defective CMV particles in the stimulation of cellular DNA synthesis, the ability of populations of virions obtained after undiluted serial passage to induce host cell DNA synthesis was compared to that of populations of recently plaque-purified virions. Stocks obtained after amplification at low multiplicity of three individual plaques were all poor inducers of cellular DNA synthesis. On the other hand, undiluted, serially passaged CMV stocks were very effective in stimulating cellular DNA synthesis. After low doses of uv irradiation the ability of standard virus stocks to induce host cell DNA synthesis also increased; stimulation of cellular DNA was apparent even at uv doses which eliminated by more than 99.5% the ability of the virus to induce the synthesis of viral antigens. We conclude that CMV particles that are incapable of giving rise to the synthesis of detectable amounts of either early or late viral antigens and that are presumably defective are present in standard CMV stocks and play an important role in the stimulation of cellular DNA synthesis in susceptible cells.
Network governance and performance measures: Challenges in collaborative design of hybridized environments

Measuring performance of public goals can be highly complicated considering that, in the achievement of those goals, governments are no longer directly involved in the delivery of goods and services. Hybridization of public functions, purposes and processes has created new challenges by fragmenting public bureaucratic functions into the hands of multiple players, thus complicating measuring and reporting performance outcomes. This article presents the results of a study that examined performance indicators across multiple public agencies in a large municipal county. The purpose was to assess whether performance measures link organizational collective goals. It specifically addresses the following question: How does the governance of multi-actor networks influence the design of performance measures? The study emphasizes a need for the design of interlinked performance measures in a large networked environment. The findings indicate that design of performance measures remains insular to the organization and...
Nonoperative Treatment of Sports Hernia

Sports hernia is a poorly defined entity that can often cause extended time away from athletics. The differential for groin pain is extensive and diagnosing a sports hernia can often be difficult. Patients will present with activity-related groin pain that tends to be relieved by rest. Physical exam findings can be subtle and at times MRI is needed to aid in diagnosis. Treatment for sports hernia has also been controversial. Conservative therapy for 6–8 weeks that includes both manual techniques and active physical therapy is the ideal way to start. Therapy should focus mostly on strengthening the adductors, hips, and core. Alternative treatments can also be explored, including injection therapy, if other techniques are not successful and surgical treatment is also an option to be considered if failing conservative therapy.
Appreciation, Analysis, and Critique: The Oxford Handbook of Religious Conversion and the Future of Conversion Studies

This article provides an introduction to the essays in this issue on the Oxford Handbook of Religious Conversion, edited by Lewis Rambo and Charles Farhadian. After briefly discussing the origins of these essays in a session sponsored by the Religious Conversions Group at the 2015 American Academy of Religion annual meeting, as well as some of the broad historical trends and problems in the study of conversion(s), the essay provides a summary of each author’s contributions and suggests that one particular topic—healing—deserves more attention in the study of conversion than it has heretofore enjoyed.
Structural Match of Heterogeneously Nucleated Mn(OH)2(s) Nanoparticles on Quartz under Various pH Conditions.

The early nucleation stage of Mn (hydr)oxide on mineral surfaces is crucial to understand its occurrence and the cycling of nutrients in environmental systems. However, there are only limited studies on the heterogeneous nucleation of Mn(OH)2(s) as the initial stage of Mn (hydr)oxide precipitation. Here, we investigated the effect of pH on the initial nucleation of Mn(OH)2(s) on quartz. Under various pH conditions of 9.8, 9.9, and 10.1, we analyzed the structural matches between quartz and heterogeneously nucleated Mn(OH)2(s). The structural matches were calculated by measuring the lateral and vertical dimensions using grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering and atomic force microscopy (AFM), respectively. We found that a poorer structural match occurred at a higher pH than at a lower pH. The faster nucleation under a higher pH condition accounted for the poorer structural match observed. By fitting the structural match using classical nucleation theory, we also calculated the interfacial energy be...
"Their Shadows Still Walk with Us": Mapping a Decolonial Cartography of Struggle with Ingrid Washinawatok El-Issa

This paper maps a cartography of struggle to document the dynamic, living legacy of Menominee leader Ingrid Washinawatok El-Issa and her contribution to the decolonial possibilities of transnational Indigenous feminism. I propose that mapping a cartography of struggle is a useful way for movements to consider how the past informs the present and future possibilities of resistance and decoloniality.
Pyrimethamine Does Not Diminish Lymphoproliferation in MRL/lpr−/− Mice and Patients with Autoimmune Lymphoproliferative Syndrome (ALPS).

Abstract ALPS is an inherited disorder of lymphocyte apoptosis leading to childhood onset of chronic lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, autoimmunity, and an increased risk of lymphoma in a subset of patients with mutations in the intracellular domain of Fas (ALPS Type Ia). Similarly, MRL/lpr −/− mice are homozygous for Fas mutations and develop massive lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly associated with hypergammaglobulinemia, glomerulonephritis, and expansion of TCR αβ+, CD4−/CD8−double-negative (DN) T cells that are pathognomonic of ALPS. There remain no proven therapies for the lymphoproliferation underlying ALPS itself, although investigators in Europe reported that some children with ALPS showed reductions in spleen and lymph node sizes while on a weekly regimen of pyrimethamine/sulfadoxine (Fansidar@) (Br J Haematol. 2002; 117:176). However, in vitro studies using stimulated human PBMCs, revealed that lymphocyte apoptosis is induced by the antifolate agent, pyrimethamine (Pyr) at an EC50 of 2.5ug/mL, and not sulfadoxine. This suggested that Pyr alone might prove clinically beneficial, thus avoiding risks of allergy and hypersensitivity associated with sulfa drugs. Hence, studies were conducted in the MRL/lpr−/− murine model of ALPS with Pyr alone given 2mg/kg twice weekly by gavage for 8 weeks, and in combination with sulfadoxine. Neither Pyr nor Fansidar yielded significant shrinkage of lymphoid mass in mice. A pilot study of the safety and efficacy of Pyr was conducted under an FDA IND in 6 children with ALPS Type 1a and one with ALPS Type III (with no identifiable mutation). Aged 6 to 17 yrs (median; 13 y), these 6 males and 1 female patient were enrolled following informed consent to be treated with oral Pyr at escalating doses (25–50mg) given twice weekly for 12 weeks. Computerized tomography was done before and after treatment to determine whether these patients would show 40 and 50% reductions in the sizes of their lymphadenopathy and/or splenomegaly, respectively. Lymph node sizes were assessed as sums of the bi-dimensional products of 3 to 5 nodes. Spleen sizes were measured as products of their craniocaudal and anterioposterior dimensions at the superior mesenteric artery level, as well as spleen volumes computed by digital image processing. The effects of treatment on other well-defined laboratory features of ALPS were also assessed. Pyr was discontinued after 11 days in one patient due to skin rash. Dose escalation was interrupted transiently in 3 others because of neutropenia, aphthous ulcer, or leucopenia. There were no significant changes in study outcome measures. The aggregate experience with Pyr and Fansidar in mice, as well as with Pyr alone in ALPS patients (Table) lead us to conclude that these agents do not manifest sufficient effectiveness to warrant larger trials.
Recent developments in nucleon-nucleus interactions at intermediate energies

Some recent experimental results and theoretical calculations on elastic, inelastic and quasi‐elastic scattering, and on the pickup reaction are discussed: p‐4He and p‐3He elastic scattering, comparison of p‐d and p‐4He backward scattering, the 12C(p,d)11C* reaction, elastic scattering from the isotopes of calcium, elastic and inelastic scattering from several elements, quasi‐elastic knock‐out of alpha particles from nuclei.
Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Bile Acid Analogues Inhibitory to Clostridium difficile Spore Germination.

Standard antibiotic-based strategies for the treatment of Clostridium difficile infections disrupt indigenous microbiota and commonly fail to eradicate bacterial spores, two key factors that allow recurrence of infection. As an alternative approach to controlling C. difficile infection, a series of bile acid derivatives have been prepared that inhibit taurocholate-induced spore germination. These analogues have been evaluated in a highly virulent NAP1 strain using optical density and phase-contrast microscopy assays. Heterocycle substitutions at C24 were well-tolerated and several tetrazole-containing derivatives were highly potent inhibitors in both assays, with complete inhibition of spore germination observed at 10–25 μM. To limit intestinal absorption, C7-sulfated analogues designed to avoid active and passive transport pathways were prepared. One of these derivatives, compound 21b, was found to be a potent inhibitor of C. difficile spore germination and poorly permeable in a Caco-2 model of intestina...
Elastic Stress in Flared-Edge Cylindrical Shells

The theory of elastic, homogeneous, isotropic, thin cylindrical shells under axial symmetric loading is well-know (1). However, the coupling effects of simultaneously applied edge moments, radial shear, and axial loads have not been studied and numerical results applicable to practical cases where edge restraint conditions are uncertain are still lacking. Although the flared edge design is much more economical than welded flat flanges, the penalty is that the vertical load is transmitted to the bottom section through the offset distance, e, to the middle surface of the shell wall. The resulting elastic stresses due to coupled axial forces and bending moments may lead to plastic flow, local buckling, and eventual collapse of such sections. It is the purpose of the present study to predict the coupled elastic stresses that yield upper bounds on the unbuckled stress states.
CIVL solutions to verifythis 2016 challenges

The VerifyThis 2016 program verification competition was held in April, 2016. The competition presented three verification challenges: the first dealt with matrix multiplication, including the correctness of Strassen's algorithm; the second dealt with Morris' tree traversal algorithm, and the third required verification of a multithreaded tree barrier. In this paper I present solutions using the CIVL (Concurrency Intermediate Verification Language) verifier. CIVL is able to verify each program within small but non-trivial bounds. The solutions are relatively simple, and are presented in full.
Abstract WP345: ‘Palliative Care Encounter’ for Stroke Patients in US

Background: Patients with stroke have a high risk of death, physical and cognitive impairments and therefore have a high degree of palliative care (PC) needs. The goal of this study is to explore the prevalence of and associations with PC consultation in stroke patients across the country. Methods: Using the 2010-2012 Nationwide Inpatient Sample database, we reviewed all patients discharged with stroke (based on ICD-9 codes) from 2010-2012. Strokes were sub-classified as ischemic, intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). We collected information on demographics, outcome and presence of a “Palliative Care encounter” as defined by the ICD-9 code V66.7. Results: Overall, there were 395,411 stroke patients with a mean age of 70.11 (SD 16), 52% were female and 69% white. The majority of patients had ischemic strokes (86%) followed by ICH (10%) and SAH (4%). A PC encounter was found in 24,642 patients (6.2%) and was more common in patients with older age, hemorrhagic stroke types, those discharged from larger hospitals and in more recent years (all p Conclusions: PC encounters are becoming more common for stroke patients, especially in larger hospitals and are strongly associated with hospital death (i.e. more common used in more severe strokes). The unequal distribution across age, gender, stroke type and race suggests a need for more standardized methods to identify patient’s need for PC consultation such as validated PC consultation triggers.
Increased levels of IgA and IgA deposition in kidney glomeruli of influenza infected ST6Gal I deficient mice (93.38)

ST6Gal I, a glycosyltransferase highly expressed by B cells, catalyzes the addition of alpha-2, 6 sialic acid to galactose (Siaα2-6Gal), a modification found on N-linked glycoproteins. Aberrant glycosylation has been associated with the pathogenesis of IgA nephropathy (IgAN), a disease characterized by immune complex deposits in the glomerular mesangium, which can lead to end-stage renal failure in 20-40% of diagnosed patients. Previously, we have shown that ST6Gal I-/- mice infected with influenza A/HKx31 demonstrated profound impairment in the generation of viral-specific humoral responses, although memory IgG responses were mostly normal. We now show that influenza infected ST6Gal I-/- mice had higher levels of influenza-specific IgA and total IgA in sera at memory compared to WT mice. Additionally, we observed increased deposition of IgA in the glomeruli of kidneys of ST6Gal I-/- mice, although no differences were noted in urinalysis. These data suggest that loss of expression of an alpha-2,6 sialyltransferase, together with influenza viral infection, can contribute to increased deposition of IgA in mouse kidney glomeruli, and may contribute to the pathogenesis of one of the most common forms of glomerulonephritis in humans.
VeriTable: Fast Equivalence Verification of Multiple Large Forwarding Tables

Due to network practices such as traffic engineering and multi-homing, the number of routes-also known as IP prefixes-in the global forwarding tables has been increasing significantly in the last decade and continues growing in a super linear trend. One of the most promising solutions is to use smart Forwarding Information Base (FIB) aggregation algorithms to aggregate the prefixes and convert a large table into a small one. Doing so poses a research question, however, i.e., how can we quickly verify that the original table yields the same forwarding behaviors as the aggregated one? We answer this question in this paper, including addressing the challenges caused by the longest prefix matching (LPM) lookups. In particular, we propose the VeriTable algorithm that can employ a single tree/trie traversal to quickly check if multiple forwarding tables are forwarding equivalent, as well as if they could result in routing loops or black holes. The VeriTable algorithm significantly outperforms the state-of-the-art work for both IPv4 and IPv6 tables in every aspect, including the total running time, memory access times and memory consumption.
Diagnostic laboratory standardization and validation of platelet transmission electron microscopy.

Platelet transmission electron microscopy (PTEM) is considered the gold standard test for assessing distinct ultrastructural abnormalities in inherited platelet disorders (IPDs). Nevertheless, PTEM...
APPRAISAL OF MEDIUM- AND LONG-TERM TREATMENT OF GASTROPARESIS AND CHRONIC INTESTINAL DYSMOTILITY

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the medium- and long-term treatment of patients with gastroparesis and chronic intestinal dysmotility (CID). This assessment is timely, inasmuch as several treatment trials have been published within the past 2 yr, necessitating an appraisal of the outcome of treatments. METHODS Literature review based on Medline Search using key words: gastroparesis, chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction, enteral nutrition, feeding jejunostomy, prokinetics, gastric atony, gastrectomy, Roux-Y gastrectomy. RESULTS Restoration of nutrition can be achieved orally, enterally, or parenterally, depending on the severity of the clinical syndrome. Combinations of antiemetics and prokinetics are useful for symptomatic and objective benefits. Intravenous erythromycin is chiefly beneficial in the acute presentation. The weight of current evidence favors cisapride as the prokinetic of choice in the medium and long term. Surgical approaches are restricted to providing a means for decompression, access to the small bowel for nutrition, and resection for localized disease or completion of gastrectomies for atony after gastric surgery. CONCLUSION More rational choices of access for nutritional supplementation, selection of prokinetic agents, and indications for surgical treatment can be made on the basis of clinical experience and published studies; however, several unanswered questions remain and call for further outcome-based studies in patients with gastroparesis and CID.
Milk Proteins | Casein Nomenclature, Structure, and Association

This article deals with the recent developments in the nomenclature, classification, structures, and associations of the major milk proteins: the caseins. Identification of the caseins continues to be based upon their primary structures. Sequence alignment of the bovine caseins has made them the reference point for the nomenclature of all homologous milk proteins from other species. Significant findings related to the structure of the caseins include the development of three-dimensional models for all four major caseins and new insights into their structure and function by the application of an overall ‘New View’ of protein structure to these milk proteins. Recent findings in the area of casein associations include the discovery that two of the caseins after isolation and some modification can form amyloid structures similar to those found in diseases of the brain and the in vitro action of caseins as chaperones. The binding of minerals to the caseins is reviewed and a mechanism for calcium precipitation of caseins is given. Finally, the importance of strong protein–protein interactions in milk synthesis and protein functionality are stressed.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands (Koninkrijk der Nederlanden)

The modern history of the Netherlands dates back to 1579, when the Dutch United Provinces declared their independence from Spain. During the seventeenth century, the Netherlands became a leading seafaring and commercial power, with settlements and colonies around the world. After a 20-year French occupation, the Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815, which included the region, which is now Belgium, which seceded in 1830 and formed a separate kingdom.
Ultrasound-Guided Morcellation During Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate.

Background: Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) has emerged as an accepted standard of care for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. This surgery relies on morcellation of the prostate adenoma once enucleation of the transition zone has been completed. Caution is required during this portion of the operation, as engaging bladder mucosa within the morcellator can result in bladder injury, a rare but potentially catastrophic complication of HoLEP. Morcellation of the prostatic tissue can be additionally challenging if visualization is poor from either equipment failure or increased bleeding from a highly vascularized prostate. Case Presentation: We report the case of a 66-year-old Caucasian man with an estimated 158 g prostate who underwent HoLEP at our institution. Enucleation was uneventful; however, upon placement of the nephroscope to begin morcellation, it was immediately evident that the lens of the nephroscope was damaged as there was extremely poor visualization. Without a replacement nephroscope available, this would have normally resulted in aborting the case and returning another day to complete the morcellation. Concurrent bladder ultrasonography was performed and allowed for additional visual feedback to the operator, helping guide the morcellator to safely engage the enucleated adenoma and complete the operation. Conclusion: This case report demonstrates the ability of performing the morcellation portion of HoLEP mainly with the visualization provided by concurrent bladder ultrasonography. By providing additional imaging feedback to the operator, ultrasound can be a complementary tool to assist in safely performing morcellation in situations of suboptimal cystoscopic visualization during HoLEP.
Validation of a global model of taphonomic bias using geologic radiocarbon ages

Temporal frequency distributions of radiocarbon ages from archaeological sites can be used as a proxy record for human paleodemography after correction for taphonomic bias, or the time dependent loss of sediments due to erosion. Surovell et al. (2009) presented a global taphonomic correction model based on radiocarbon ages from volcanic deposits that has since been used by several researchers for paleodemographic reconstructions. This method is based on the assumption that the best indicator of relative human population density over time is not the absolute abundance of archaeological materials over time but, instead, the abundance of cultural material relative to geologic contexts in which those materials can occur. To verify the Surovell et al. model, in this paper we take 2457 radiocarbon ages from geologic contexts collected from published literature to create an independent model of taphonomic bias. We find that between 1 and 39 ka, the two curves are largely indistinguishable, but that they diverge in recent times. This suggests that current global models of taphonomic correction can be used to reconstruct human populations for the late Quaternary, but that demographic reconstructions remain challenging for the most recent two millennia.
Obstetrician-Gynecologists' Role Conflict in a Natural Disaster: Professional Versus Family Responsibilities.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to evaluate role conflict between professional and familial responsibilities among obstetric health care providers during a natural disaster between those required to stay in the hospital versus those who were at home during a catastrophic weather event. METHODS A survey was used of obstetric attending and resident physicians in the Baylor College of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology following Hurricane Harvey on August 26, 2017. RESULTS Ninety one of 103 physicians (88%) completed the survey. Survey responses were compared between physicians who worked in the hospital (n = 47) versus those who were at home (n = 44) during the storm and its immediate aftermath. Physicians in the hospital and at home agreed (47% and 48%, respectively, P = 0.94) that professional duties conflicted with family obligations and felt torn (49% and 55%, respectively, P = 0.48) regarding family obligations. A majority of homebound health care providers disagreed with the statement that professional duties override family responsibilities, whereas less than half of in-hospital providers felt the same (68% at-home versus 47% of the hospital-team, P = 0.10). CONCLUSION As organizations prepare for possible catastrophic situations, institutions must realize that obstetric health care providers will experience role conflict between professional and family responsibilities. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:33-37).
First-Principle Dynamic Electro-Thermal Numerical Model of a Scanning Radiometer for Earth Radiation Budget Applications

Earth Observing instruments that are used to monitor the incoming solar and outgoing longwave radiation from low-Earth orbit, have been a crucial part of studying the Earth's radiation budget during the past three decades. Instruments such as these go through several robust design phases followed by vigorous ground calibration campaigns to set their baseline characterization spectrally, spatially, temporally and radiometrically. The knowledge gained from building and calibrating these instruments has aided in technology advancements as the need for developing more accurate instruments has increased. In order to understand the instrument prelaunch performance, NASA Langley Research Center has partnered with the Thermal Radiation Group at Virginia Tech to develop a first-principle, dynamic electro-thermal, numerical model of a scanning radiometer that can be used to enhance the interpretation of an Earth radiation budget-like instrument on orbit. This contribution summarizes the current state of efforts to develop this high-fidelity end-to-end model and while highlighting its possible application to an Earth radiation budget instrument.
The EU, CARIFORUM, and CELAC: A New Development Alliance?

The chapter argues that a bi-regional economic, political, and strategic relationship between the European Union (EU) and Latin America and the Caribbean can reverse the negative consequences being experienced by both regions of a post-World War II American-centered North Atlantic alliance. Such a relationship can replicate the benefits that propelled China’s global emergence based on the development of an Asian regional network. The normative power of Europe’s progressive form of social democracy makes the EU an attractive bi-regional partner, notwithstanding the central role it played in a US-centered North Atlantic alliance of neocolonial imperialism that devastated the political economies of the Latin American and the Caribbean region.
Management of Fecal Incontinence

Fecal incontinence has a significant impact on the quality of life for affected patients. Affecting predominantly women, multiparity, previous anorectal surgery, obesity, and chronic diarrhea are risk factors. Dietary modification is likely the most significant factor. Surgical options are limited, but even measures such as colostomy can significantly improve the quality of life for patients with severe incontinence.
Construction of Genetic Logic Gates Based on the T7 RNA Polymerase Expression System in Rhodococcus opacus PD630.

Rhodococcus opacus PD630 (R. opacus) is a nonmodel, Gram-positive bacterium that holds promise as a biological catalyst for the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to value-added products. In par...
YouTube use among dental students for learning clinical procedures: A multi‐institutional study

Introduction The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of YouTube as a learning tool for clinical procedures among third- and fourth-year dental students. Methods A multiple choice survey was distributed through Qualtrics to third- and fourth-year dental students at 5 United States dental schools. Questions pertaining to YouTube use were asked related to the following categories: demographic information, general YouTube use, YouTube use as a tool to learn clinical procedures, YouTube video sharing, and validity. Descriptive and quantitative analyses were performed. Results Data were collected in 2019 and 2020 from 479 third- and fourth-year dental students (overall response rate 28.3%). Respondents ranged in age from under 23 to over age 50. Ninety-five percent of respondents considered YouTube videos on clinical procedures to be a helpful learning tool, and 89% would like for their dental school to post tutorials to YouTube/social media. No statistically significant differences were found between dental institutions; however, a statistically significant difference between third- and fourth-year students did exist regarding the frequency of YouTube use. While the use of YouTube as a learning tool for clinical procedures is high, 36% of students are uncertain about the evidence-base of the videos. Conclusions As dental students use publicly available resources as adjuncts to the dental curriculum, it is important to analyze the quality of the material accessed. These findings may suggest a need for dental institutions to increase the development of evidence-based instructional videos as a part of their clinical educational curriculums.
Incorporation of radioactive label into nucleic acids of compatible and incompatible pollen tubes of Lilium longiflorum Thunb.

Stylar canal cells of Lilium longiflorum were labeled before pollination with 5-3H-uridine or 5-3H-orotic acid dissolved in water, or the stylar canal was filled 6 hr after pollination with stigmatic exudate supplemented with 5-3H-uridine, 2-14C-uridine or H332PO4. Nucleic acids extracted from compatible and incompatible pollen tubes grown in these styles were separated by methylated albumin kieselguhr column chromatography. Label occurred in all portions of the RNA profile, but no label appeared in the DNA peak. Using 5-3H-uridine, pollen tubes of different genotype had different labeling patterns.
Guanine–adenine interactions in DNA tetranucleotide cation radicals revealed by UV/vis photodissociation action spectroscopy and theory

Hydrogen-rich cation radicals (GATT + 2H)+˙ and (AGTT + 2H)+˙ represent oligonucleotide models of charged hydrogen atom adducts to DNA. These tetranucleotide cation radicals were generated in the gas phase by one-electron reduction of the respective (GATT + 2H)2+ and (AGTT + 2H)2+ dications in which the charging protons were placed on the guanine and adenine nucleobases. We used wavelength-dependent UV/Vis photodissociation in the valence-electron excitation region of 210-700 nm to produce action spectra of (GATT + 2H)+˙ and (AGTT + 2H)+˙ that showed radical-associated absorption bands in the near-UV (330 nm) and visible (400-440 nm) regions. Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics and density-functional theory calculations were used to obtain and rank by energy multiple (GATT + 2H) dication and cation-radical structures. Time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations of excited-state energies and electronic transitions in (GATT + 2H)+˙ were augmented by vibronic spectra calculations at 310 K for selected low-energy cation radicals to provide a match with the action spectrum. The stable product of one-electron reduction was identified as having a 7,8-dihydroguanine cation radical moiety, formed by intramolecular hydrogen atom migration from adenine N-1-H. The hydrogen migration was calculated to have a transition state with a low activation energy, Ea = 96.5 kJ mol-1, and positive activation entropy, ΔS‡ = 75 J mol-1 K-1. This allowed for a fast isomerization of the primary reduction products on the ion-trap time scale of 150 ms that was substantially accelerated by highly exothermic electron transfer.
Advances in Readout Techniques for Arrays of Superconducting Nanowire Single-Photon Detectors

We present recent advances in multi-channel superconducting nanowire single-photon detector readout. In particular, we focus on row-column multiplexing of kilopixel SNSPD arrays, row-column multiplexing using thermal coupling, and prospects for frequency multiplexing at optical wavelengths.
Cracking Prosody in Articulatory Phonology

Articulatory Phonology advances an account of phonological structure in which dynamically defined vocal tract tasks—gestures—are simultaneously and isomorphically units of cognitive representation ...
Thyroid Eye Disease, Teprotumumab, and Hearing Loss: An Evolving Role for Otolaryngologists:

Teprotumumab is a human monoclonal antibody and IGF-1R (insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor) inhibitor approved for treatment of thyroid eye disease in adults. Recent clinical trials have demonst...
Fluoroscopic versus CT-guided cortical bone trajectory pedicle screw fixation: Comparing trajectory related complications.

Abstract Cortical bone trajectory (CBT) pedicle screw fixation is an emerging technique for treatment of degenerative spine disease which requires either intraoperative fluoroscopy or intraoperative CT guidance (iCT). To date, there has been no direct comparison of these two navigation modalities; here we compare fluoroscopic versus iCT navigation for CBT pedicle screw fixation. We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent CBT screw fixation with either fluoroscopic or iCT guidance for lumbar degenerative disease by the senior author. Trajectory-related complications such as medial or lateral breach were compared on postoperative CT, in addition to the incidence of trajectory-related dural tear. We also compared general surgical complications such as postoperative infection and decompression related durotomies. Thirty-eight patients (19 fluoroscopic, 19 CT-guided) who underwent placement of 182 cortical screws (88 fluoroscopic, 94 CT-guided) were identified. In terms of trajectory-related complications, the iCT cohort had fewer medial breaches (1/94) compared to the fluoroscopic cohort (6/88) (p = 0.05). Each group had one lateral breach (p = 0.73). There was one case of CSF leak from screw placement in the fluoroscopic cohort, but none in the iCT cohort (p = 0.48). Overall, there were eight trajectory-related complications in the fluoroscopic cohort versus two in the iCT cohort (p = 0.04). Our data suggests statistically significant decreased trajectory-related complications with iCT-guided CBT screw fixation as compared to fluoroscopically guided. In terms of general surgical complications, while we observed increased postoperative infections in our fluoroscopic cohort, there was no statistically significant difference.
Ankle-Brachial Index and Subsequent Risk of Severe Ischemic Leg Outcomes: The ARIC Study.

Background Ankle‐brachial index (ABI) is used to identify lower‐extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD). However, its association with severe ischemic leg outcomes (eg, amputation) has not been i...
Settler State, Guerrilla War and Rural Underdevelopment in Rhodesia

[The designation “Rhodesia” is used to distinguish the colonial state, with which this article is concerned, from the future decolonized “Zimbabwe”. Readers interested in a less theoretical but more closely documented version of the arguments presented in this paper, plus analysis of the options and prospects for the administration of rural development in Zimbabwe, are referred to Beyond Community Development: The Political Economy of Rural Administration in Zimbabwe (London, Catholic Institute for International Relations, 1978, 64 pp.) by the same author.]
Query Complexity of Correlated Equilibrium

We study lower bounds on the query complexity of determining correlated equilibrium. In particular, we consider a query model in which an n-player game is specified via a black box that returns players' utilities at pure action profiles. In this model, we establish that in order to compute a correlated equilibrium, any deterministic algorithm must query the black box an exponential (in n) number of times.
An anonymous authentication scheme for identification card

This paper presents the concept of anonymous identification card, a technique enabling a card holder to demonstrates his/her authenticity without disclosing real identity. Anonymous identification card can be used in settings in which people need to demonstrate their eligibility to do certain things, meanwhile they are sensitive to their privacy, not hoping to disclose their identity information to a verifier. We proposed an efficient anonymous authentication scheme for this anonymous identification card, with the support of rogue card revocation. The most advantage of our scheme is its simplicity and efficiency such that all computation can be carried out by a resource-limited identification card. We proved our scheme is secure under the strong RSA assumption and the decisional Diffie-Hellman assumption.
A new pseudorandom generator from collision-resistant hash functions

We present a new hash-function-based pseudorandom generator (PRG). Our PRG is reminiscent of the classical constructions iterating a function on a random seed and extracting Goldreich-Levin hardcore bits at each iteration step. The latest PRG of this type that relies on reasonable assumptions (regularity and one-wayness) is due to Haitner et al. In addition to a regular one-way function, each iteration in their "randomized iterate" scheme uses a new pairwise-independent function, whose descriptions are part of the seed of the PRG. Our construction does not use pairwise-independent functions and is thus more efficient, requiring less computation and a significantly shorter seed. Our scheme's security relies on the standard notions of collision-resistance and regularity of the underlying hash function, where the collision-resistance is required to be exponential. In particular, any polynomial-time adversary should have less than 2−n/2 probability of finding collisions, where n is the output size of the hash function. We later show how to relax the regularity assumption by introducing a new notion that we call worst-case regularity, which lower bounds the size of primages of different elements from the range (while the common regularity assumption requires all such sets to be of equal size). Unlike previous results, we provide a concrete security statement.
Engineering On-Chip Thermal Effects

Temperature effects can be used to maliciously affect the behavior of digital crypto-circuits. For example, temperature effects can create covert communication channels, and they can affect the stability of physical unclonable functions (PUFs). This talk observes that these thermal effects can be engineered, and we describe two techniques. The first technique shows how to filter the information through a covert temperature channel. This leads to detectors for very specific events, for example, someone touching the chip package. The second technique shows how to mitigate the impact of temperature on a PUF design while avoiding costly post-processing. We discuss the design of a compact ring-oscillator PUF for FPGA which is tolerant to temperature variations.
A Bayesian Multivariate Functional Dynamic Linear Model

ABSTRACTWe present a Bayesian approach for modeling multivariate, dependent functional data. To account for the three dominant structural features in the data—functional, time dependent, and multivariate components—we extend hierarchical dynamic linear models for multivariate time series to the functional data setting. We also develop Bayesian spline theory in a more general constrained optimization framework. The proposed methods identify a time-invariant functional basis for the functional observations, which is smooth and interpretable, and can be made common across multivariate observations for additional information sharing. The Bayesian framework permits joint estimation of the model parameters, provides exact inference (up to MCMC error) on specific parameters, and allows generalized dependence structures. Sampling from the posterior distribution is accomplished with an efficient Gibbs sampling algorithm. We illustrate the proposed framework with two applications: (1) multi-economy yield curve data...
Impact of sour gas composition on ignition delay and burning velocity in air and oxy-fuel combustion

Abstract Sour gas is an unconventional fuel consisting mainly of methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) that constitutes a considerable, currently untapped energy source. However, little is known about its combustion characteristics. In this work, we used our recently assembled and validated detailed chemical reaction mechanism to examine some of the combustion properties of sour gas with different compositions in both conventional air combustion and oxy-fuel combustion, the latter being motivated by application in carbon capture and storage. The calculations suggest that raising the H2S content in the fuel leads to relatively small changes in the flame temperature and laminar burning velocity, but a considerable reduction in the ignition delay time. At elevated pressures, H2O diluted oxy-fuel combustion leads to higher burning velocities than CO2 diluted oxy-fuel combustion or air combustion. Mixed CH4/H2S flames exhibit a two-zone structure in which H2S is oxidized completely to sulfur dioxide (SO2) while CH4 is converted to carbon monoxide (CO). Formation of corrosive sulfur trioxide (SO3) mainly occurs during CO burnout.
Sensory feedback in a bump attractor model of path integration

Mammalian spatial navigation systems utilize several different sensory information channels. This information is converted into a neural code that represents the animal's current position in space by engaging place cell, grid cell, and head direction cell networks. In particular, sensory landmark (allothetic) cues can be utilized in concert with an animal's knowledge of its own velocity (idiothetic) cues to generate a more accurate representation of position than path integration provides on its own (Battaglia et al. The Journal of Neuroscience 24(19):4541---4550 (2004)). We develop a computational model that merges path integration with feedback from external sensory cues that provide a reliable representation of spatial position along an annular track. Starting with a continuous bump attractor model, we explore the impact of synaptic spatial asymmetry and heterogeneity, which disrupt the position code of the path integration process. We use asymptotic analysis to reduce the bump attractor model to a single scalar equation whose potential represents the impact of asymmetry and heterogeneity. Such imperfections cause errors to build up when the network performs path integration, but these errors can be corrected by an external control signal representing the effects of sensory cues. We demonstrate that there is an optimal strength and decay rate of the control signal when cues appear either periodically or randomly. A similar analysis is performed when errors in path integration arise from dynamic noise fluctuations. Again, there is an optimal strength and decay of discrete control that minimizes the path integration error.
Cell Interaction in Antibody Synthesis

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the recent observations on the interactions of separate populations of cells from inbred mice and relates these observations to experiments with congenital dysfunction of the immune system in humans and surgical removal of the thymus in mice. The chapter focuses on the three related phenomena: antigenic competition, the carrier effect of multiple antigenic determinants, and the suppressive and enhancing effects of passively administered antibodies. In the past few years, it has been possible to demonstrate with separated cell populations that an interaction between two or more living cells that is required for the antibody response to at least some antigens both in vivo and in vitro . The chapter tabulates the relationship between the phenomenon of antigenic competition and cell interaction. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the significance of thymus-independent antigens and the immune responses in neonatally thymectomized mice and in athymic humans.
A service system with on-demand agent invitations

We consider a service system where agents are invited on-demand. Customers arrive exogenously as a Poisson process and join a customer queue upon arrival if no agent is available. Agents decide to accept or decline invitations after some exponentially distributed random time, and join an agent queue upon invitation acceptance if no customer is waiting. A customer and an agent are matched in the order of customer arrival and agent invitation acceptance under the non-idling condition, and will leave the system simultaneously once matched (service times are irrelevant here). We consider a feedback-based adaptive agent invitation scheme, which controls the number of pending agent invitations, depending on the customer and/or agent queue lengths and their changes. The system process has two components-- `the difference between agent and customer queues' and `the number of pending invitations,' and is a countable continuous-time Markov chain. For the case when the customer arrival rate is constant, we establish fluid and diffusion limits, in the asymptotic regime where the customer arrival rate goes to infinity, while the agent response rate is fixed. We prove the process stability and fluid-scale limit interchange, which in particular imply that both customer and agent waiting times in steady-state vanish in the asymptotic limit. To do this we develop a novel (multi-scale) Lyapunov drift argument; it is required because the process has non-trivial behavior on the state space boundary. When the customer arrival rate is time-varying, we present a fluid limit for the processes in the same asymptotic regime. Simulation experiments are conducted to show good performance of the invitation scheme and accuracy of fluid limit approximations.
Enhanced betatron X-rays from axially modulated plasma wakefields

In the cavitation regime of plasma-based accelerators, a population of high-energy electrons trailing the driver can undergo betatron motion. The motion results in X-ray emission, but the brilliance and photon energy are limited by the electrons' initial transverse coordinate. To overcome this, we exploit parametrically unstable betatron motion in a cavitated, axially modulated plasma. Theory and simulations are presented showing that the unstable oscillations increase both the total X-ray energy and average photon energy.