cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Michigan Surgical Home and Optimization Program is a scalable model to improve care and reduce costs

Background The Michigan Surgical Home and Optimization Program is a structured, home-based, preoperative training program targeting physical, nutritional, and psychological guidance. The purpose of this study was to determine if participation in this program was associated with reduced hospital duration of stay and health care costs. Methods We conducted a retrospective, single center, cohort study evaluating patients who participated in the Michigan Surgical Home and Optimization Program and subsequently underwent major elective general and thoracic operative care between June 2014 and December 2015. Propensity score matching was used to match program participants to a control group who underwent operative care prior to program implementation. Primary outcome measures were hospital duration of stay and payer costs. Multivariate regression was used to determine the covariate-adjusted effect of program participation. Results A total of 641 patients participated in the program; 82% were actively engaged in the program, recording physical activity at least 3 times per week for the majority of the program; 182 patients were propensity matched to patients who underwent operative care prior to program implementation. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that participation in the Michigan Surgical Home and Optimization Program was associated with a 31% reduction in hospital duration of stay (P Conclusion A home-based, preoperative training program decreased hospital duration of stay, lowered costs of care, and was well accepted by patients. Further efforts will focus on broader implementation and linking participation to postoperative complications and rigorous patient-reported outcomes.
Guided Laparoscopic Video Tutorials for Medical Student Instruction in Abdominal Anatomy.

Introduction As technological advances present new forms of media to anatomy educators involved in medical education, there is opportunity to expand on traditional dissection of embalmed cadavers. ...
Whom Can We Trust Now? The Portrayal of Benedict Arnold in American History

"Whom can we trust now?" asked General George Washington, commander in chief of the American Revolution, shortly after learning of the treason committed by the most brilliant soldier of the Revolution, Benedict Arnold. Arnold was Washington's friend, his trusted comrade in the fight for independence. He had lent his considerable talents for leadership to the American cause time and time again since the onset of hostilities with Great Britain, making him one of the colonial army's most valuable officers. In fact, the commander in chief frequently commended Arnold for his "enterprising and persevering spirit" and relied on him for advice and support during the conflict. 1 After Arnold defected to the British, however, Washington was hurt and angry at his friend's betrayal. He was not the only one. Patriots across America lashed out in fury in reaction to Arnold's treason. Their trust had been broken, and to the present day, Americans have difficulty seeing beyond the word traitor when Benedict Arnold's name is mentioned. In the years since Arnold's death, many biographies and articles have been written about him. The tone and perspective of these writings have changed as cultures and attitudes of historians have changed. While examining the historiography of Benedict Arnold, the phrase "whom can we trust now" takes on a whole new meaning. To gain an accurate understanding of who Arnold truly was, scholars must not only study his life, but the forces that shaped his interpreters.
The π Configuration of the WWW Motif of a Short Trp-Rich Peptide Is Critical for Targeting Bacterial Membranes, Disrupting Preformed Biofilms, and Killing Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Tryptophan-rich peptides, being short and suitable for large-scale chemical synthesis, are attractive candidates for developing a new generation of antimicrobials to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria (superbugs). Although there are numerous pictures of the membrane-bound structure of a single tryptophan (W), how multiple Trp amino acids assemble themselves and interact with bacterial membranes is poorly understood. This communication presents the three-dimensional structure of an eight-residue Trp-rich peptide (WWWLRKIW-NH2 with 50% W) determined by the improved two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance method, which includes the measurements of 13C and 15N chemical shifts at natural abundance. This peptide forms the shortest two-turn helix with a distinct amphipathic feature. A unique structural arrangement is identified for the Trp triplet, WWW, that forms a π configuration with W2 as the horizontal bar and W1/W3 forming the two legs. An arginine scan reveals that the WWW motif is essential for kill...
Chemoprevention and Heritable Cancer Risk

Chemoprevention can be defined as the use of specific natural or synthetic chemical agents to reverse, suppress, or prevent the progression of premalignant lesions to invasive carcinoma.1,2,3 Our basic understanding of human carcinogenesis indicates that the process proceeds through multiple discernible stages of molecular and cellular alterations that provide the basis and scientific rationale for clinical cancer chemoprevention. There are, however, a number of unique features of the clinical discipline of primary cancer prevention. First, is the issue of the “target population.” Cancer is a rare disease among individuals who are at usual risk. It is clear, however, that individuals with a family history of the disease, with or without an identified predisposing genetic mutation, constitute a unique target population for primary preventive interventions. It is difficult, though, to determine whether these individuals should be considered “patients,” “subjects,” or “participants.” Labeling healthy individuals as patients carries the potentially negative connotations of illness in all of the behavioral metaphors associated with illness. The creation of new classes of the asymptomatic sick (e.g., considering gene carriers as ill), and the medicalization of conditions for which there may not be a medical solution, have important implications for the predisposed individual’s sense of self identity, health beliefs, and behaviors, and specific social institutions such as health insurance and employment.
Analysis of State-Level Guidance Regarding School-Based, Universal Screening for Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Risk

Despite recommendations to extend prevention and early intervention related to behavioral health into school settings, limited research has been directed toward understanding how these recommendations have been translated by states into education policies and initiatives. This macro-level information is important toward understanding the priorities that have influence on the processes and practices occurring in local school settings. The current paper describes the findings of a systematic review of state-level Web sites to identify the extent to which state departments of education have provided specific guidance with regard to the who, what, where, when, and why of universal social, emotional, and/or behavioral screening practices. Although most state Web sites were found to include some mention of universal screening, in nearly half of the cases, either this was limited to a brief definition or the information provided was not necessarily specific to social, emotional, and/or behavioral domains. For those state-produced documents which did reference universal screening for social, emotional, and/or behavioral risk, those documents were found to be largely informational in nature (e.g., describing what universal screening is, how it might be conducted) as opposed to providing specific recommendations or mandates for implementation. Furthermore, documents varied widely with regard to the level of specificity provided, from those briefly mentioning universal screening as an essential component of MTSS to those specifically describing how universal screening for social, emotional, and/or behavioral risk may be conducted. Implications of these findings for future research, policy, and practice are discussed.
Functional Unfolded Proteins: How, When, Where, and Why?

Recent advances in the sequencing of whole genomes have given fascinating insights into the overall composition of the encoded proteins. Many of the amino acid sequences that have been deduced in this way have highly biased sequences and are predicted to be unfolded. A significant number of these sequences correspond to parts of functional proteins, and in a surprising number of cases, the unstructured regions correspond to the most relevant parts of the protein for function – the actual sites for the binding of activators, repressors, and other ligands. This is particularly true for proteins involved in signaling networks – that is, signal transduction, transcriptional activation, translation, and cell cycle regulation. The intrinsically disordered regions facilitate interactions with multiple binding partners and also provide a means for efficiently dissociating the complex after the signal has been transduced. This article briefly reviews some of the recent experimental evidence from our own and other labs, upon which these conclusions are based.
Design of a Laser RF Modulation Phase Sensitive Scheme for Sensing and Decoding Multimodal Vibration in Large Composite Space Structures

Current designs for large light-weight space structures prompt the need for enhanced damping of the structural system to improve system performance and/or simplify the controls designs. Enhancement of passive damping with local active damping is very desirable. Development of embedded sensors, actuators, and signal processing systems would provide local control superior to passive damping techniques.
Investigational approaches for studying the structures and biological functions of myeloid antimicrobial peptides.

Macrophages and neutrophils are phagocytic leukocytes of myeloid lineage, arising from hematopoietic precursors in the bone marrow. Neutrophils are short-lived cells which are terminally differentiated as they enter the circulation, whereas macrophages derive from circulating monocytes which mature into specialized cells in various tissues including lung, liver and skin. The phagocytic and microbicidal functions of neutrophils and macrophages provide an essential component of the host’s defense against colonization by a diverse spectrum of potential pathogens.
Shape-controlled synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles

Crystals often exhibit particular shapes. It is known that different crystallographic surfaces have different surface properties [1, 2]. For a given crystalline structure of the same material, different crystallographic surfaces have different surface energies (σ ). Generally speaking, for crystallographic planes {111}, {100} and {110}, the relationship σ{111} < σ{100} < σ{110} holds [1]. In bulk materials the effect of differences in surface energies may be of limited significance, but in nanoparticles it can be greatly magnified because of the extremely high specific surface areas of nanoparticles. Shape-controlled nanoparticles may find many applications [1–3]. One application of shape-controlled nanoparticles would be the development of new, property-tailored catalysts [3]. Since surface energies affect adsorption of molecules and their chemical reactions, the shape of nanoparticles may become an important factor in determining reaction pathways and selectivity. The shape of nanoparticles is also important in the fabrication of nanoparticle superlattices [4]. Since they are zero dimension (0-D) materials, nanoparticles can be used as the building blocks for higher dimension materials, such as wires (1-D), monolayers (2-D), and multi-layer structures (3-D). These nanostructured materials are ordered assemblies of nanoparticles whose shapes determine their packing geometry and the ways of packing can affect the properties of the resulting assembly (e.g., its stability) [4, 5]. Recently, several research groups have reported the synthesis of shape-controlled nanoparticles [6–9]. All of those studies were based on liquid colloidal techniques; shape control was achieved by preferential growth of a particular crystallographic surface, either by controlling its growth kinetics or by blocking the un-preferred surfaces with adsorbed species (e.g., polymers). In this letter, we report an aerosol technique for the synthesis of shape-controlled iron oxide nanoparticles. Iron oxide was chosen for this initial study for its important applications in both optical-magnetic recording [10] and catalysis [11]. There exist a variety of techniques for iron oxide nanoparticle synthesis including the flame aerosol process, but shape-control has never been reported. In fact, nanoparticles produced in aerosol processes are typically a mixture of shapes [12–14]. We used a specially designed counterflow diffusion flame (CDF) reactor to synthesize the iron ox-
Transgenic Melon and Squash Expressing Coat Protein Genes of Aphid-borne Viruses do not Assist the Spread of an Aphid Non- transmissible Strain of Cucumber Mosaic Virus in the Field

Transgenic melon and squash containing the coat protein (CP) gene of the aphid transmissible strain WL of cucumber mosaic cucumovirus (CMV) were grown under field conditions to determine if they would assist the spread of the aphid non-transmissible strain C of CMV, possibly through heterologous encapsidation and recombination. Transgenic melon were susceptible to CMV strain C whereas transgenic squash were resistant although the latter occasionally developed chlorotic blotches on lower leaves. Transgenic squash line ZW-20, one of the parents of commercialized cultivar Freedom II, which expresses the CP genes of the aphid transmissible strains FL of zucchini yellow mosaic (ZYMV) and watermelon mosaic virus 2 (WMV 2) potyviruses was also tested. Line ZW-20 is resistant to ZYMV and WMV 2 but is susceptible to CMV. Field experiments conducted over two consecutive years showed that aphid-vectored spread of CMV strain C did not occur from any of the CMV strain C-challenge inoculated transgenic plants to any of the uninoculated CMV-susceptible non- transgenic plants. Although CMV was detected in 3% (22/764) of the uninoculated plants, several assays including ELISA, RT- PCR-RFLP, identification of CP amino acid at position 168, and aphid transmission tests demonstrated that these CMV isolates were distinct from strain C. Instead, they were non-targeted CMV isolates that came from outside the field plots. This is the first report on field experiments designed to determine the potential of transgenic plants expressing CP genes for triggering changes in virus-vector specificity. Our results indicate that transgenic plants expressing CP genes of aphid transmissible strains of CMV, ZYMV, and WMV 2 are unlikely to mediate the spread of aphid non-transmissible strains of CMV. This finding is of practical relevance because transgenic crops expressing the three CP genes are targeted for commercial release, and because CMV is economically important, has a wide host range, and is widespread worldwide.
The Cell Biology of Antigen Processing: A Review

In the last 13 years the major mechanisms whereby the immune system generates an extremely large number of different antibodies and T cell antigen receptors were identified. By contrast, it is only in the last 4 years that any detailed understanding of a third aspect of antigen recognition has emerged; namely, how an antigen presenting cell creates a specific ligand for recognition by the T cell antigen receptor. Fortunately, the methods of molecular and cell biology, combined with current immunological paradigms, offer a unique opportunity to attack the mechanisms of antigen presentation. The following review will attempt to place antigen processing in the context of our current knowledge of the expression of the MHC molecules that serve as “receptors” for immunogenic peptides on the antigen presenting cell (APC) side of an immunologic cell couple.
Joint replacement in X-linked hypophosphatemia.

Abstract X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) is associated with a pervasive, severe degenerative osteoarthritis. We conducted a retrospective chart review/patient survey using the Knee or Hip Osteoarthritis Outcome Score Physical Function Short Form. Fourteen total knee arthroplasties and 7 total hip arthroplasties among 11 patients were included. The mean KOOS-PS score was 31.4 ± 9.7 with a mean follow up of 6.9 years. Mean HOOS-PS score was 14.8 ± 12.9 at a mean follow up of 7.6 years. One knee failed due to aseptic loosening and one hip was revised due to polyethylene wear. In conclusion, total joint arthroplasty is beneficial in XLH.
Play provides social connection for older adults with serious mental illness: A grounded theory analysis of a 10-week exergame intervention

Introduction: The number of older adults with serious mental illness (SMI) is predicted to reach 15 million by 2030. Social isolation is known to contribute to morbidity and mortality, and those with SMI experience more social isolation than older adults in the general population. Social isolation in these older adults is complex and involves factors including organic psychopathology, effects of medications and/or other substances, medical co-morbidity, disability, and social stigma. The burgeoning field of inquiry of exergames, which are video games with gestural interfaces, for older adults has found that they are safe, effective, enjoyable, and may decrease social isolation. This qualitative study was conducted to gain insight into the effects of group exergame play on the psychosocial wellbeing of older adults with SMI.Methods: We explored the psychosocial effects of a 10-week group exergame program for 16 older adults with SMI using grounded theory methodology within a symbolic interactionist framework.Results: Participants experienced positive social contact, engaged in social attunement, and expressed motivation to take risks and face problem-solving and physical challenges. Two interrelated concepts emerged from the integrated data: Social connectedness and competence. The theoretical construct that was abducted from these concepts was that play and playfulness were the vehicle for many interacting social processes to take place.Conclusion: Group play through exergames for older adults with SMI may promote recovery and healthy aging by increasing social integration, improving self-efficacy, and promoting physical health through exercise.
Abstract A190: Mechanisms governing Foxp3-dependent and -independent gene expression in regulatory T-cells in evolutionary distant mice

T regulatory (Treg) cells expressing the forkhead box transcription factor (Foxp3) are important regulators of immunity and play a key role in cancer and metastasis by controlling the activity of effector T-cells. Lineage-specifying transcription factors (TFs) establish cell identity and maintain cell specific transcriptional programs. Foxp3 is a key master TF controlling various Treg cell developmental and functional modalities. Foxp3 deficiency in humans and mice causes a life threatening autoimmune disease, and the enforced expression of Foxp3 in CD4+ T-cells confers suppressor functions. However, our understanding of Treg cell regulation during differentiation in the thymus, and in mature Treg cells in the periphery, whether Foxp3 dependent or independent, is still lacking. Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) may occur within coding genes or noncoding genomic regulatory areas and can have severe phenotypic consequences. We have recently attempted to link SNPs with differential Treg transcriptomic and epigenetic features in humans. However, such studies are limited by their intrinsic correlative nature, and by the limited number of SNPs. Here we use evolutionally distant mice strains C57Bl/6 (B6), CAST/EiJ (Cast) and SPRET/EiJ (Spret), to identify allele-specific imbalances and functional differences in the transcriptional and epigenetic programs during differentiation and in various conditions of Treg cells and their precursors. Using Foxp3 reporter and conditional knockout (KO) systems combined with interbreeding of the evolutionary distant mice strains in vivo, we explore the genetic and molecular mechanisms of Treg cell differentiation and function, employing high-throughput genomic methods including RNA-seq, ATAC-seq and Chip-seq. Such studies may pave a way for the development of novel therapeutic approaches to treat cancer and metastasis. Citation Format: Ariella Glasner, Yi Zhong, Joris Van Der Veeken, Alexander Rudensky. Mechanisms governing Foxp3-dependent and -independent gene expression in regulatory T-cells in evolutionary distant mice [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Fourth CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival; Sept 30-Oct 3, 2018; New York, NY. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2019;7(2 Suppl):Abstract nr A190.
LGBTQ-Inclusive Hospice and Palliative Care: A Practical Guide to Transforming Professional Practice

This book is an important contribution to the literature of patient care of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people and their loved ones, providing a practical framework for delivery of hospice and palliative care for all people.
Chemical and Electrochemical Intercalation of Ions and Molecules into MXenes

MXenes have hydrophilic interlayer spaces that can accommodate a large variety of intercalants. These are typically molecules such as H2O or dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) or ions such as metal or ammonium cations. This chapter summarizes the body of literature that has explored exactly what compositions of intercalants have been studied, the nature and extent of the intercalation process, and the effects on structure of the MXenes and resulting changes to properties. This is of special interest due to MXene’s use in applications and devices involving electrochemical ion intercalation.Alkali, alkaline earth, transition metal, and alkylammonium (AA) cations are reviewed in-depth. The first three groups lead to co-intercalation with H2O molecules dependent upon environmental relative humidity, leading to reversible expansion of the basal spacing. The latter leads to a wide range of changes in basal spacing as a function of the structure and packing of the alkylammonium cations. Both chemical and electrochemical intercalation is discussed, and the material property changes that result are highlighted, ranging from electrical conductivity to mechanical properties.
Multimodality management of brain metastasis from colorectal cancer.

204Background: More than 50% of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients will develop metastatic disease. Brain metastasis (BM) from colorectal cancer is uncommon (0.6-1.36%). This study aims to investigat...
Non-Classical Behavior in Competitive Ion Adsorption at a Charged Solid–Water Interface

Ion adsorption at solid-water interfaces is commonly described by interactions between specific surface sites and adsorbed ions in classical models. However, energetic contributions from non-site-s...
Augmented Reality Animals: Are They Our Future Companions?

Previous research in the field of human-animal interaction has captured the multitude of benefits of this relationship on different aspects of human health. Existing limitations for accompanying pets/animals in some public spaces, allergies, and inability to provide adequate care for animals/pets limits the possible benefits of this relationship. However, the increased popularity of augmented reality and virtual reality devices and the introduction of new social behaviors since their utilization offers the opportunity of using such platforms for the realization of virtual animals and investigation of their influences on human perception and behavior.In this paper, one prior experiment is presented, which was designed to provide a better understanding of the requirements of virtual animals in augmented reality as companions. Through these findings, future research directions are identified and discussed.
Coping, adjustment, and self-concept among siblings of the chronically mentally ill

Seventy-four adult siblings of individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorder were intennewed regarding the effects of coping, social support, premorbid interpersonal closeness, subjective burden, time since onset of the illness, frequency of contact, perceived controllability, and severity of the illness on sibling depression, self-concept, impact on relationships and role functioning. Use of coping was negatively con-elated with impact on relationships; social support was negatively con-elated with depression and positively correlated with self-concept; frequency of contact and subjective burden were positively con-elated with impact on role functioning. There were significant interactions between use of coping and frequency of contact in the prediction of psychological distress and impact on relatfonships. There were significant interactfons between use of coping and perceived severity of the illness in the prediction of depression.
ATAC-seq reveals megabase-scale domains of a bacterial nucleoid

Here we adapted ATAC-seq to probe chromosome accessibility of bacterial cells. We found that the chromosome of Caulobacter crescentus is composed of eight differentially compacted regions we name Chromosomal Accessibility Domains (CADs). This domain structure is depended on the cell cycle stage, DNA gyrase activity, and the nucleoidassociated protein (NAP) GapR, but not on the function of SMC. We show the chromosome is punctuated by four highly transposase-inaccessible transcribed regions (HINTs). The HINTs include Caulobacters ribosomal RNA clusters and its largest ribosomal protein gene cluster. Further, we show that HINTs are also formed by rDNA in E. coli and provide evidence that their high levels of transcription do not strictly govern their formation. Overall, this work argues that physical forces, including those created by the activities of DNA gyrase and specific NAPs, significantly contribute to bacterial nucleoid structure at the megabase scale.
The energy of Russia: hydrocarbon culture and climate change: by Veli-Pekka Tynkkynen, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar, 2019, 153 p., £70.00 (hardback) ISBN 978 1 78897 859 0

Veli-Pekka Tynkkynen’s The Energy of Russia takes a fresh look at Russia’s hydrocarbon culture and projects this into an alternative view of the role Russia could play in a carbon-constrained world...
Association between antecedent statin use and severe disease outcomes in COVID-19: A retrospective study with propensity score matching.

Abstract Background Statins have been associated with a reduction in inflammatory markers and improved endothelial function. Whether statins offer any benefit in COVID-19 needs to be elucidated. Objective To determine the association between antecedent statin use and severe disease outcomes among COVID-19 patients. Methods A retrospective cohort study on 1014 patients with confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis. Outcomes were mortality, need for mechanical ventilation, and intensive care admission. Patients were classified into statin-users vs statin non-users based on antecedent use of statins. Multivariable regression analysis was performed adjusting for confounders such as age, sex, race, BMI, smoking, insurance, and comorbidities. Propensity score matching was performed to achieve a 1:1 balanced cohort. Results A total of 1014 patients (Median age 65 (IQR 53–73); 530 (52.3%) males; 753 (74.3%) African Americans; median BMI 29.4 (IQR 25.1–35.9); 615 (60.7%) with Medicare insurance) were included in the study. About 454 patients (44.77%) were using statins as home medication. Antecedent statin use was associated with significant decrease in mortality in the total cohort (OR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.46 – 0.95; p = 0.03). Among the propensity score matched (PSM) cohort of 466 patients (233 statin users and 233 statin non-users), all the baseline characteristics had similar distribution among the two groups. Statin users had significant reduction in mortality in the PSM cohort as well (OR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.37 – 0.83; p = 0.004). Conclusions Statin use was associated with significant reduction in mortality among COVID-19 patients. These findings support the pursuit of randomized clinical trials to explore the possible benefits of statins in COVID-19.
The Role of Torts in the Fight Against Nonconsensual Pornography

This article argues that the criminal law, in its present form, is woefully inadequate as a means of addressing the harms caused to victims of revenge porn. Instead, such harms are best addressed within the framework of tort law, which can more effectively target the organizations that perpetrate nonconsensual porn and expose patterns of systemic wrongdoing. In Part II, nonconsensual pornography is defined and assessed at the micro, meso, and macro levels. In Part III, the shortcomings of the relevant criminal statutes designed to mitigate nonconsensual pornography are explained. In Part IV, an argument is made that the torts system can be leveraged to achieve better outcomes for victims and undermine the economic engines that encourage the spread of nonconsensual pornography.
Crystallographic texture evolution in electron beam melting additive manufacturing of pure Molybdenum

Abstract Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies offer novel opportunities for processing difficult to cast refractory materials. Electron beam melting (EBM) AM is particularly attractive as the rapidly moving electron beam can be utilized to heat the powder bed which mitigates against some process induced cracking mechanisms. A great deal of prior work has been done to investigate laser based processing of molybdenum but little EBM focused work currently exists. In this work we investigate EBM processed molybdenum and observe sharp 0 0 1 , 1 1 1 , and mixed 0 0 1 & 1 1 1 crystallographic fibers in the build direction. The apparent preference between these build direction fibers is dependent on the imposed energy density and this is likely explained by the weld pool shape. Detailed microscopy reveals that the observed columnar grains consist of much finer equiaxed low angle boundary subgrains suggesting large process induced stresses leading to appreciable plastic deformation. The implications resulting from this work are that molybdenum may be processed crack-free via EBM AM and that fiber-switching may be controlled, and exploited, towards fabricating components with optimized performance.
Synthesis and Steady State Photophysical Property Analysis of Beads on a Chain (BoC) Silsesquioxane Oligomers Containing Arene and Heteroarene Cross-linkers

Silsesquioxane-based materials are garnering considerable attention due to their unique structural and electronic properties which enable use in diverse fields of study. In this article, we investigate a series of hybrid oligomeric materials comprising a silsesquioxane (SQ) backbone linked by conjugated organic cross-linkers and assess their photophysical properties in the steady state absorption and emission realms. Silsesquioxanes improve the thermal and photo stabilities of the organic components, offer enhancements in the molar extinction coefficients of absorption, and have a significant influence on their emission properties. We used Heck cross-coupling reactions to build oligomers with a vinyl/phenylSQ cage backbone linked with a series of different cross-linkers including 2,7-dibromo-9-fluorenone, 2,7-dibromo-9,9-dimethylfluorene, 1,4-dibromo-2,5-dimethoxybenzene, 2,5-dibromopyridine, 2,6-dibromopyridine, 2,3-dibromothiophene, 2,5-dibromothiophene, and 2,5- dibromothieno [3,2-b]thiophene. Each of these linkers showed reasonable conversion to oligomers and exhibited a wide array of fluorescence quantum yield and shifts in the absorption and emission spectra dependent on the variations in substitution position. We confined the study to explore the overall steady state spectral properties of these synthesized hybrid materials in their solution phases. Understanding the basic photophysical processes in these materials will pave the way towards their use in photovoltaic or electroluminescence applications.
Alfalfa Established Successfully in Intercropping with Corn in the Midwest US

Integrating alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) with corn (Zea mays L.) for grain will increase biodiversity, reduce the negative environmental impact of corn monoculture and increase farm profitability. The objectives of this research were to evaluate forage productivity and nutritive value, along with stand establishment of alfalfa in a corn grain system in Iowa, Minnesota, and North Dakota. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with four replicates at each site. Treatments included were: sole corn (i.e., check; T1), sole alfalfa (T2), alfalfa intercropped into corn (T3), a prohexadione-treated alfalfa intercropped with corn (T4), and a spring-seeded alfalfa in the year after intercropping (T5), which was planted in plots with T1 the previous year. All sites had below normal rainfall in 2016 and 2017. Corn grain yield was significantly lower when intercropped with alfalfa (T3 and T4) compared with the check corn crop (no alfalfa, T1). Corn grain yield reduction ranged from 14.0% to 18.8% compared with the check (T1). Corn biomass yield was reduced by intercropped alfalfa (T3 and T4) by 15.9% to 25.8%. In the seeding year, alfalfa seasonal forage yield was significantly greater when corn competition was absent in all environments. The intercropped alfalfa from the previous season (T3 and T4) had almost double the forage yield than the alfalfa in the seeding year (spring-seeded alfalfa; T5). In the second production year, there were no meaningful forage yield differences (p > 0.05) across all treatments, indicating alfalfa in intercropping systems does not affect forage yield past the first production year. Prohexadione-calcium, a growth regulator, did not affect alfalfa stand density, forage yield and nutritive value. The forage nutritive value was dependent on harvest date not the alfalfa intercropping treatments. Results of our study suggest that establishing alfalfa with corn is feasible and can be a potential alternative for the upper Midwest region. However, when under drought conditions, this system might be less resilient since competition between alfalfa and corn for soil moisture will be intensified under drought or moisture-limited conditions, and this will likely depress corn grain yield. Research targeted to reintroduce perennial crops into the current dominant corn–soybean systems in the US Corn Belt is urgently needed to improve stability and resiliency of production systems.
Public Hospital Bankruptcies and an Evolving Functional Interpretation of the Bankruptcy Code

Analyzing recent hospital chapter 9 bankruptcy cases from all over the country, I argue that courts and parties appear to be using a “functional” interpretation of chapter 9 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code to meet the unique restructuring needs of these debtors and their stakeholders. The result is a chapter 9 regime that looks increasingly like chapter 11. While this evolution in the law underscores the Code’s inherent flexibility and efficiency, it also threatens to dilute essential constitutional safeguards that are deeply embedded in chapter 9. I argue that courts should resist the functional interpretation, and that Congress should amend the Code to provide much-needed clarity.
World literature reviewInterferon for postresection recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma1

In a randomized, controlled trial, 30 hepatitis C virus-infected men who underwent hepatic resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were subsequently randomized to receive either interferon (INF)-alpha (n = 15) or no interferon (n = 15). Eighty percent of patients had hepatitis C virus genotype 1b, and 20% of patients had genotype 2a. Patients in the treatment group were given IFN-alpha, 6 M IU i.m. daily for 2 wk, then three times weekly for 14 wk, and finally twice weekly for 88 wk. The investigators were blinded to the treatment assignment. The median duration of follow-up was approximately 3 and 2.5 yr for the IFN and control groups, respectively. Three patients (15%) did not complete IFN therapy as a result of side effects. In addition, four patients (20%) with recurrence of HCC had their IFN stopped before the end of the study to allow treatment of the tumor. In the IFN group, two patients had sustained viral response, and six had biochemical response. In a survival analysis that included all randomized patients, i.e., “intention to treat,” recurrent HCC was detected in five patients (30%) in the IFN-alpha group and in 12 control patients (80%) (p = 0.037). The difference in the rate of HCC between the groups became apparent only after the first 2 yr of follow-up. The authors concluded that IFN-alpha therapy appears to decrease the recurrence of HCC after resection in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection.
Chapter 38 – Immunology and Immunotherapy of Head and Neck Cancer

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the principles of immunotherapy, current immunotherapeutic strategies, immunology of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), and immunotherapies used to treat HNSCC. HNSCC patients have an abnormally functioning immune system. Studies testing the immune function of patients with HNSCC support the concept of a hierarchy of immunosuppression existing in these individuals. Immune reactivity is maximally suppressed in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, followed in descending order by proximal lymph node lymphocytes, distal LNL, and peripheral blood lymphocytes. The use of immunotherapy in HNSCC has been much slower to progress compared to its use in other cancers. Patients with HNSCC often have immunologic abnormalities, which make it difficult to stimulate the compromised immune system to eradicate the cancer effectively. The earliest attempts at immunotherapy in patients with HNSCC involved the use of nonspecific immune stimulants such as BCG, C. parvum, and various cytokines, which generated mixed and controversial results. Among many different immune-based approaches available today for treating HNSCC, the emphasis has clearly shifted from nonspecific to tumor-specific therapies. With only few tumor-derived epitopes available to date for immunization in HNSCC, new strategies, which utilize apoptotic tumor cells (APTC) or tumor cell lysates and DC as therapeutic vaccines, have been introduced. Immunotherapy might involve genetic manipulations of tumor in situ through intratumoral injections of selected genes to modify the immune response.
B cells are required for CD8 T cell recovery after antibody-mediated depletion (TRAN3P.895)

Antibody-mediated lymphoablation is used as an induction therapy in transplant patients. We investigated the requirements for T cell recovery following lymphoablation in a mouse model of heart transplantation. Memory CD4 T cells are less susceptible to depletion by murine antithymocyte globulin (mATG) than CD8 T cells. Additional CD4 T cell depletion impaired CD8 T cell recovery after mATG treatment in B6 recipients of BALB/c heart allografts and in non-transplanted B6 mice. Treatment with blocking anti-CD154 mAb plus mATG inhibited CD8 T cell recovery, while agonistic anti-CD40 mAb restored memory CD8 T cell expansion after mATG treatment of CD4 T cell depleted recipients. To test whether B cells are required for CD8 T cell recovery, we used B6.huCD20tg mice. Treatment with anti-human CD20 mAb depleted >90% of peripheral B cells and markedly inhibited CD8 T cell expansion in huCD20tg recipients compared to B cell-sufficient mice. Next, B cells were isolated from mATG treated recipients with or without CD4 depletion. In the absence of CD4 T cells, B cells expressed lower levels of MHC class I, CD80, CD86, and TNFα suggesting that both cognate interactions and cytokines promote CD8 T cell expansion. Our results show that CD4 T cell help mediated through B cells and CD40/CD154 interactions drives CD8 T cell reconstitution following antibody-mediated depletion. These findings may be used to improve the efficiency of lymphoablation in sensitized transplant recipients.
Asymmetric Multivariate Laplace Distribution

In this chapter we present the theory of a class of multivariate laws that we term asymmetric Laplace (AL) distributions [see Kozubowski and Podgorski (1999bc), Kotz et al. (2000b)]. The class is an extension of both the symmetric multivariate Laplace distributions and the univariate AL distributions that were discussed in previous chapters. This extension retains the natural, asymmetric, and multivariate features of the properties characterizing these two important subclasses. In particular, the AL distributions arise as the limiting laws in a random summation scheme with i.i.d. terms having a finite second moment, where the number of terms in the summation is geometrically distributed independently of the terms themselves. This class can be viewed as a subclass of hyperbolic distributions and some of its properties are inherited from them. However, to demonstrate an elegant theoretical structure of the multivariate AL laws and also for the sake of simplicity we prefer direct derivations of the results. Thus we provide explicit formulas for the probability density and the density of the Levy measure. The results presented also include characterizations, mixture representations, formulas for moments, a simulation algorithm, and a brief discussion of linear regression models with AL errors.
Low power operating system for heterogeneous wireless communication system

Operating systems in embedded wireless communication increasingly must satisfy a tight set of constraints, such as power and real time performance, on heterogeneous software and hardware architectures. In this domain, it is well understood that traditional general-purpose operating systems are not efficient or in many cases not sufficient. More efficient solutions are obtained with OS's that are developed to exploit the reactive event-driven nature of the domain and have built-in aggressive power management. As proof, we present a comparison between two OS's that target this embedded domain: one that is general-purpose multi-tasking and another that is event-driven. Preliminary results indicate that the event-driven OS achieves an 8x improvement in performance, 2x and 30x improvement in instruction and data memory requirement, and a 12x reduction in power over its general-purpose counterpart. To achieve further efficiency, we propose extensions to the event-driven OS paradigm to support power management at the system behavior, system architecture, and architecture module level. The proposed novel hybrid approach to system power management combines distributed power control with global monitoring.
Using a Genetic Algorithm to Design and Improve Storage Area Network Architectures

Designing storage area networks is an NP-hard problem. Previous work has focused on traditional algorithmic techniques to automatically determine fabric requirements, network topology, and flow routes. This paper presents work performed with a genetic algorithm to both improve designs developed with heuristic techniques and to create new designs. For some small networks (10 hosts, 10 devices, and single-layered) we find that we can create networks which result in savings of several thousand dollars over previously established methods. This paper is the first publication, to our knowledge, to describe the successful application of this technique to storage area network design.
An Introduction to the Comparative Study of Private Law: Readings, Cases, Materials

Introductory Readings: 1. History: English law and Roman law 2. Codification 3. Institutions - Comparative Private Law: Property, Torts, Contracts, Unjust Enrichment Part I. Property Law: 1. Possession 2. Ownership 3. The Doctrine of Necessity Part II. Tort Law: 1. The Scope of the Rights Protected 2. Conduct for Which One is Liable Part III. Contract Law: 1. The Structure of Contract Law 2. Voluntary Commitment 3. Fairness 4. Excuse for Non-Performance 5. Remedies Part IV. Unjust Enrichment: 1. The Principle 2. Unjust Enrichment When the Plaintiff Did Not Lose 3. Unjust Enrichment When it is Doubtful What the Defendant Gained.
Pin assignment with global routing

An algorithm is presented which combines the pin assignment step and the global routing step in the physical design of VLSI circuits. The algorithm is based on two key theorems: the channel pin arrangement theorem and the finite interval decomposition theorem. These two theorems enable the author to deal successfully with the high complexity resulting from combining the pin assignment and global routing steps. According to these two theorems, the author need only generate a coarse pin assignment and global routing topology. The exact pin locations and global solution can later be determined optimally and by a linear time algorithm. The author implemented a pin assignment and global routing package named BeauticianGR based on the proposed algorithm. >
Molekülorbitale sichtbar gemacht

Erstmals gelang es einer Forschergruppe die Wellenfunktion des Bindungselektrons eines Molekuls sichtbar zu machen [1]. Dies lasst nicht nur tiefe Einblicke in die Natur chemischer Bindungen zu, sondern verspricht auch einen entscheidenden Fortschritt im Verstandnis von chemischen Reaktionen.
Synthesis of Oligoribonucleotides Using the 2-Nitrobenzyloxymethyl Group for 2′-Hydroxyl Protection

RNA can be rapidly synthesized using protected ribonucleoside phosphoramidite monomers that carry 2-nitrobenzyloxymethyl groups on their 2-hydroxyls. These protecting groups are removed from the oligoribonucleotide products by exposure to long-wave UV light.
Aspects of digital beam forming errors for radar and communication systems

Due to recent advancements in the development of RF receivers, digital beam forming (DBF) is now being more commonly utilized in radar and communication systems. With its potential for increased flexibility compared to its analog counterpart, DBF is being increasingly relied upon to perform critical functions such as adaptive beam forming for jammer cancellation. The key to realizing the potential of DBF is the accurate sampling and subsequent digitization of the signals incident at the aperture of the antenna system. This paper examines the errors which may occur within the receive chain of a coherent radar or communication system with the goal of obtaining physical insight into their potential impact on radar system performance. Correlated errors not historically considered with centralized analog architectures- a key difference between analog and digital beam forming- are often important for DBF systems as they utilize parallel distributed receivers. The potential impact of antenna polarization and type on a received waveform will be explored using HFSS and MATLAB simulations. A quadrature receiver signal model, which includes amplitude errors and IQ imbalance, is presented and used to demonstrate the impact on Doppler performance and the origin of time side lobes (TSLs). Errors resulting from the non-linear operation of low-noise amplifiers will be considered and the effects of intermodulation investigated by analyzing the degradation of beam forming performance. The generation of spurious signals due to quantization error in an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) will be reviewed and a trade study of frequency, number of bits and sample rate will be completed. It will be shown that given prior knowledge of the existence of certain errors that their impact can be minimized, while some errors such as those generated by non-linear components can create signal distortions that cannot be removed.