cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A NRF Spectra Signature Detection Model Using Local-Global Graphs

The objective of this paper is to develop an NRF signature classifier scheme in order to efficiently and accurately detect and recognize NRF signatures of nuclear material inside a cargo container. In response to this problem we have developed a local-global (LG) graph as the NRF signal representation scheme for efficient matching and on which to build the NRF signature library. Here we also assume that the NRF signals will be "free" of noise after passing a preprocessing step at a previous stage. Thus, the proposed scheme is based on the analysis of an incoming NRF signal and determining its min and max; Then we create the local triangles and express them in a form of local graphs; at the last step we combine local graphs for creating the Local-Global graphs that hold the desirable pattern (signature) of certain material.
Determining whether delayed nonarteritic ischemic optic neuropathy associated with cataract extraction is a true entity

Purpose To evaluate cases of delayed nonarteritic anterior and posterior ischemic optic neuropathy after cataract extraction and to evaluate the need for centralized prospective reporting of nonarteritic ischemic optic neuropathy after cataract extraction. Setting Neuro-ophthalmology Clinics, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Denver, Colorado, USA. Methods A retrospective review of all patients referred to the Neuro-ophthalmology Divisions, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center, from January 2001 to October 2005 was performed. All patients with a diagnosis of nonarteritic anterior or posterior ischemic optic neuropathy were identified. Patients with ischemic optic neuropathy that occurred between 2 months and 12 months after cataract extraction were selected for evaluation. Results Six eyes with nonarteritic ischemic optic neuropathy that occurred 2 to 6 months after cataract extraction in 4 patients (2 bilateral nonarteritic ischemic optic neuropathy) and 1 eye with nonarteritic ischemic optic neuropathy that occurred after 6 months in 1 patient were identified. One patient had nonarteritic ischemic optic neuropathy in 1 eye 3 months after cataract extraction and 4 years later had nonarteritic ischemic optic neuropathy in the fellow eye 5 months after cataract extraction. Follow-up after the last cataract extraction was 1 to 3 years for all patients. Conclusions Although an association between cataract extraction and delayed nonarteritic anterior and posterior ischemic optic neuropathy has been suggested, current data do not support a causal relationship. In addition, the window of postoperative susceptibility for delayed ischemic optic neuropathy after cataract extraction is unclear.
Comparison of in vitro digestive fluid extraction and traditional in vivo approaches as measures of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon bioavailability from sediments

The bioavailability of particle-associated contaminants was measured by a new approach that employs the digestive fluid of deposit feeders to solubilize contaminants in vitro. The proportion of contaminant solubilized by digestive fluid of the polychaete Arenicola brasiliensis was considered a measure of bioavailability and was contrasted with other, more traditional measures (i.e., uptake clearance, bioaccumulation factor, and absorption efficiency). There was generally good agreement among the four methods on the relative bioavailability of benzo[a]pyrene from six sandy sediments. Measures of phenanthrene bioavailability did not show strong correlations due to both a more limited data set and perhaps greater importance of uptake from the dissolved phase. The bioavailability of spiked polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) differed from that of equivalent in situ–contaminated PAH but not in a predictable and consistent manner. By direct measurement of PAH content of recently ingested sediments collected from the foregut, we were able to quantify the importance of particle-selective feeding in increasing PAH content of ingested material relative to the bulk, ambient sediments. In most instances, the effect of selective feeding by A. brasiliensis was minimal, increasing PAH content of ingested material <20% above the ambient sediments. Absorption efficiencies of PAH during gut passage were determined by direct measurement of PAH concentration in sediments at various points along the digestive tract. Overall digestive absorption efficiencies were similar to the extent of in vitro solubilization by digestive fluids from the same sediments. These data suggest that extent of solubilization of sediment-bound contaminants during gut passage is a critical constraint on uptake and that absorption efficiency, with respect to the solubilized fraction, approaches 100%.
The Use of Quantitative Histological and Molecular Data for Risk Assessment and Biologically Based Model Development

In organs with diverse cell populations, it is not uncommon for one type of cell to respond while others are spared. Even in an organ with common cell types, such as hepatocytes within the liver, the population of cells may respond with different sensitivities for injury or for biochemical responses to toxicants. In the liver, many tumor promoters induce cytochrome P450 enzymes and other proteins in centrilobular cells at much lower doses than required to cause induction in periportal cells. In addition, these induction responses appear to occur at the level of individual cells—a 50% response of the liver for induction does not represent 50% induction in all cells. Instead, half of the cells are fully induced and half are unaffected. Cells “switch” from one phenotypic state to another. Over the past 10 years, several attempts have been made to model these cellular switches and to understand their relevancefor hepatictumorpromotion andrisk assessment. The data usedfor analyzingtheseswitchesinclude responses of theentire liver (total induction), responses of individual cells in the liver (regional induction), and cellular responses such as proliferation and apoptosis. This brief overview describes the development of biologically based, dose-response (BBDR) models for protein induction and tumor promotion in liver by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) with emphasis on the role of specie c types of histological and molecular data in providing insights about mechanisms for cellular switches and their implications for tumor promotion. As the biological basis of these switches become unraveled and incorporated into the models, these BBDR models should eventually serve to improve risk assessments with a variety of liver tumor promoters with receptor-based modes of action.
Cationic Residues 53 and 56 Control the Anion-Induced Interfacial k*cat Activation of Pancreatic Phospholipase A2 †

Added NaCl or anionic amphiphiles increase the rate of hydrolysis of dispersions of zwitterionic phospholipid by pancreatic phospholipase A2 (PLA2). Two effects of the negative charge at the interface have been dissected: enhanced binding of the enzyme to the interface, and k*cat activation of the enzyme at the interface (Berg et al. (1997) Biochemistry 36, 14512-14530). Results reported here show that the structural basis for the k*cat activation is predominantly through cationic K53 and K56 in bovine pancreatic PLA2 with the anionic interface. The maximum rate at saturating diheptanoylphosphatidylcholine micelles, VM app , for WT, K56M, and K53M in 4 M NaCl is in the 800-1300 s -1 range. In contrast, VM app at 0.1 M NaCl is considerably higher for K56M (400 s -1 ) and K53M (230 s -1 ) compared to the rate with WT (30 s -1 ) or K56E (45 s -1 ). The rate of hydrolysis of anionic dimyristoylphosphatidylmethanol vesicles is virtually the same with all these mutants (200-300 s -1 ) and it is not affected by added NaCl. The chemical step for the hydrolysis of anionic and zwitterionic substrates remains rate-limiting in the presence or absence of added NaCl. A modest (=10-fold) effect of K56M substitution or of added NaCl is seen on the binding of the enzyme to the interface; however, the binding of the substrate or a substrate mimic to the active site of the enzyme at the interface is not affected by more than a factor of 2. Magnitudes of the primary rate and equilibrium parameters at the zwitterionic and anionic interfaces show that the effect of mutation or of added NaCl is primarily on k*cat at the zwitterionic interface. These results are interpreted in terms of a two-state model for the interfacial allosteric activation, where the enzyme - substrate complex at the zwitterionic interface becomes catalytically active only after the positive charge on cationic K56 and K53 has been removed by mutation or neutralized by anionic charges in the interface.
Treatment of Idiopathic Membranous Nephropathy With the Herb Astragalus membranaceus

A 77-year-old woman with nephrotic syndrome secondary to idiopathic membranous nephropathy was treated with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, cyclosporine A, and mycophenolate mofetil, without response. After more than 2 years of unremitting nephrosis, she began therapy with the herb Astragalus membranaceus, used by traditional Chinese physicians to treat various immune disorders, including glomerulonephritis. After institution of Astragalus at a dose of 15 g/d, there was a marked decrease in proteinuria. Nephrotic syndrome recurred after temporary cessation of Astragalus therapy, with complete remission of nephrosis observed after its reintroduction. The clinical course of this patient suggests that Astragalus may have beneficial effects in patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy.
Cryptic Species in the Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) albitarsis (Diptera: Culicidae) Complex: Incongruence Between Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA-Polymerase Chain Reaction Identification and Analysis of Mitochondrial DNA COI Gene Sequences

Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) diagnostic bands are one tool used to differentiate cryptic mosquito species in the Anopheles albitarsis Complex. Monophyly of four species (A. albitarsis Lynch-Arribalzaga, A. albitarsis B, A. deaneorum Rosa-Freitas, and A. marajoara Galvao & Damasceno) currently identified with the RAPD technique was assessed using sequences of the cytochrome oxidase I (COI) mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) gene. Maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian analyses support monophyly for A. albitarsis s.s., A. albitarsis B, and A. deaneorum. Anopheles marajoara, as identified by RAPD banding patterns, was either polyphyletic or paraphyletic in all phylogenetic analyses. The phylogenetic pattern and within-species genetic distances observed in A. marajoara suggest the existence of a previously unidentified species (species E) in northern Brazil and Venezuela. Diagnostic RAPD bands were unable to distinguish between A. marajoara and species E, probably because of the low number of correlated bands used to identify species and weaknesses of the RAPD technique, in particular, violations of the untested assumption of homology of comigrating bands. A. marajoara (even without species E) is paraphyletic with respect to A. deaneorum; if A. deaneorum is a separate species from A. marajoara, then A. marajoara may consist of two or more species in Amazonian Brazil. Based on mtDNA COI sequences, there are at least four phylogenetic species within the Albitarsis Complex: A. albitarsis s.s., A. albitarsis B, A. marajoara, and species E; the species status of A. deaneorum is ambiguous.
Malingering Imposed on Another: A Diagnosis That is Missing in Action?

Background Descriptions of malingering imposed on another, in which an individual induces or exaggerates symptoms in another for secondary gain (including financial benefit or access to medications), are remarkably scant in the current literature. We summarize reported cases of malingering imposed on another in order to underscore its relevance to practicing physicians. Objective We sought to review the available literature describing the creation or exaggeration of symptoms of illness, motivated by secondary gain, in another vulnerable individual. Method A search of the literature using PubMed was undertaken searching the terms "malingering," "by proxy," and "imposed on another." Results Malingering imposed on another may be under-reported in the professional literature. Maintaining awareness that caregivers may misrepresent or embellish the symptoms of the identified patient for their own gain is an important consideration to forestall unnecessary testing, hospital admission, and exposure to adverse effects of treatments.
Reactive power support capabilities of nonsynchronous interconnection systems in microgrid applications

This paper presents the capabilities and benefits of reactive power support of the nonsynchronous interconnection system, “GridLink”, in microgrid applications. This equipment provides grid interconnection using a back to back converter. Particularly, it also provides ancillary services including reactive power, spinning reserve for frequency regulation, fault mitigation, and aids in black start for generators. Since GridLink facilitates bidirectional power flow, it can support ancillary services for microgrid side generators and loads, and utility grid side. In addition, the dynamic response of GridLink is faster than that of a synchronous generator, so that it has fewer constraints with respect to operation conditions. In this paper, the benefits of the GridLink, are described. These benefits are energy efficiency and procurement of reactive power capacity of microgrid. Cost savings result from these benefits in terms of variable operation and maintenance (O&M) cost. Furthermore, voltage stability of microgrid will be enhanced by supplying reactive power via GridLink. The reactive power support capabilities of GridLink, are verified using MATLAB/Simulink simulation.
A graphical method to analyze serum tumor marker decay in nonseminomatous testis tumors.

AbstractThe decay pattern and half-life estimation of serum tumor markers are useful parameters in the management of nonseminomatous germ cell tumors of the testis. We describe a graphical method of evaluating the temporal pattern of tumor marker clearance that can be used to identify patients with residual tumor after orchiectomy alone or retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy.
Cavernous Hemangioma of the Adrenal Gland

Cavernous hemangiomas of the adrenal gland are rare. We report on a patient with a left adrenal hemangioma successfully treated by radical excision. The literature pertaining to this interesting pathological condition is reviewed.
Workflow Testing and Workflow Engineering

When there is too much work and too few personnel, there are two main options: hire more staff or improve the efficiency of the existing employees. Generally, it is much cheaper and more satisfying to improve efficiency by identifying and removing workflow bottlenecks.
The Atomistic Structure of Silicon Clusters and Crystals: From the Finite to the Infinite

One of the most fundamental problems of materials science is to describe the microscopic structure of condensed matter. For crystalline matter, this problem can be viewed as “solved in principle”, as one can now accurately determine the structure of simple crystals. For example, the structure of virtually all elemental solids can now be determined from first principles1. However, for large clusters of atoms without periodic symmetry, few good methods, either experimental or theoretical, exist for describing the structure of such systems.
Default mode network deactivation during odor-visual association.

Default mode network (DMN) deactivation has been shown to be functionally relevant for goal-directed cognition. In this study, the DMN's role during olfactory processing was investigated using two complementary functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigms with identical timing, visual-cue stimulation, and response monitoring protocols. Twenty-nine healthy, non-smoking, right-handed adults (mean age = 26 ± 4 years, 16 females) completed an odor-visual association fMRI paradigm that had two alternating odor + visual and visual-only trial conditions. During odor + visual trials, a visual cue was presented simultaneously with an odor, while during visual-only trial conditions the same visual cue was presented alone. Eighteen of the twenty-nine participants (mean age = 27.0 ± 6.0 years, 11 females) also took part in a control no-odor fMRI paradigm that consisted of a visual-only trial condition which was identical to the visual-only trials in the odor-visual association paradigm. Independent Component Analysis (ICA), extended unified structural equation modeling (euSEM), and psychophysiological interaction (PPI) were used to investigate the interplay between the DMN and olfactory network. In the odor-visual association paradigm, DMN deactivation was evoked by both the odor + visual and visual-only trial conditions. In contrast, the visual-only trials in the no-odor paradigm did not evoke consistent DMN deactivation. In the odor-visual association paradigm, the euSEM and PPI analyses identified a directed connectivity between the DMN and olfactory network which was significantly different between odor + visual and visual-only trial conditions. The results support a strong interaction between the DMN and olfactory network and highlights the DMN's role in task-evoked brain activity and behavioral responses during olfactory processing. Hum Brain Mapp 38:1125-1139, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Sorting out roles for EGF receptor and its ligands in colonic neoplasia

ED09-01 We previously reported that there is iterative use of EGF receptor (EGFR) signaling in colonic neoplasia, both at a post-initiation, establishment phase and again later during tumor progression (Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 99:1521-1526, 2002). Recent studies have examined trafficking of EGFR ligands in the context of polarizing epithelial cells, including a battery of human colorectal cell lines developed from well-differentiated cancers. Two EGFR ligands, TGF-α and amphiregulin, are delivered preferentially to the basolateral surface where they are cleaved by TACE/ADAM17 whereupon soluble ligand binds to basolaterally restricted EGFRs. Thus, the EGFR axis (which we define as the proximal events in activation of the EGFR) is compartmentalized to the basolateral surface of polarized epithelial cells. Combined blockade of the EGFR axis (ligand cleavage, ligand uptake and EGFR tyrosine kinase activity) results in cooperative growth inhibition in colorectal cancer cell lines in vitro . We will present recent data demonstrating that Naked2, an inducible negative regulator of canonical WNT signaling, is a critical regulator of delivery of TGF-α to the basolateral surface of polarized epithelial cells and is downregulated as a late event in colorectal neoplasia.
The First Ones: Three Studies on First-Generation College Students

The findings from 3 qualitative research studies related to first-generation college students show themes of strains in family relationships and lack of practical familial support. One study reveals sources of resiliency and persistence of graduate students; another explores sense of belonging for undergraduates attending 3 types of private institutions; the final study features concerns of Latinos at a 2-year college. Together these studies show that creation of a student identity creates unique challenges for those transitioning into bicultural persons. Advisors who understand students coping with changing family status while attending college can proactively guide them toward the degrees they seek. Furthermore, administrators should provide programs and professional development that help advisors address the complex issues facing first-generation students.
Considering the Role of Government in Communicating Climate Change: Lessons from the US Public Flood Insurance Program

The aim of this paper is to discuss the United States public flood insurance and disaster relief programs in the context of current policies that influence current and future policy goals related to climate change. The methodology employed is a case study approach that looks at the historical development of current public flood insurance and disaster relief policy and then places that history in the context of recent and current stated policy goals of mitigating future impacts of climate change. This history is then compared to current understandings of how policy develops, specifically how exiting policies can frustrate new policy directions, which is discussed under the context of climate change communication. The goal is to highlight the importance of looking at the whole of government actions when attempting to incorporate climate change into the public discourse. The critical lesson from this case study is to understand how existing government policies can create incentives that influence perceptions of risk related to climate change, and thus complicate the development of new policy directions. In this example of US public flood insurance and disaster relief, historical treatments of climate-related risk need to be considered when attempting to communicate new understandings of climate change risk.
Collagen organization regulates stretch-initiated pain-related neuronal signals in vitro: Implications for structure-function relationships in innervated ligaments.

Injury to the spinal facet capsule, an innervated ligament with heterogeneous collagen organization, produces pain. Although mechanical facet joint trauma activates embedded afferents, it is unclear if, and how, the varied extracellular microstructure of its ligament affects sensory transduction for pain from mechanical inputs. To investigate the effects of macroscopic deformations on afferents in collagen matrices with different organizations, an in vitro neuron-collagen construct (NCC) model was used. NCCs with either randomly organized or parallel aligned collagen fibers were used to mimic the varied microstructure in the facet capsular ligament. Embryonic rat dorsal root ganglia (DRG) were encapsulated in the NCCs; axonal outgrowth was uniform and in all directions in random NCCs, but parallel in aligned NCCs. NCCs underwent uniaxial stretch (0.25 ± 0.06 strain) corresponding to sub-failure facet capsule strains that induce pain. Macroscopic NCC mechanics were measured and axonal expression of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (pERK) and the neurotransmitter substance P (SP) was assayed at 1 day to assess neuronal activation and nociception. Stretch significantly upregulated pERK expression in both random and aligned gels (p < 0.001), with the increase in pERK being significantly higher (p = 0.013) in aligned than in random NCCs. That increase likely relates to the higher peak force (p = 0.025) and stronger axon alignment (p < 0.001) with stretch direction in the aligned NCCs. In contrast, SP expression was greater in stretched NCCs (p < 0.001) regardless of collagen organization. These findings suggest that collagen organization differentially modulates pain-related neuronal signaling and support structural heterogeneity of ligament tissue as mediating sensory function. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:770-777, 2018.
Complex effects of tumor microenvironment on the tumor disposition of carrier-mediated agents.

Major advances in carrier-mediated agents, including nanoparticle, conjugates and antibody–drug conjugates, have created revolutionary drug delivery systems in cancer over the past two decades. While these agents provide several advantages, such as greater duration of exposure and solubility, compared with their small-molecule counterparts, there is substantial variability in delivery of these agents to tissues and especially tumors. This review provides an overview of tumor microenvironment factors that affect the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of carrier-mediated agents observed in preclinical models and patients.
Twentieth-Century Thomisms

It generally happens that schools of thought following a great thinker end up riven by internal debates regarding what kind of adherence to the master is necessary for membership in the school. At one extreme stand those who believe in strict fidelity to the original thought as expressed in the canonical texts; in their conservative view, the main work of the school is exegesis, commentary, and defense against external criticism. At the other extreme stand those who believe that fidelity to the master entails adherence to a shared set of basic insights that must be creatively rethought and contextualized in the light of contemporary intellectual currents; in their progressive view, the main work of the school is engagement: dialogue with other views, internal self-criticism, and the formulation of answers to new questions from out of the tradition’s resources. The two extremes tend to look suspiciously upon each other’s projects. The conservatives tend to look upon any deviation from the original philosophia perennis as a kind of corruption: How dare the disciple purport to improve upon the original! The more creative disciples look upon the conservative project as intellectually stultifying, stagnant, and irrelevant. The conservative disciples generally do not want to be called “neo-” because they like to think they are faithful to the original, while the creative disciples usually want to be seen as somehow “neo-” in order to distinguish themselves from the strict disciples and to highlight their original contribution to the tradition. This tension can be seen in the histories of Platonism, Aristotelianism, Kantianism, Hegelianism, etc. It is certainly found within Thomism, especially in the twentieth-century.l
PEPD is a pivotal regulator of p53 tumor suppressor

p53 tumor suppressor responds to various cellular stresses and regulates cell fate. Here, we show that peptidase D (PEPD) binds and suppresses over half of nuclear and cytoplasmic p53 under normal conditions, independent of its enzymatic activity. Eliminating PEPD causes cell death and tumor regression due to p53 activation. PEPD binds to the proline-rich domain in p53, which inhibits phosphorylation of nuclear p53 and MDM2-mediated mitochondrial translocation of nuclear and cytoplasmic p53. However, the PEPD-p53 complex is critical for p53 response to stress, as stress signals doxorubicin and H2O2 each must free p53 from PEPD in order to achieve robust p53 activation, which is mediated by reactive oxygen species. Thus, PEPD stores p53 for the stress response, but this also renders cells dependent on PEPD for survival, as it suppresses p53. This finding provides further understanding of p53 regulation and may have significant implications for the treatment of cancer and other diseases.
The American gaze east: Discourses and destinations of US study abroad

The 21st century has seen an emphasis in US media and policy documents on increasing the numbers of US students studying abroad and also the amount of US students studying ‘critical’ languages. This paper examines the intersection of these discourses, or the experiences of critical language learners abroad. We analyze this intersection by using critical discourse analysis to examine US media and policy documents and data from students studying Arabic in Egypt and Mandarin in China. This analysis reveals considerable discrepancies between rhetoric and experience in terms of language and intercultural learning. We argue that a critical examination of current discourses of study abroad (SA) reveals that they in fact recreate the colonial map, mask global inequalities, and create a new global elite. We conclude that language and intercultural learning abroad will remain a source of tension until SA students and programs critically engage with these discourses.
The Evolution of Learning to Communicate: Avian Model for the Missing Link

Exclusively primate-centric models for the study of the evolution of communication, although reasonable considering the close phylogenetic relationships between present day human and nonhuman primates, overlook parallel or convergent evolution and the possibility that birds—with their advanced cognitive and communicative abilities—can provide models for the evolution of communication, particularly for vocal learning. Through similar evolutionary pressures and parallel exploitation of ecological niches, similar communicative abilities likely evolved, and birds are among the few nonhuman species to learn their vocal communication system. Even the neuroanatomical structures subserving vocal behavior in birds and humans are now evaluated for similarity. Thus, I suggest that examining avian subjects, particularly their learning and use of various vocal systems, will shed light on the evolution of learned vocal communication.
Custom Made Silicone Implants in Facial Contour Reconstruction

The poly(dimethylsiloxane) (silicones) are one of the most widely used implantable biomaterial in the eighties. It’s use as an implantable polymer with wide clinical application was achieved after success in implantation to correct breast deformities. In the preceding years over 100,000 women had silicone implants to improve their breast contour, or to correct the deformity created by radical resection for malignant disease. The silicone can be also polymerized to create harder biomaterial that can be implanted in the facial region. These polymerized implants are best used when they are custom fabricated to fit the defects created by the surgical resection. Two areas of such contour abnormalities are present in the face. The non-dynamic area (Figure 1), such as the forehead and maxilla, is either conserved and/or contoured, while the dynamic region (Figure 2), such as the mandible, requires complete fixation and immobilization with the adjacent structures for a perfect fit and a good final result.
Comprehensive Study of the Reactions Between Chelating Phosphines and Ni(cod)2

A comprehensive study of the reactions of chelating phosphines with Ni(cod)2 to form (phosphine)Ni(cod), (phosphine)2Ni, or mixtures thereof is presented. A series of (phosphine)Ni(cod) complexes were isolated and characterized. The structural differences between the (phosphine)Ni(cod) and (phosphine)2Ni complexes were examined using X-ray crystallography and 1H and 31P NMR spectroscopy. In addition, the effects of ring size, rigidity, and bulk of the phosphine backbone on the formation of either (phosphine)Ni(cod) or (phosphine)2Ni were investigated. These studies show that the Ni–P bond lengths in both the (phosphine)Ni(cod) and (phosphine)2Ni complexes and the size of the ring formed by the chelating phosphine and Ni are crucial in determining whether or not (phosphine)Ni(cod) complexes can be isolated. Other factors such as π-stacking interactions were found to have marginal influence.
A population-based multistate model for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma-specific mortality in older patients.

Background Despite effective therapies, outcomes for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLCBL) remain heterogeneous in older individuals due to comorbid diseases and variations in disease biology. Methods Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare database, the authors conducted a multistate survival analysis of 11,780 patients with DLBCL who were aged ≥65 years at the time of diagnosis (2002-2009). Cox proportional hazards models were used to specify the impact of prognostic factors on overall survival and cause-specific deaths, and the Aalen-Johansen estimator was used to project the course of DLBCL over time with or without standard therapy with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP). Results Advanced age (hazard ratio [HR] for ages 71-75 years: 1.25; HR for ages 76-80 years: 1.46; HR for ages 81-85 years: 1.88; and HR for age ≥86 years: 2.26), DLBCL stage (HR for Ann Arbor stage II: 1.28; HR for stage III: 1.54; and HR for stage IV: 1.95), Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) ≥1 (HR for CCI of 1, 1.15; and HR for CCI >1, 1.37), and not being married (HR, 1.12) were associated with an increased risk of DLBCL-specific death. Being female (HR, 0.91) and of higher socioeconomic status (HR, 0.91) were associated with a lower risk of DLBCL-related mortality after therapy. For patients treated with R-CHOP (3610 patients), the risk of death due to DLBCL was 14.0% and 18.6%, respectively, at 2 and 5 years of treatment and plateaued afterward, confirming a 5-year "cure" point while receiving R-CHOP among older patients. Conclusions Conducting a survival analysis over a large data set, the current study evaluated competing risks for death within a multistate modeling framework, and identified age, sex, and CCI as risk factors for DLBCL-specific and other causes of death.
1/3-Octave Analysis of Core/Combustor-Noise Measurements for the DGEN Aeropropulsion Research Turbofan with Application to Noise Prediction

This work continues the analysis of data obtained during a 2017 NASA DGEN Aeropropulsion Research Turbofan (DART) core/combustor-noise baseline test in the NASA GRC Aero-Acoustic Propulsion Laboratory (AAPL). The DART is a cost-efficient testbed for the study of core-noise physics and mitigation. Acoustic data were simultaneously acquired using the AAPL overhead microphone array in the engine aft-quadrant farfield, a single midfield microphone, and two infinite-tube-probe sensors for unsteady pressures at the core-nozzle exit. The data are here examined on an 1/3-octave basis as a first step in extending and improving core-noise prediction capability.
Stemming the Tide of Opioid Addiction-Dramatic Reductions in Postoperative Opioid Requirements Through Preoperative Education and a Standardized Analgesic Regimen.

INTRODUCTION Surgery is a known gateway to opioid use that may result in long-term morbidity. Given the paucity of evidence regarding the appropriate amount of postoperative opioid analgesia and variable prescribing education, we investigated prescribing habits before and after institution of a multimodal postoperative pain management protocol. MATERIALS AND METHODS Laparoscopic appendectomies, laparoscopic cholecystectomies, inguinal hernia repairs, and umbilical hernia repairs performed at a tertiary military medical center from 01 October 2016 until 30 September 2017 were examined. Prescriptions provided at discharge, oral morphine equivalents (OME), repeat prescriptions, and demographic data were obtained. A pain management regimen emphasizing nonopioid analgesics was then formulated and implemented with patient education about expected postoperative outcomes. After implementation, procedures performed from 01 November 2017 until 28 February 2018 were then examined and analyzed. Additionally, a patient satisfaction survey was provided focusing on efficacy of postoperative pain control. RESULTS Preprotocol, 559 patients met inclusion criteria. About 97.5% were provided an opioid prescription, but prescriptions varied widely (256 OME, standard deviation [SD] 109). Acetaminophen was prescribed often (89.5%), but nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) prescriptions were rare (14.7%). About 6.1% of patients required repeat opioid prescriptions. After implementation, 181 patients met inclusion criteria. Initial opioid prescriptions decreased 69.8% (77 OME, SD 35; P < 0.001), while repeat opioid prescriptions remained statistically unchanged (2.79%; P = 0.122). Acetaminophen prescribing rose to 96.7% (P = 0.002), and NSAID utilization increased to 71.0% (P < 0.001). Postoperative survey data were obtained in 75 patients (41.9%). About 68% stated that they did not use all of the opioids prescribed and 81% endorsed excellent or good pain control throughout their postoperative course. CONCLUSIONS Appropriate preoperative counseling and utilization of nonopioid analgesics can dramatically reduce opioid use while maintaining high patient satisfaction. Patient-reported data suggest that even greater reductions may be possible.
Periodontal disease in the rice rat. IV. The effects of antibiotics on the incidence of periodontal lesions.

Abstract Two hundred fourteen rice rats were used in four experiments to test the prophylactic and curative abilities of penicillin and streptomycin on the periodontal syndrome. Supplements of 0.05 per cent penicillin or of 0.05 per cent streptomycin to ration 4 or ration 700 throughout the twenty-one-week experimental period caused major reductions in the number and extent of soft tissue lesions but much smaller reductions in the amount of alveolar bone resorption. A supplement of 0.01 per cent penicillin to ration 700 was also highly effective in the prevention of periodontal lesions, while a comparable supplement of streptomycin was much less effective. Supplements of 0.05 per cent penicillin or 0.05 per cent streptomycin to ration 700 during the last seven weeks of the experimental period were much less effective. Penicillin caused a moderate amount of healing of existing lesions of the soft tissues, while streptomycin did not encourage healing but did prevent further progression of soft tissue lesions. Neither had any striking influence on the resorption of alveolar bone in the curative test.
Structure-based functional analysis of BRCA1 RING domain variants: Concordance of computational mutagenesis, experimental assay, and clinical data.

Abstract A significant impediment to the improvement of clinical outcomes in treating breast and ovarian cancers rests with the lack of available interpretations for BRCA1 variants of unknown significance. Two research groups recently implemented large-scale functional assays for quantifying effects of single missense mutations on homology-directed DNA repair activity of BRCA1 variants, which is critical for tumor suppression and strongly correlates with cancer risk, and their results are significantly concordant with each other as well as with known pathogenic and benign variant clinical data. In this work, we implemented an established computational mutagenesis procedure to characterize structural impacts of single residue replacements to the BRCA1 RING domain. The computational data showed similarly strong concordance with known clinical data as well as with experimental data from both functional assays. Predictions made by models trained on our computational data offer a complementary and orthogonal approach for classifying all remaining unexplored BRCA1 RING domain variants.
Imaging voltage and brain chemistry with genetically encoded sensors and modulators.

Abstract Neurons and glia are functionally organized into circuits and higher-order structures that allow the precise information processing required for complex behaviors. To better understand the structure and function of the brain, we must understand synaptic connectivity, action potential generation and propagation, as well as well-orchestrated molecular signaling. Recently, dramatically improved sensors for voltage, intracellular calcium, and neurotransmitters/modulators, combined with advanced microscopy provide new opportunities for in vivo dissection of cellular and circuit activity in awake, behaving animals. This review focuses on the current trends in genetically encoded sensors for molecules and cellular events and their potential applicability to the study of nervous system in health and disease.
Yield, Quality, and Profitability of Cotton Produced at Varying Plant Densities

Modifying fruit distribution through varying plant density may impact cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) fiber quality. This study was conducted to determine how lint yield, fiber quality, and profitability of cotton may be manipulated through plant density. Two cotton cultivars were overseeded and hand-thinned to 3.6, 9.0, 12.6, and 21.5 plants m -2 at two University of Georgia experiment stations in 2001 and 2002. After the studies were machine-harvested each year, the seed cotton was shipped to the USDA-ARS Cotton Ginning Research Unit in Stoneville, MS, for ginning. While ginning, six lint samples were collected per plot and delivered to Cotton Incorporated (Cary, NC) for fiber quality analyses. Net returns were then calculated from yield, quality, and seed cost data. Lint yields were greatest at 12.6 plants m -2 and lowest at 3.6 plants m -2 . Of the fiber properties investigated, micronaire and fineness were most affected by plant density. In addition, quality adjustments in price were greatest for micronaire. Thus, avoidance of price discounts for high-micronaire fiber may occur through adjustments in seeding rate and plant density. Net returns above seed costs were greatest at 12.6 plants m -2 for both cultivars. One cultivar consistently outperformed the other in fiber quality. Results from this study support the findings of others that fiber properties are highly genetically influenced. Thus, to maximize fiber quality, cultivar selection is of greatest importance while management of plant density to maintain or maximize genetic potential is secondary.
Importance of doping and frustration in itinerant Fe-doped Cr2Al

Abstract We have performed an experimental and theoretical study comparing the effects of Fe-doping of Cr2Al, an antiferromagnet with a Neel temperature of 670 K, with known results on Fe-doping of antiferromagnetic bcc Cr. (Cr1−xFex)2Al materials are found to exhibit a rapid suppression of antiferromagnetic order with the presence of Fe, decreasing TN to ≈170 K for x=0.10. Antiferromagnetic behavior disappears entirely at x≈0.125 after which point increasing paramagnetic behavior is exhibited. This is unlike the effects of Fe doping of bcc antiferromagnetic Cr, in which TN gradually decreases followed by the appearance of a ferromagnetic state. Theoretical calculations explain that the Cr2Al–Fe suppression of magnetic order originates from two causes: the first is band narrowing caused by doping of additional electrons from Fe substitution that weakens itinerant magnetism; the second is magnetic frustration of the Cr itinerant moments in Fe-substituted Cr2Al. In pure-phase Cr2Al, the Cr moments have an antiparallel alignment; however, these are destroyed through Fe substitution and the preference of Fe for parallel alignment with Cr. This is unlike bulk Fe-doped Cr alloys in which the Fe anti-aligns with the Cr atoms, and speaks to the importance of the Al atoms in the magnetic structure of Cr2Al and Fe-doped Cr2Al.
Coping and confinement on the border: the affective politics of music workshops in British immigration detention

In the drive to securitise migration, immigration detention has expanded rapidly across western democratic states. This article investigates the function and meaning that music workshops have for f...
Policy Gradient RL Algorithms as Directed Acyclic Graphs

Meta Reinforcement Learning (RL) methods focus on automating the design of RL algorithms that generalize to a wide range of environments. The framework introduced in (Anonymous, 2020) addresses the problem by representing different RL algorithms as Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAGs), and using an evolutionary meta learner to modify these graphs and find good agent update rules. While the search language used to generate graphs in the paper serves to represent numerous already-existing RL algorithms (e.g., DQN, DDQN), it has limitations when it comes to representing Policy Gradient algorithms. In this work we try to close this gap by extending the original search language and proposing graphs for five different Policy Gradient algorithms: VPG, PPO, DDPG, TD3, and SAC.
Disrupting ableism: Strengths-based representations of disability in children’s picture books:

Children’s literature is a powerful influence on the social construction of perceptions and narratives, and it is critically important that all children see themselves represented in the books in t...
The Technological Development of Congressional Candidate Web Sites

The Internet offers political candidates a new way to campaign. Part of the Internet's novelty comes from technological options not available in most other media. Candidates, however, must weigh various benefits and costs in using a given technological innovation. For example, technology that allows for increased user interactivity may lead to a more stimulating web site but might distract users from the campaign's central message. In this article, the authors use data from 444 congressional campaign web sites, over two elections, to examine how candidates approach web technology. They investigate the factors that lead candidates to utilize or avoid particular technological features. They show that technological adoption is determined by both practical and strategic political considerations. Of particular interest, the competitiveness of a candidate's race leads the candidate to use more sophisticated presentation technologies but less advanced interactive innovations because these latter options interfere with the candidate's message.
Sexual and gender minority publication trends in the dermatology literature.

In the greater medical literature, publication rates on topics relevant to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) communities have been on the rise. The publication rates in the dermatology literature have not yet been described. We performed an analysis of the dermatology literature from 1980–2020 to characterize LGBTQ-relevant publication rates and themes over time. PubMed, CINAHL, and Embase were searched using terminology related to sexual and gender minorities and dermatology. Articles were included if they were published in a peer-reviewed dermatology journal, used human subjects, and included terminology related to sexual or gender minorities in the title or abstract. Publication year, journal, study design, corresponding author country, and best-fit article theme were recorded. The searches yielded 2,019 articles, with 225 meeting inclusion criteria. LGBTQ-relevant articles increased substantially over time, particularly between 2015 and 2020. Overall, most centered on HIV and other infectious diseases (62.2%), followed by other dermatologic conditions (20.4%), workforce and culturally competent care (12.4%), and gender-affirming procedures (4.9%). Although the number of infectious disease-related articles also increased over time, representation of the other three themes increased substantially, particularly since 2011. Although sexually transmitted diseases remain a common theme in the dermatology literature, the last 10 years have seen an explosion of publications on other topics such as non-infectious dermatoses, gender-affirming procedures, and access to culturally competent care.