cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
To What Extent Does SES Status Lead People to Retire Too Soon

Working longer is a powerful lever to enhance retirement security. Individuals should be able to extend the number of years they work because, on average, they are healthier, live longer, and face less physically demanding jobs. But averages are misleading when discrepancies in health, job prospects, and life expectancy have widened between individuals with low and high socioeconomic status (SES). To understand the magnitude of the problem, this paper, using data from the Health and Retirement Study, specifies how much longer households in each SES quartile would need to work to maintain their pre-retirement standard of living and compares those optimal retirement ages with their planned retirement ages to calculate a retirement gap. It then uses regression analysis to explore whether the gap reflects poor circumstances or poor planning – that is, the extent to which the retirement gap results from health, employment, and marital shocks that occur before the HRS interview but too late for the household to adjust saving (between ages 50 and 58), as opposed to a gap resulting from inadequate foresight. The analysis shows that households in lower-SES quartiles have larger retirement gaps, and this pattern remains true even after controlling for late-career shocks. In short, the most vulnerable have the largest retirement gaps, and these gaps arise from poor planning rather than late-career shocks.
The status of Armenian Christians in post-independence Israel: the first decade

ABSTRACTLiterature on the status of the Armenian population during the State of Israel's first decade is virtually nil; a scholarly investigation regarding why Armenians were not drafted into the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), when other small, non-Arab and/or non-Muslim minorities were, has not yet been written. While recognizing the paucity of available documentation, this article will seek to address both of these issues/questions in light of what sources are publicly available as well as in light of the author's own previous research into minority recruitment policies in post-independence Israel. This article will argue that while the Armenians appeared to fit nearly all of the IDF’s criteria for minority recruitment, an Armenian presence in the army ultimately would have provided few tangible advantages to the state from both a domestic and regional perspective. However, due to their non-Arab and non-Muslim identity, the Armenian population was treated as a ‘special minority’ and possessed certain uniq...
Protein and Calorie Requirements Associated With the Presence of Obesity

Obesity compounds the metabolic response to critical illness and increases the risk for overfeeding complications due to its comorbidities. Hypocaloric, high-protein nutrition therapy affords the hospitalized patient with obesity the opportunity to achieve net protein anabolism with a reduced risk of overfeeding complications. The intent of this review is to provide the theoretical framework for development of a hypocaloric high-protein regimen, scientific evidence to support this mode of therapy, and unique considerations for its use in specialized subpopulations. Macronutrient goals and practical suggestions for patient monitoring are given.
Design and fabrication of resonator-QWIP for SF6 gas sensor application

The infrared absorption of SF6 gas is of narrowband and peaks at 10.6μm. This narrow band absorption posts a stringent requirement on the corresponding sensors as they need to collect enough signal from this limited spectral range to maintain a high sensitivity. Resonator-Quantum Well Infrared Photo detectors (R-QWIPs) are the next generation of QWIP detectors that use resonances to increase the quantum efficiency (QE) for more efficient signal collection. Since the resonant approach is applicable to narrowband as well as broadband, it is particularly suitable for this application. We designed and fabricated R-QWIPs for SF6 gas detection. To achieve the expected performance, the detector geometry must be produced according to precise specifications. In particular, the height of the diffractive elements (DE) and the thickness of the active resonator must be uniform, and accurately realized to within 0.05 μm. additionally, the substrates of the detectors must be removed totally to prevent the escape of unabsorbed light in the detectors. To achieve these specifications, two optimized inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching processes are developed. Due to submicron detector feature sizes and overlay tolerance, we use an ASML stepper instead of a contact mask aligner to pattern wafers. Using these etching techniques and tool, we have fabricated FPAs with 30 μm pixel pitch and 320x256 format. The initial test results showed promising results.
Direction-specific van der Waals attraction between rutile TiO2 nanocrystals

Mutual lattice orientations dictate the types and magnitudes of forces between crystalline particles. When lattice polarizability is anisotropic, the van der Waals dispersion attraction can, in principle, contribute to this direction dependence. We report measurement of this attraction between rutile nanocrystals, as a function of their mutual orientation and surface hydration extent. At tens of nanometers of separation, the attraction is weak and shows no dependence on azimuthal alignment or surface hydration. At separations of approximately one hydration layer, the attraction is strongly dependent on azimuthal alignment and systematically decreases as intervening water density increases. Measured forces closely agree with predictions from Lifshitz theory and show that dispersion forces can generate a torque between particles interacting in solution and between grains in materials.
Once a Cheater, Always a Cheater? Serial Infidelity Across Subsequent Relationships

Although there is a large body of research addressing predictors of relationship infidelity, no study to our knowledge has specifically addressed infidelity in a previous relationship as a risk factor for infidelity in a subsequent relationship. The current study addressed risk for serial infidelity by following adult participants (N = 484) longitudinally through two mixed-gender romantic relationships. Participants reported their own extra-dyadic sexual involvement (ESI) (i.e., having sexual relations with someone other than their partner) as well as both known and suspected ESI on the part of their partners in each romantic relationship. Findings from logistic regressions showed that those who reported engaging in ESI in the first relationship were three times more likely to report engaging in ESI in their next relationship compared to those who did not report engaging in ESI in the first relationship. Similarly, compared to those who reported that their first-relationship partners did not engage in ESI, those who knew that their partners in the first relationships had engaged in ESI were twice as likely to report the same behavior from their next relationship partners. Those who suspected their first-relationship partners of ESI were four times more likely to report suspicion of partner ESI again in their next relationships. These findings controlled for demographic risk factors for infidelity and held regardless of respondent gender or marital status. Thus, prior infidelity emerged as an important risk factor for infidelity in next relationships. Implications for novel intervention targets for prevention of serial relationship infidelity are discussed.
Isocitrate dehydrogenase mutation in Vibrio anguillarum results in virulence attenuation and immunoprotection in rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Vibrio anguillarum is an extracellular bacterial pathogen that is a causative agent of vibriosis in finfish and crustaceans with mortality rates ranging from 30% to 100%. Mutations in central metabolism (glycolysis and the TCA cycle) of intracellular pathogens often result in attenuated virulence due to depletion of required metabolic intermediates; however, it was not known whether mutations in central metabolism would affect virulence in an extracellular pathogen such as V. anguillarum. Seven central metabolism mutants were created and characterized with regard to growth in minimal and complex media, expression of virulence genes, and virulence in juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Only the isocitrate dehydrogenase (icd) mutant was attenuated in virulence against rainbow trout challenged by either intraperitoneal injection or immersion. Further, the icd mutant was shown to be immunoprotective against wild type V. anguillarum infection. There was no significant decrease in the expression of the three hemolysin genes detected by qRT-PCR. Additionally, only the icd mutant exhibited a significantly decreased growth yield in complex media. Growth yield was directly related to the abundance of glutamate. A strain with a restored wild type icd gene was created and shown to restore growth to a wild type cell density in complex media and pathogenicity in rainbow trout. The data strongly suggest that a decreased growth yield, resulting from the inability to synthesize α-ketoglutarate, caused the attenuation despite normal levels of expression of virulence genes. Therefore, the ability of an extracellular pathogen to cause disease is dependent upon the availability of host-supplied nutrients for growth. Additionally, a live vaccine strain could be created from an icd deletion strain.
The Locomotion Tug-of-War: Cholinergic and Dopaminergic Interactions Outside the Striatum.

In this issue of Neuron, Moehle et al. (2017) demonstrate that presynaptic muscarinic receptors counteract the effects of dopamine in an output nucleus of the basal ganglia. They provide intracellular, anatomical, and network-level mechanisms for this cholinergic-dopaminergic interplay.
The Role of Diacylglycerol Acyltransferase (DGAT) 1 and 2 in Cardiac Metabolism and Function

It is increasingly recognized that synthesis and turnover of cardiac triglyceride (TG) play a pivotal role in the regulation of lipid metabolism and function of the heart. The last step in TG synthesis is catalyzed by diacylglycerol:acyltransferase (DGAT) which esterifies the diacylglycerol with a fatty acid. Mammalian heart has two DGAT isoforms, DGAT1 and DGAT2, yet their roles in cardiac metabolism and function remain poorly defined. Here, we show that inactivation of DGAT1 or DGAT2 in adult mouse heart results in a moderate suppression of TG synthesis and turnover. Partial inhibition of DGAT activity increases cardiac fatty acid oxidation without affecting PPARα signaling, myocardial energetics or contractile function. Moreover, coinhibition of DGAT1/2 in the heart abrogates TG turnover and protects the heart against high fat diet-induced lipid accumulation with no adverse effects on basal or dobutamine-stimulated cardiac function. Thus, the two DGAT isoforms in the heart have partially redundant function, and pharmacological inhibition of one DGAT isoform is well tolerated in adult hearts.
A New Rodent Model of Dystonic Cerebral Palsy (S35.002)

Objective: To develop an animal cerebral palsy (CP) model displaying quantifiable dystonia Background: Dystonic CP is the most common etiology of childhood dystonia, affecting 0.5–1/1000 live births in the United States. However, there has been no clinically-relevant dystonic CP animal model to study its pathophysiology. Design/Methods: Since dystonic CP is associated with hypoxic-ischemic injury at term gestation, rats were variably exposed to graded global hypoxia for 10–15 minutes (anoxia and cardiac arrest by 11 minutes) between postnatal day (P) 6–8.5 (equivalent to human 36–38.5 post-conceptional weeks). Weekly post-injury motor assessment included gait analysis and rotarod acceleration. Since spasticity and dystonia are difficult to visually differentiate, they were instead quantified electrophysiologically. Spasticity was quantified using soleus H-reflex amplitude with tibial nerve stimulation (elevated in spasticity) and H-reflex suppression with 10Hz stimulation (diminished in spasticity). Dystonia was quantified by measuring tibialis anterior and triceps surae complex coherence between 3–7 Hz (elevated with dystonia). Results: Hypoxia at P7.5 (n=15) produced the greatest motor impairment, which worsened through P28 before stabilization. Pups survived 12 minutes of graded hypoxia between P7–8, but died if exposed at an older age. Earlier times of injury yielded spasticity but not quantifiable dystonia. Compared to sham-exposed pups (n=10), pups surviving 12 minutes of hypoxia at P7.5 had slower gait, worse rotarod performance, higher amplitude H-reflexes, diminished H-reflex suppression, and increased hindlimb muscle coherence (p Conclusions: We describe a novel clinically-relevant rat model of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic injury yielding motor impairment and quantifiable dystonia and spasticity. 40% of injured pups appeared to have a dystonic phenotype, comparable to the frequency of dystonic CP for this injury mechanism in humans. This model can be used to investigate the etiology and treatment of dystonic CP. Study Supported by: 3R25NS070682-07S1 (NIH/NINDS); Boston Children’s Hospital Department of Neurology Disclosure: Dr. Aravamuthan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Young has nothing to disclose. Dr. Rutkove has nothing to disclose.
Time resolved displacement-based registration of in vivo cDTI cardiomyocyte orientations

In vivo cardiac microstructure acquired using cardiac diffusion tensor imaging (cDTI) is a critical component of patient-specific models of cardiac electrophysiology and mechanics. In order to limit bulk motion artifacts and acquisition time, cDTI microstructural data is acquired at a single cardiac phase necessitating registration to the reference configuration on which the patient-specific computational models are based. Herein, we propose a method to register subject-specific microstructural data to an arbitrary cardiac phase using measured cardiac displacements. We validate our approach using a subject-specific computational phantom based on data from human subjects. Compared to a geometry-based non-rigid registration method, the displacement-based registration leads to improved accuracy (less than 1° versus 10° average median error in cardiomyocyte angular differences) and tighter confidence interval (3° versus 65° average upper limit of the 95% confidence interval).
Cryptophycin 1 cellular levels and effects in vitro using L1210 cells.

Cryptophycin 1 is a natural product that was initially isolated from blue-green algae which has shown potent broad spectrum antitumor activity in preclinical in vitro and in vivo models. The drug strongly binds to tubulin and disrupts microtubule assembly for more than 24 hours after its removal. We evaluated cell survival, intracellular levels and inhibition of macromolecular synthesis in L1210 cells following exposure to cryptophycin 1 in vitro. Cell survival was strongly inhibited following drug exposure for either 1 or 4 hours. Intracellular drug levels were minimally affected by temperature (4°C versus 37°C) or exposure times up to 1 hour. However, extracellular drug concentration in culture media and increasing cell numbers did affect the concentration of intracellular drug levels in a nearly proportional manner. The synthesis of DNA and RNA was inhibited less than 5%, while protein synthesis inhibition was near 30%. Thus, none of the macromolecules were inhibited enough to explain the inhibition of tumor cell growth.
A possible FRB/GRB connection: towards a multi-wavelength campaign to unveil the nature of Fast Radio Bursts

The physical nature of Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs), a new type of cosmological transients discovered recently, is not known. It has been suggested that FRBs can be produced when a spinning supra-massive neutron star loses centrifugal support and collapses to a black hole. Here we suggest that such implosions can happen in supra-massive neutron stars shortly (hundreds to thousands of seconds) after their births, and an observational signature of such implosions may have been observed in the X-ray afterglows of some long and short gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). Within this picture, a small fraction of FRBs would be physically connected to GRBs. We discuss possible multi-wavelength electromagnetic signals and gravitational wave signals that might be associated with FRBs, and propose an observational campaign to unveil the physical nature of FRBs. In particular, we strongly encourage a rapid radio follow-up observation of GRBs starting from 100 s after GRB triggers.
Stable sub-complexes observed in situ suggest a modular assembly pathway of the bacterial flagellar motor

The self-assembly of cellular macromolecular machines such as the bacterial flagellar motor requires the spatio- temporal synchronization of gene expression, protein localization and association of a dozen or more unique components. In Salmonella and Escherichia coli, a sequential, outward assembly mechanism has been proposed for the flagellar motor starting from the inner membrane, with each subsequent component stabilizing the last. Here, using electron cryo-tomography of intact Legionella pneumophila, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Shewanella oneidensis cells, we observe stable outer-membrane-embedded sub-complexes of the flagellar motor. These sub- complexes consist of the periplasmic embellished P- and L-rings, in the absence of other flagellar components, and bend the membrane inward dramatically. Additionally, we also observe independent inner-membrane sub- complexes consisting of the C- and MS-rings and export apparatus. These results suggest an alternate model for flagellar motor assembly in which outer- and inner-membrane-associated sub-complexes form independently and subsequently join, enabling later steps of flagellar production to proceed.
Estimating the Societal Benefits of Carbon Dioxide Sequestration Through Peatland Restoration

Abstract The Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (GDS) is a forested peatland that provides a number of ecosystem services including carbon (C) sequestration. We modeled and analyzed the potential capacity of the GDS to sequester C under four management scenarios: no management, no management with catastrophic fire, current management, and increased management. The analysis uses the Land Use and Carbon Scenario Simulator developed for the GDS to estimate net ecosystem C balance. The model simulates net C gains and losses on an annual time-step from 2013 through 2062 which is converted to carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-eq) and monetized using the Interagency Working Group's Social Cost of Carbon. Our analysis incorporates compounded uncertainty including variation in ecological processes, temporal and spatial heterogeneity, and uncertainty in the discount rate. The no management scenario results in 2.4 million tons of CO2 emissions with a Net Present Value (NPV) under a 3% discount rate of −$67 million. No management with catastrophic fires emits 6.5 million tons of CO2 with an NPV of −$232 million. Current management avoids 9.9 million tons of emissions (via sequestration) with an NPV of $326 million. Increased management avoids 16.5 million tons of emissions with an NPV of $524 million.
HSV Encephalitis associated with off-label Rituximab use in a case of relapsing multiple sclerosis. (P5.390)

Objective: Describe a case of Herpes Simplex Virus encephalitis (HSE) associated with rituximab use. Background: Rituximab is a monoclonal antibody, directed against the CD20 antigen on B-lymphocytes, frequently used off-label as disease modifying therapy (DMT) for multiple sclerosis (MS). HSE is the most common fatal encephalitis in the world, typically caused by HSV-1 invasion or reactivation. Rituximab treatment is not typically associated with a risk of HSE. Design/Methods: Case Report. Results: A 30-year-old woman with longstanding MS presented with high-grade fevers, altered mentation and complex partial seizures during her treatment with off-label rituximab. Imaging demonstrated extensive T2 hyperintensity with mass effect involving the right temporal lobe. Diagnosis of HSE was made by cerebrospinal fluid testing. The patient recovered following 21-day treatment with acyclovir and dexamethasone. Aside from rituximab use, risk factors for HSE include prior exposure to cyclophosphamide, natalizumab, fingolimod, dimethyl fumarate, as well as platform DMT agents. However, while laboratory testing revealed expected B-cell depletion there was no evidence of residual T-cell deficits from prior DMT use. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of HSE associated with rituximab. Our case report raises concerns about the potential risk of rituximab-related opportunistic infections. As seen with natalizumab, prior immunotherapy exposure may prove an important risk factor. With B-cell depleting therapies gaining traction in the treatment of MS, careful consideration will be necessary for appropriate patient selection. Disclosure: Dr. Vaddiparti has nothing to disclose. Dr. Manwani has nothing to disclose. Dr. Hosley has nothing to disclose. Dr. Tremblay has nothing to disclose.
The Stones in Our Chimneys

I take up the Peekskill riots of 1949 as an allegorical window for our vocation. Many singers of songs were wounded, and some almost lost their lives, at the balled fists and hurled rocks of fearful onlookers. Pete Seeger, one of the peaceful singers, retrieved and cemented in his cabin chimney two of the rocks thrown into his car. My response to teaching evaluations and student response of feeling obligated is the landscape glimpsed through this window.
Clinical Overlap Between Myopericarditis and Stress Induced Cardiomyopathy: A Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenge

BACKGROUND Stress induced cardiomyopathy (SIC) is characterized by non-obstructive coronary arteries and characteristic ventricular apical ballooning. The exact pathogenesis of SIC is not well recognized. We present an unusual case of SIC that mimicked acute myopericarditis and discuss the effect of this masquerading presentation of SIC in recognizing pathophysiological association between myopericarditis and SIC and limitations of current diagnostic criteria. CASE REPORT A 47-year-old female presented with flu-like illness and pleuritic chest pain. An electrocardiogram (ECG) showed diffuse PR depressions and ST elevations, troponin 5 ng/mL, hemoglobin 14.2 mg/dL, leukocytosis (white blood cell count of 15.1×103/uL) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) of 22.4 mm/hour. Echocardiogram showed reduced ejection fraction (EF) with apical ballooning. Catheterization showed non-obstructive coronary disease. The patient was given colchicine and ibuprofen for 1 day with symptom resolution over the next 2 days and repeat echocardiogram with preserved EF. Troponin trended down to 3.24 ng/mL and 0.44 ng/mL, 6 hours apart. ECG showed resolution of PR depressions and subsequent T wave inversions in 1, AVl, V1-V6 by day 3. The diagnosis of myopericarditis was favored by viral prodrome, fever, pleuritic pain, pericardial rub, ECG findings, and elevated ESR. History of emotional stress, characteristic ballooning of left ventricle apex with rapid resolution favored SIC. CONCLUSIONS This case showed that SIC and myocarditis need not be mutually exclusive and differentiating clinically between these 2 entities can be difficult. Alternatively, SIC can accompany other cardiac conditions like myocardial infarction, pericarditis, and myocarditis making diagnosis and management challenging. Clinicians need to be cautious while making this differentiation as duration and type of therapy may be significantly different. SIC can be considered a variant of regional inflammatory myocarditis wherein pericarditis may result secondary to extension of myocardial inflammation to overlying pericardium. The current Mayo Clinic criteria for diagnosis of SIC appears to be outdated, not accounting for such atypical presentations, and therefore needs to be revised.
Taming the Beast: Writing, Orality and Cultural Duplicity in Ahmadou Kourouma’s En attendant le vote des bêtes sauvages

AbstractThrough the analysis of En attendant le vote des betes sauvages by Ahmadou Kourouma, this article seeks to demonstrate how (Francophone) African writers’ literary output is far more reachin...
Relationships Between Pipe Resistance Formulas

Relationship between modern concepts of pipe resistance and older empirical formulas is clarified, and simple procedure developed to derive exponential formula applicable to known range of flow conditions; data on resistance measurements in water mains in service indicate that head loss varies with discharge to power nearly equal to 2.0 rather than 1.85 as commonly assumed.
Comparison of 30 Day Stroke and Death in Hybrid Intervention and Open Surgical Reconstruction for the Treatment of Tandem Carotid Bifurcation and Supra-aortic Trunk Disease.

Objective The optimal approach for the treatment of tandem carotid bifurcation and supra-aortic trunk (SAT) disease remains controversial. The hybrid technique of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) with ipsilateral proximal endovascular intervention (IPE) has provided an attractive alternative to CEA with open SAT reconstruction (SATr). However, no studies have compared cohorts treated by these two approaches. Methods Using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (2005–2017), patients who underwent CEA + IPE and CEA + SATr were identified. Non-occlusive indications were excluded. Primary outcomes included 30 day stroke, death, and their composite (stroke and/or death [SD]). Univariable and logistic regression analyses were performed. Results In total, 372 patients were identified: 319 CEA + SATr and 53 CEA + IPE. SATr included 19 (5.9%) aorta to carotid bypasses, 22 (6.9%) carotid subclavian transpositions, 96 (30.1%) carotid carotid bypasses, 179 (56.1%) carotid subclavian bypasses, and three (0.9%) SAT endarterectomies. The mean age was 69 ± 10 years. The majority were men (53%), white (85%), and had a history of hypertension (84%). There were no demographic differences between the operative cohorts except that those having CEA + SATr were more likely to have hypertension (86% vs. 74%; p = .031). CEA + SATr had longer operative times and longer hospital length of stay. There were no differences in outcomes between the cohorts: stroke (CEA + SATr 4.1% vs. CEA + IPE 3.8%; p = .92), death (1.6% vs. 0%; p = .36), or SD (5.3% vs. 3.8%; p = .63). After risk adjustment, predictors of SD included symptomatic status (odds ratio [OR] 3.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1–13.5; p = .034), congestive heart failure (OR 16.5, 95% CI 2.0–136; p = .011), and return to the operating room (OR 8.5, 95% CI 2.3–30.8; p = .001). Operative method was not predictive (p = .63). Conclusion Outcomes following CEA + SATr and CEA + IPE are similar. Although proposed as a safer, less invasive alternative, the hybrid approach did not reduce the risk of operative stroke or death relative to open reconstruction for the treatment of occlusive, tandem carotid/SAT disease. Based upon lesion and patient factors, both may be considered management options in select patients.
The ALIGN Open-Source Analog Layout Generator: v1.0 and Beyond (Invited talk)

The ALIGN (Analog Layout, Intelligently Generated from Netlists) project attempts to remedy these limitations using a variety of strategies: (a) it recognizes geometric constraints and subcircuits through automated circuit recognition and annotation; (b) it trans-lates performance specifications to layout constraints that can be used to limit layout parasitics; (c) it creates a unifying methodology that can be targeted to a wide range of analog circuits. The ALIGN team brings together expertise from both academic and industry researchers to create open-source software for analog layout automation. ALIGN translates a SPICE-level netlist into a physical layout, with 24-hour turnaround and no human in the loop. Auto-annotation and constraint generation: A key step in ALIGN is to identify these hierarchies to recognize the building blocks of the design which employ a mix of graph-based and machine-learning-based methods. Design rule abstraction and parameterized primitive layout generation: ALIGN defines a systematic method for translating a complex design rule manual into a simplified grid representation, appended with Boolean constraints as needed. The approach has been shown to be capable of capturing rules in both FinFET and bulk PDKs. Block-level assembly: This step uses the constituent hierarchical structure of the design and performs placement and routing to assemble blocks in the design. To enable the application of ALIGN in practical settings, the flow creates a separation between open-source code and proprietary data. PDK models are translated into an abstraction that is used by the layout generators.
Pulmonary Critical Care Fellows' Use of and Self-reported Barriers to Learning Bedside Ultrasound During Training: Results of a National Survey.

Background Competence in ultrasonography is essential for pulmonary and critical care medicine (PCCM) fellows, but little is known about fellow-reported barriers to acquiring this crucial skill during fellowship training. Research Question How do PCCM fellows acquire experience performing and interpreting ultrasonography during their training, what is their perspective on barriers to acquiring ultrasound expertise during fellowship, and what is their comfort with a range of ultrasound examinations? Study Design and Methods A 20-item survey including questions about procedural training and acquisition of ultrasound skills during PCCM fellowship was developed. The survey instrument was sent to PCCM fellowship program directors to distribute to their fellows at program directors’ discretion. Results Four hundred seventy-five responses were received. The most common method of learning ultrasonography was performing it independently at the bedside. Fellows reported that the greatest barrier to acquiring ultrasound skills was the lack of trained faculty experts, followed by lack of a formal curriculum. Fellow comfort was greatest with thoracic ultrasound and least with advanced cardiac ultrasound. Interpretation Significant barriers to ultrasound training during PCCM fellowship exist, and future educational efforts should address these barriers at both program and institutional levels.
Predictors of Recurrence and Patterns of Initial Failure in Localized Ewing Sarcoma: A Contemporary 20-Year Experience.

Background. The majority of patients with localized Ewing sarcoma will remain disease-free long term, but for those who suffer recurrence, successful treatment remains a challenge. Identification of clinicopathologic factors predictive of recurrence could suggest areas for treatment optimization. We sought to describe our experience regarding predictors of recurrence and patterns of first failure in patients receiving modern systemic therapy for nonmetastatic Ewing sarcoma. Methods. The medical records of pediatric and adult patients treated for localized Ewing sarcoma between 1999 and 2019 at Johns Hopkins Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Local control was surgery, radiotherapy, or both. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) was calculated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Univariable and multivariable Cox proportional-hazards modeling was performed to obtain hazard ratios (HR) for recurrence. Results. In 94 patients with initially localized disease, there were 21 recurrences: 4 local, 14 distant, and 3 combined. 5-year and 10-year RFS were 75.6% and 70.5%, respectively. On multivariable analysis including age at diagnosis and tumor size, <95% tumor necrosis following neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC; HR 14.3, p = 0.028) and radiological tumor size change during NAC (HR 1.04 per 1% decrease in size change, p = 0.032) were independent predictors of recurrence. Among patients experiencing distant recurrence, pulmonary metastases were present in 82% and were the only identifiable site of disease in 53%. Conclusions. Poor pathologic or radiologic response to NAC is predictive of recurrence in patients with localized Ewing sarcoma. Suboptimal tumor size reduction following chemotherapy provides a means to risk-stratify patients who do not undergo definitive resection. Isolated pulmonary recurrence was a common event.
Energy Balance Within Thermonuclear Reactors

Thermonuclear reactors hold a great promise for the future of Humankind. Within Tokamak and Stellarator reactors, plasma is confined by twisted magnetic fields. Reactors which produce fusion energy have existed since Princeton Large Torus Tokamak in 1978, nevertheless in all reactors built up to now, energy loss from plasma vastly exceeded fusion energy production. In order for a thermonuclear power plant to run, generated fusion energy must significantly exceed energy loss by the plasma. There are four processes by which plasma looses energy -- neutron radiation, Bremsstrahlung radiation, synchrotron radiation, and heat conduction to the walls. For a deuterium -- tritium reactor, 80\% of energy produced by fusion is lost to neutron radiation, about 4\% to 6\% of fusion energy is lost to Bremsstrahlung and synchrotron radiation. For a deuterium -- $^3$He reactor, 5\% of energy produced by fusion is lost to neutron radiation, about 50\% to 75\% of fusion energy is lost to Bremsstrahlung and synchrotron radiation. Increasing reactor operating temperature decreases loss to Bremsstrahlung radiation and increases loss to synchrotron radiation. Power loss to conduction is either independent or weakly dependent on fusion power production. Up to now, no single theoretical or experimental model can accurately predict conduction power loss. For small Tokamaks and Stellarators, conduction power loss vastly exceeds power generated by fusion. For large and powerful thermonuclear reactors which are yet to be built, conduction power loss should be much lower then power produced by fusion.
Eliminating Constitutional Law

A growing number of constitutional scholars are resting arguments for interpretive methodologies on claims about the nature of law. The most prominent and influential of these arguments is a positivist argument for originalism; other arguments draw upon the natural-law tradition. These scholars have clarified their positions but haven't abandoned them. This Essay contends that they should. Methodological prescriptions to constitutional decisionmakers stand in need of moral justification, and theories of what law-as-such or “constitutional law” are don't fit the bill. Legality doesn't carry moral weight, regardless of whether positivism or nonpositivism is true. Accordingly, analytical economy and clarity counsel in favor of eliminativism—the view that we can and should do without the concept of law—in important domains of normative constitutional theory and constitutional practice. What’s the alternative? All things morally relevant—including moral goods associated with law—should be weighed together in making methodological choice. “It’s the law” can't underwrite originalism or common-law constitutionalism or Dworkinism or anything else. Theories of law may, however, be useful in identifying the moral goods that should factor into interpretive choice, as well as in guiding “retail” constitutional decisionmaking in individual cases.
Permanency v. Biology: Making the Case for Post-Adoption Contact

Studies suggest that post-adoption contact with their birth families is in most children’s best interests, especially for transracially adopted and older children. However, neither birth parents nor children have any legal right to contact after the parents’ rights have been terminated. Although birth parents and adoptive parents increasingly enter into post-adoption contact agreements, the enforceability of such agreements is an open question in many states. More importantly, such agreements are rare in cases involving older children adopted from foster care, children who are disproportionately non-white. This article describes the challenges faced by transracial adoptees and their adoptive families and demonstrates how federal law has made it difficult for states to support these families. It illustrates the shortcomings of states’ approaches to post-termination contact and explores whether courts can and should order post-adoption contact in cases where such contact is in the child’s best interests.
P-wave electron-Be^{3+}, C^{5+}, and O^{7+} elastic scattering and photoabsorption in two-electron systems

In previous papers [Bhatia, Phys. Rev. A 85 , 052708 (2012); 86 , 032709 (2012); 87 , 042705 (2013)] electron-hydrogen, electron-He + , electron-Li 2+ P -wave scattering phase shifts were calculated using the variational polarized orbital theory. This method is now extended to the singlet and triplet P -wave scattering from Be 3+ , C 5+ , and O 7+ in the elastic region. The long-range correlations are included in the Schrodinger equation by using the method of polarized orbitals variationally . Phase shifts are compared to those obtained by other methods. The present calculation provides results which are rigorous lower bonds to the exact phase shifts. Using the presently calculated P -wave continuum functions, photoionization of the singlet and triplet S states of Be 2+ , C 4+ , and O 6+ are also calculated, along with the radiative recombination rate coefficients at various electron temperatures.
Quickly Setting Up PLIP and NFS

Need to transfer files between your desktop and your laptop? Here's the easy way to do itnetworking
Human-competitive applications of genetic programming

Genetic programming is an automatic technique for producing a computer program that solves, or approximately solves, a problem. This chapter reviews several recent examples of human-competitive results produced by genetic programming. The examples all involve the automatic synthesis of a complex structure from a high-level statement of the requirements for the structure. The illustrative results include examples of automatic synthesis of both the topology and sizing (component values) for analog electrical circuits, automatic synthesis of placement and routing (as well as topology and sizing) for circuits, and automatic synthesis of both the topology and tuning (parameter values) of controllers.
Fashions from Commodity Bags—Case Study of a Rural Seamstress in the Mid-Twentieth Century

AbstractBeginning in the late-nineteenth century, recycling commodity bags into household items and garments was commonplace in rural America. Despite the prevalence of the practice, there is little information available about what commodity bag garments looked like, and the steps seamstresses went through to recycle the bags. This paper focuses on thirty-five garments made from recycled commodity bags by Rosa Keller Aucoin between 1949 and 1968 in southeast Louisiana. Rosa’s wardrobe presents an unparalleled research opportunity since no other collection of commodity bags of this number by one seamstress has been identified. This study examined Rosa’s commodity bag wardrobe made for work and informal social occasions. Specific goals were to 1) identify, 2) evaluate, 3) culturally analyze, and 4) interpret the commodity bag garments. The study found the garments to be colorful, durable, and fashionable, fitting into both the rural culture surrounding the seamstress, as well as the wider American culture o...
Reward, Brain Mechanisms of

Direct electrical or chemical stimulation of the brain can be powerfully rewarding. The neurons activated by such rewards are partially known and are the focus of intense investigation. These neurons are thought to participate in normal motivation and in the control of behavior through the natural pleasures of life. Keywords: reward; reinforcement; incentive motivation
Quantifying and modelling urban stream temperature: a central US watershed study

Hydrologic models that rely on site specific linear and non-linear regression water temperature (Tw) subroutines forced solely with observed air temperature (Ta) may not accurately estimate Tw in mixed-use urbanizing watersheds where hydrogeological and land use complexity may confound common Tw regime assumptions. A nested-scale experimental watershed study design was used to test Tw model predictions in a representative mixed-use urbanizing watershed of the central USA. The linear regression Tw model used in the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), a non-linear regression Tw model, and a process-based Tw model that accounts for watershed hydrology were evaluated. The non-linear regression Tw model tested at a daily time step performed significantly (P 25.0 °C) by 3.2%, and 7.2%, respectively. Conversely, the process-based Tw model closely estimated Tw in lower temperature ranges (PBIAS = 4.5%) and only slightly underestimated Tw in the higher temperature range (PBIAS = 1.7%). Findings illustrate the benefit of integrating process-based Tw models with hydrologic models to improve model transferability and Tw predictive confidence in urban mixed-land use watersheds. The findings in this work are distinct geographically and in terms of mixed-land use complexity and are therefore of immediate value to land-use managers in similarly urbanizing watersheds globally. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nitrogen-carbon linkage isomerism of histidine in ruthenium ammine complexes

Abstract The histidine complexes of pentaammineruthenium in the (II) and (III) oxidation states have been prepared and characterized. Spectral data shows that histidine is bound through the imidazole-N-3. The ruthenium (II) ion rearranges in acidic solution to give a tetrammineruthenium complex of histidine in which the histidine is bound through the imidazole-C-2 atom. The spectral properties of this linkage isomer are described. The potential biological significance of histidine N-C linkage isomerism is discussed.
Near-field radioactive particle dynamics and empirical fallout patterns in Chernobyl's Western and Northern Plumes

Abstract We compared geographically referenced ground-based measurements of gamma and beta radiation to model predictions of particle dispersion and estimate the influences of particle sizes, wind speeds, and vertical and lateral turbulence on the near-field ( 40 μm in diameter. These large particulates eliminate passive dispersion of oxidized nuclear fuel and aerosol releases of volatile elements as the primary sources of contamination in the Northern Plume at distances
Crystallography gets the jump on the enzymologists.

Investigations into the biosynthesis of natural compounds such as antibiotics and other drugs have made major contributions to our understanding of complex biological reaction schemes and novel chemical mechanisms. The formation of many of these complicated natural compounds often occurs while tethered to peptidyl carrier protein (PCP) domains or in polyketide synthase (PKS) multidomain synthetic units where synthesis can be thought of as occurring somewhat like solid-phase methods used by organic chemists. Many unusual biological reactions have been characterized, including halogenations by flavin-dependent enzymes and by non-heme iron-containing enzymes, oxidative formation of carbon–carbon bonds by using P450 systems, and diverse stereo- and regiospecific reactions that are very difficult to carry out in the laboratory, especially at mild temperatures and pH values. One diverse class of natural compounds is the indolocarbazoles that have been found to have a broad spectrum of biological effects, leading to their potential use in antibacterial, antifungal, and antitumor treatments (1). In fact, several of these compounds are currently being clinically tested for their efficacy in treating cancer and other diseases (1). Tryptophan is used as the starting compound for many indolocarbazoles (2, 3). Recently, substantial progress has been made in understanding the detailed pathways for the biosynthesis of rebeccamycin and its close relative staurosporine (4–15). Rebeccamycin is an antitumor agent that binds to DNA–topoisomerase I complexes to prevent replication of DNA (16). It is therefore a promising candidate for antitumor therapies. The highly efficient biosynthetic pathway for rebeccamycin consists of a small number of soluble enzymes (7) that catalyze the reactions to form the basic aglycone scaffold from tryptophan, as well as the formation of N-glycosidic bonds to the indole nitrogens of the aglycone unit (Fig. 1 A). The overall conversion of …
Farthest points in weakly compact sets

LetS be a weakly compact subset of a Banach spaceB. We show that of all points inB which have farthest points inS contains a denseG 5 ofB. Also, we give a necessary and sufficient condition for bounded closed convex sets to be the closed convex hull of their farthest points in reflexive Banach spaces.
Truth Claims for Religious Images

A rough circumscription of our area of study will be achieved when I say that by images I mean the kind of thing about which Ian Crombie and Austin Farrer have written in Faith and Logic and Farrer also in The Glass of Vision . In the latter work Farrer cites as examples of religious images the Kingdom of God, the Son of Man, the Israel of God and the ‘infinitely complex and fertile image of sacrifice and communion, of expiation and covenant’. Farrer's images are essentially verbal pictures whose function is to interpret and elucidate revelatory events. He writes: The great images interpreted the events of Christ's ministry, death and resurrection, and the events interpreted the images; the interplay of the two is revelation. Certainly the events without the images would be no revelation at all, and the images without the events would remain shadows on the clouds. The events by themselves are not revelation, for they do not by themselves reveal the divine work which is accomplished in them: the martyrdom of a virtuous Rabbi and his miraculous return are not of themselves the redemption of the world.
DNA methylation topology: potential of a chromatin landmark for epigenetic drug toxicology

Targeting chromatin and its basic components through epigenetic drug therapy has become an increased focus in the treatment of complex diseases. This boost calls for the implementation of high-throughput cell-based assays that exploit the increasing knowledge about epigenetic mechanisms and their interventions for genotoxicity testing of epigenetic drugs. 3D quantitative DNA methylation imaging is a novel approach for detecting drug-induced DNA demethylation and concurrent heterochromatin decondensation/reorganization in cells through the analysis of differential nuclear distribution patterns of methylcytosine and gDNA visualized by fluorescence and processed by machine-learning algorithms. Utilizing 3D DNA methylation patterns is a powerful precursor to a series of fully automatable assays that employ chromatin structure and higher organization as novel pharmacodynamic biomarkers for various epigenetic drug actions.
Institutional Structure and the Effectiveness of Integrated Conservation and Development Projects: Case Study from Madagascar

The success of conservation efforts does not depend just on having a good project design. The national and international resource management infrastructure plays an important role in enabling projects to meet their goals or in presenting barriers to effective implementation. A study of the institutional infrastructure for resource management in Madagascar has revealed that certain factors — with regards to communication between institutional levels, the integration of national-level players at all phases of project design, and appropriate institutional development, for example — may encourage positive institutional interactions and as a consequence, effective integrated conservation and development projects (ICDP). This article considers the interlinked levels of political analysis, examining the relationship between institutional structure and effectiveness in meeting conservation objectives. It advocates the full participation of nationals in conservation initiatives and that individual projects be give...