cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Parasite Cysteine Protease Is Key to Host Protein Degradation and Iron Acquisition

Cysteine proteases of the Clan CA (papain) family are the predominant protease group in primitive invertebrates. Cysteine protease inhibitors arrest infection by the protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma brucei. RNA interference studies implicated a cathepsin B-like protease, tbcatB, as a key inhibitor target. Utilizing parasites in which one of the two alleles of tbcatb has been deleted, the key role of this protease in degradation of endocytosed host proteins is delineated. TbcatB deficiency results in a decreased growth rate and dysmorphism of the flagellar pocket and the subjacent endocytic compartment. Western blot and microscopic analysis indicate that deficiency in tbcatB results in accumulation of both host and parasite proteins, including the lysosomal marker p67. A critical function for parasitism is the degradation of host transferrin, which is necessary for iron acquisition. Substrate specificity analysis of recombinant tbcatB revealed the optimal peptide cleavage sequences for the enzyme and these were confirmed experimentally using FRET-based substrates. Degradation of transferrin was validated by SDS-PAGE and the specific cleavage sites identified by N-terminal sequencing. Because even a modest deficiency in tbcatB is lethal for the parasite, tbcatB is a logical target for the development of new anti-trypanosomal chemotherapy.
New Subsampling Algorithms for Fast Least Squares Regression

We address the problem of fast estimation of ordinary least squares (OLS) from large amounts of data (n ≫ p). We propose three methods which solve the big data problem by subsampling the covariance matrix using either a single or two stage estimation. All three run in the order of size of input i.e. O(np) and our best method, Uluru, gives an error bound of O(√p/n) which is independent of the amount of subsampling as long as it is above a threshold. We provide theoretical bounds for our algorithms in the fixed design (with Randomized Hadamard preconditioning) as well as sub-Gaussian random design setting. We also compare the performance of our methods on synthetic and real-world datasets and show that if observations are i.i.d., sub-Gaussian then one can directly subsample without the expensive Randomized Hadamard preconditioning without loss of accuracy.
Complete Genome Sequence of Campylobacter jejuni RM1285, a Rod-Shaped Morphological Variant

ABSTRACT Campylobacter jejuni is a spiral shaped Gram-negative food-borne bacterial pathogen of humans found on poultry products. Strain RM1285 is a rod-shaped variant of this species. The genome of RM1285 was determined to be 1,635,803 bp, with a G+C content of 30.5%.
Low fiber content of Connecticut diets.

Recent theories have postulated that low fiber diets are related to colon cancer and diverticulosis, and to atherosclerosis. These theories are based on British and African diet history information. There has been no recent assessment of fiber intake in an area of high incidence of colonic disease in the United States. Using recall diet histories in subjects with no disease and with colon disease, and correcting our data to account for any loss in recall history, we find a low daily fiber intake in all 21 subjects evaluated, mean 3.5 g. range 1.6 to I I g. There was no statistical difference in intake among patients with or without colon disease. The data agree with the British findings. Since the incidence of the diseases in question is not uniform in the United States it is suggested that diet surveys are needed in areas where colon carcinoma is of low incidence. Am. J. C/in. Nuir. 29: 87-89, 1976.
Abstract P308: Lower Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status is Associated with Higher BNP and Prolonged QTc Intervals among Heart Failure Patients with Preserved Ejection Fraction

Background: Prior studies have shown that high B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels and prolonged QTc intervals are associated with increased mortality, particularly sudden cardiac death, among heart failure (HF) patients. Whether neighborhood socioeconomic status (nSES) impacts BNP or QTc remains unknown. Methods: This study included consecutive patients enrolled from the outpatient clinic of the Northwestern Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF) Program from June 2007 to November 2010 after hospitalization for HF and followed through May 2011. Patients’ residential addresses were geocoded to identify their census tract of residence. Census 2000 data were used to create a single, summary score of nSES based on residential income, education and employment for each census tract and was divided into tertiles. Outcomes included post-discharge BNP and QTc, obtained within 1 month after HF hospitalization during the outpatient HFpEF clinic visit GEE models were used to examine the association between nSES and BNP and QTc adjusting for age, race, gender, NYHA class, blood pressure, obesity, smoking, glucose, eGFR, and comorbidities. Results: Among the 368 HFpEF patients, 37.0% were female, 50.5% White, avg. age was 64.8 yrs and 45.9% had NYHA class 3+. Higher nSES was significantly associated with lower BNP levels and shorter QTc intervals (Table). The adjusted BNP levels per nSES tertile were 718 pg/mL (±101.4) for the lowest nSES tertile, 508 pg/mL (± 75.3) for the intermediate nSES tertile and 454.2 pg/mL for the highest nSES tertile. Simlarly, QTc interval decreased with increasing tertile of nSES from 464.1 ms (± 5.7) in the lowest nSES tertile to 457.2 ms (± 5.8) and 448.9 ms (± 5.4) for the intermediate and highest tertiles, respectively. Conclusion: Low nSES is associated with increased BNP levels and a longer QTc interval in HFpEF patients. These findings may explain the association of nSES with higher rates of sudden cardiac death and worse outcomes among HF patients in disadvantaged neighborhoods.
AsHES Keynote

Summary form only given. Trends in execution concurrency on accelerated platforms make a compelling case for developing methods that can automatically and efficiently model and mitigate numerical irreproducibility beyond petascale and into exascale. High-performance accelerated computers at the extreme scale exhibit an enormous level of concurrency-a factor of 10,000 greater than on traditional platforms-that is moving computer simulations from bulk-synchronous executions to nondeterministic multithreading calculations and asynchronous I/O. As concurrency levels in simulations increase, the impact of rounding errors on numerical reproducibility is also exacerbated, ultimately affecting the ability of scientific simulations to reproduce program executions and numerical results. Under these circumstances, irreproducible results may not be trusted by a scientific community expecting reproducible behaviors; and any attempt to pursue reproducibility may come at a cost in performance that is too high.
Insular and other Poorly Differentiated Thyroid Carcinomas

Poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma refers to the group of follicular cell neoplasms that are intermediate between differentiated and undifferentiated (anaplastic) carcinoma, both in terms of histologic appearance and biologic behavior. Solid, trabecular, and insular are some of the terms that describe variants of poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma but the boundaries of this histologic category are ambiguous. For example, some experts consider the columnar cell variant of papillary carcinoma to be a subtype of poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma whereas others view it as an unfavorable variant of differentiated carcinoma. The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the management of patients with poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma. The focus of discussion will be insular carcinoma because this is the most common and well-defined subtype in this category. The behavior and management of insular carcinoma is the same as for other forms of poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma.
Rejoinder to Frey's “Comment”

Professor Frey and I seem to be in agreement on several points: (1) The research procedures proposed by Bachrach and Baratz are unsatisfactory. (2) Worrying about criteria of issue selection is unnecessary; policy formation can usefully be studied issue by issue. Indeed, I would add that typologies of issues are one of the more promising developments in the study of politics." (3) The notion of nondecisions is not a club with which to belabor Who Governs? in particular or "pluralists" in general. Frey has performed a considerable service by rescuing the idea of nondecisions from the ideologically tinged context in which its advocates generally have discussed it. (4) Analysts of policy formation who limit their attention to overt conflict miss many exercises of power. (5) The pluralist-elitist dichotomy is not a useful distinction. The last two points call for further discussion. I do not know of any researcher who has disputed the fourth point. In his study of New Haven, Dahl employed three indices of power, "of roughly the same strength." One of these was: "When a proposal initiated by one or more of the participants is adopted without opposition."2 While Frey and I reach the same conclusion about the value of the pluralist-elitist distinction, our views on this subject are otherwise disparate. He feels that the debate has generated a number of valuable ideas but has become ungenerous and polemical and therefore should be ended. I think that "pluralism" has become so protean a word that it should be retired from serious discourse on grounds of excessive ambiguity.3 More fundamentally, the pluralist-elitist dichotomy occupies a limited and dull segment of the subject matter of political science. Most interesting and controversial topics seem not be subsumed under this tired
Clinical Studies on Flexor Tendon Injury

Between 1976 and 1979, thirty-nine patients, sixty-seven digits of flexor tendon injury were treated. A direct tendon suture was done, whenever possible, in the digital sheath region.Fourteen digits were repaired with primary or delayed direct tendon suture and thirteen tendon grafts were performed in the digital sheath region.These cases with flexor tendon injury are divided into various zones and evaluated with total active motion in this paper.
Eosinophile Levels in Hospitalized Psychotics During Combined Testosterone-Estrogen Therapy

Summary and Conclusions1. The direct eosinophile counts of the majority of a group of 17 psychotic patients rose sharply during the course of massive combined testosterone-estrogen therapy. 2. There was an apparent positive correlation between improvement in the patients' clinical status and the degree of eosinophilia attained. 3. An anti-adreno-cortical effect at least in relation to blood eosinophile levels of sex steroids is suggested.
Tepa and Thiotepa: Uptake, Persistence, and Sterility Induced in Pupae and Adults of Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus

When male pupae of the southern house mosquito, Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus Say, were exposed to concentrations of tepa and thiotepa in aqueous solutions, the uptake of thiotepa was much greater than that of tepa, and it correlated directly with the degree of sterility induced. In pupae, thiotepa was metabolized rapidly (70% in 18 hours) after an initial lag of 4 hours and was not converted to tepa, but in adults this conversion did occur. Partition coefficients for thiotepa and tepa in 3 binary solvent systems were compared. Tepa was much more polar than thiotepa.
Retirement policies and economic security for older people in Africa

Major features and limitations of social insurance and retirement programmes in Africa are examined. The relationship between formal and informal security systems is explored and the role of communities, non-governmental organizations and employer-based private pension schemes for retired older Africans is highlighted. In addition, social, health, gender inequity and long-term care services are discussed, the provision of which could enhance the well-being of older Africans.
THE EFFECT OF ALPROSTADIL IN TREATING DIABETES FOOT

Objective To observe the curative effect of alprostadil on diabetes foot.Methods 56 patients with diabetes foot were divided into two groups in random,experiment group and control group.Each group was treated with medical comprehensive therapy.The experiment group was treated additionally with alprostadil intravenously guttae(10 μg alprostadil into 100ml normal saline) once a day for four weeks,while the control group with salviae miltiorrhiza.Results The total effective rate of experiment group was better than that of control group,with no obvious adverse effect.Conclusion Alprostadil has good effect on diabetes foot,so is worthy to be recommanded.
Articulatory features for large vocabulary speech recognition

Studies have demonstrated that articulatory information can model speech variability effectively and can potentially help to improve speech recognition performance. Most of the studies involving articulatory information have focused on effectively estimating them from speech, and few studies have actually used such features for speech recognition. Speech recognition studies using articulatory information have been mostly confined to digit or medium vocabulary speech recognition, and efforts to incorporate them into large vocabulary systems have been limited. We present a neural network model to estimate articulatory trajectories from speech signals where the model was trained using synthetic speech signals generated by Haskins Laboratories’ task-dynamic model of speech production. The trained model was applied to natural speech, and the estimated articulatory trajectories obtained from the models were used in conjunction with standard cepstral features to train acoustic models for large-vocabulary recognition systems. Two different large-vocabulary English datasets were used in the experiments reported here. Results indicate that employing articulatory information improves speech recognition performance not only under clean conditions but also under noisy background conditions. Perceptually motivated robust features were also explored in this study and the best performance was obtained when systems based on articulatory, standard cepstral and perceptually motivated feature were all combined.
Utilization of LC-MS/MS Analyses to Identify Site-Specific Chemical Protein Adducts In Vitro

Biologically reactive intermediates are formed following metabolism of xenobiotics, and during normal oxidative metabolism. These reactive species are electrophilic in nature and are capable of forming stable adducts with target proteins. These covalent protein modifications can initiate processes that lead to acute tissue injury or chronic disease. Recent advancements in mass spectrometry techniques and data analysis has permitted a more detailed investigation of site-specific protein modifications by reactive electrophiles. Knowledge from such analyses will assist in providing a better understanding of how specific classes of electrophiles produce toxicity and disease progression via site-selective protein-specific covalent modification. Hydroquinone (HQ) is a known environmental toxicant, and its quinone-thioether metabolites, formed via the intermediate generation of 1,4-benzoquinone (1,4-BQ), elicit their toxic response via the covalent modification of target proteins and the generation of reactive oxygen species. We have utilized a model protein, cytochrome c, to guide us in identifying 1,4-BQ- and 1,4-BQ-thioether derived site-specific protein modifications. LC-MS/MS analyses reveals that these modifications occur selectively on lysine and glutamic acid residues of the target protein, and that these modifications occur within identifiable "electrophile binding motifs" within the protein. These motifs are found within lysine-rich regions of the protein and appear to be target sites of 1,4-BQ-thioether adduction. These residues also appear to dictate the nature of post-adduction chemistry and the final structure of the adduct. This model system will provide critical insight for in vivo adduct hunting following exposure to 1,4-BQ-thioethers, but the general approaches can also be extended to the identification of protein adducts derived from other classes of reactive electrophiles.
Corrigendum to “QTc prolongation may be a late biomarker of orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) rejection” [J Electrocardiol 49 (2016) 928–929]

Author(s): Carter, Erik V; Castillo, Carmen; Chen, Belinda; Doering, Lynn V; Drew, Barbara J; Hickey, Kathleen T; Pickham, David; Sciacca, Robert R
Preoperative body mass index and physical function are associated with length of stay and facility discharge after total knee arthroplasty.

Abstract Background Hospital length of stay (LOS) and facility discharge are primary drivers of the cost of total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We sought to identify modifiable patient factors that were associated with increased LOS and facility discharge after TKA. Methods Prospective data were reviewed from 716 consecutive, primary TKA procedures performed by two arthroplasty surgeons between 2006 and 2012 at a single institution. Preoperative body mass index (BMI), Veterans RAND-12 (VR-12) physical component score (PCS), and hemoglobin level were collected in addition to other adjusters. Multivariate linear and logistic models were constructed to predict LOS and facility discharge, respectively. Results After adjustment, higher BMI was associated with increased LOS in a dose–response effect: Compared to normal weight (BMI 40) by 1.15 days (P Conclusion Patient BMI has a dose–response effect in increasing LOS. Poor PCS was associated similarly with increased LOS. These associations for of BMI and PCS suggest that improvement preoperatively, by any amount, may potentially translate to decreased LOS and perhaps lower the cost associated with TKA.
Graphene transport mediated by micropatterned substrates

Engineered substrates offer a promising avenue towards graphene devices having tunable properties. In particular, topographically patterned substrates can expose unique behavior due to their ability to induce local variations in strain and electrostatic doping. However, to explore the range of possible science and applications, it is important to create topographic substrates that both have tunable features and are suitable for transport measurements. In this letter, we describe the fabrication of tunable, topographically patterned substrates suitable for transport measurements. We report both optical and transport measurements of graphene devices fabricated on these substrates and demonstrate the characteristic strain and local doping behavior induced by the topographic features.Engineered substrates offer a promising avenue towards graphene devices having tunable properties. In particular, topographically patterned substrates can expose unique behavior due to their ability to induce local variations in strain and electrostatic doping. However, to explore the range of possible science and applications, it is important to create topographic substrates that both have tunable features and are suitable for transport measurements. In this letter, we describe the fabrication of tunable, topographically patterned substrates suitable for transport measurements. We report both optical and transport measurements of graphene devices fabricated on these substrates and demonstrate the characteristic strain and local doping behavior induced by the topographic features.
Whatever Happened to Oral Monotherapy

Over the past 20 years, pulmonary arterial hypertension management has evolved dramatically, with development and approval of more than a dozen drugs targeted at 3 cellular pathways. Recent trials, including patients either already on background therapy or up-front combination regimens have shown benefits of combination therapy. However, some patients in these recent trials and in practice seem to benefit from a single drug approach. The role of monotherapy in PAH is reviewed in this paper.
Drones in War: The Controversies Surrounding the United States' Expanded Use of Drones

The Obama administration, during his presidency, had embarked on a mission to redefine the guidelines for the development and deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), also known as drones. There are a number of debates surrounding the use of drones, the most contentious of which have been as to whether governments have legal authorization to do so, and of how combatant status is defined under current international law. The most salient issue today regarding the deployment of drones has been the “culture of secrecy.” In Obama’s first second term, his administration promised significant improvements on openness and scrutiny for U.S. drones strikes in a major speech in May 2013. Although the US has presented a public move to distill the US drone policy more out of the shadows, the actual mechanism by which the US is actually, in practice, employing armed drones and executing targeted killings still presents serious international legal questions. Recently, the White House had proposed that the Pentagon would take over much of the drone operations from the CIA, whereby making drone strikes more transparent. Yet, during this same period, the Obama administration has not shifted key aspects of the drone program to that of being unclassified in form. Given the alarming increase in the use of drones and the sophistication and ease by which such weapons can be used in violent situations, the time is now for the Trump administration to take action on critical alterations of the current policy in the use of drones.
Elucidating the Detectivity Limits in Shortwave Infrared Organic Photodiodes

While only few organic photodiodes have photoresponse past 1 µm, novel shortwave infrared (SWIR) polymers are emerging, and a better understanding of the limiting factors in narrow bandgap devices is critically needed to predict and advance performance. Based on state-of-the-art SWIR bulk heterojunction photodiodes, this work demonstrates a model that accounts for the increasing electric-field dependence of photocurrent in narrow bandgap materials. This physical model offers an expedient method to pinpoint the origins of efficiency losses, by decoupling the exciton dissociation efficiency and charge collection efficiency in photocurrent–voltage measurements. These results from transient photoconductivity measurements indicate that the main loss is due to poor exciton dissociation, particularly significant in photodiodes with low-energy charge-transfer states. Direct measurements of the noise components are analyzed to caution against using assumptions that could lead to an overestimation of detectivity. The devices show a peak detectivity of 5 × 1010 Jones with a spectral range up to 1.55 µm. The photodiodes are demonstrated to quantify the ethanol–water content in a mixture within 1% accuracy, conveying the potential of organics to enable economical, scalable detectors for SWIR spectroscopy.
Privacy and E-Authentication: The Dangers of Self-disclosure in Social Networks

We propose a Bayesian model of privacy in e-authentication and develop associated entropy-based metrics. A major contribution of this work is the application of weighted entropy to characterize the user’s privacy preferences. Further, we model the effects of side information on privacy and relate it to self-disclosure on Internet web sites and social networks. Specifically, our empirical study of Internet users’ information disclosure habits within social networks along with the theoretical results provide insights into building a regulatory framework to address privacy concerns in e-authentication.
Politics Projected into the Past: The NEP

If Kamenskii and Yur’in’s plays represented a spontaneous effort to lay bare the so-called Marxian “power line” of history, then the majority of historical dramas which appeared after them reflected the intrusion of an outside force calculated to substitute for that spontaneity an officially regulated approach.
Hepatic Vein Thrombosis, Veno-Occlusive Disease, and Ischemic Hepatitis

Hepatic vein thrombosis, veno-occlusive disease, and ischemic hepatitis (shock liver) all produce pathologic changes in zone 3 of the hepatic lobules. Obstruction of the major outflow tracts of the liver will readily lead to congestion of the central veins and, if severe enough, hemorrhagic necrosis will ensue. Endothelial injury to the smaller hepatic venules will result in a similar centrilobular injury. Finally, any compromise of the delivery of oxygen to the liver as occurs in ischemic hepatitis can be anticipated to preferentially injure those hepatocytes that are the last to receive oxygen; zone 3 of the lobule. It is altogether fitting that this trio of centrilobular vascular disorders be included in this volume honoring Hyman Zimmerman. Indeed Dr. Zimmerman and his colleagues have provided the largest review on the management of oral contraceptive induced hepatic vein thrombosis.1
Experimentally induced ocular chlamydial infection in infant pig-tailed macaques

Four Macaca nemestrina monkeys were inoculated in the conjunctiva with Chlamydia trachomatis (strain E) at 6 weeks of age. A fifth monkey was inoculated with HeLa cell materials only. Ten weeks later, all monkeys were reinoculated with either strain E or strain C. All inoculated monkeys were susceptible to infection with C. trachomatis as documented by fluorescent antibody staining of smears and reisolation of the organism from conjunctival and nasopharyngeal swab specimens. Rectal and vaginal swab specimens remained negative throughout the study. Three of four inoculated animals responded with IgM titers reaching a peak of 1:16 (M#3) and 1:32 (M#l, M#4) 2 weeks after the primary inoculation. IgG appeared in all inoculated animals and titers rose to peak levels of 1:64 (M#2), 1:128 (M#l, M#3), and 1:256 (M#4). Histopathology documented a dramatic difference in immunological response following secondary inoculation. Primary inoculation elicited a typical inflammatory response characterized by moderate stromal infiltration of polymorphonuclear and mononuclear leukocytes. Plasma cells appeared by week 3 postinoculation (pi). Following a secondary inoculation, classic follicle formation was evident by 1 week pi. Mononuclear markers identified a germinal center composed of B cells and a T cell cap. Epithelial thinning near the cap of the follicle was accompanied by a complete loss of goblet cells. This model may be useful for studying the immunopathology of infant chlamydial infections. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 30:995-1003, 1989 Genital infections with Chlamydia trachomatis are approaching epidemic proportions in the United States. A newborn passing through an infected birth canal is susceptible to chlamydial infection of the conjunctiva, nasopharynx, rectum and vagina. 1 " 3 In trachoma endemic areas, C. trachomatis has been identified as the leading infectious cause of preventable blindness. In hyperendemic areas, children are most often infected within their first year, almost all by 2 years of age. 4 Activity of the disease is highest in children 4 months to 4 years of age. 5
Carbon Cycle Models: How Strong Are the Constraints?

In 1982, Walker et al.1 published a landmark paper suggesting that the evolution of the Earth’s climate over 4.5 billion years was controlled by a negative feedback loop involving surface temperature, CO2, and chemical weathering that moderated the strength of the Earth’s “greenhouse effect” over time. As solar luminosity increased over time, surface temperatures on the Earth rose, accelerating the rate of surface chemical weathering reactions (which consumed atmospheric CO2) resulting in a weaker greenhouse—i.e., a negative feedback system for the Earth’s surface temperature, which prevented a runaway greenhouse effect in the face of increasing solar output.
Proceedings of the first ACM workshop on Information security governance

It is our great pleasure to welcome you to the 1st ACM Workshop on Information Security Governance (WISG'09). The goal of this workshop is to establish a framework to drive implementation of effective information security strategies in organizations involving risk management, reporting, and accountability. Recent changes in business environment such as outsourcing, global supply chain, and cross organizational collaborations are forcing users to access and retrieve business data across organizational boundaries. This is making data governance in enterprise intractable. In addition, since emerging IT infrastructure such as cloud computing calls for storing enormous amount of confidential and sensitive information, it is imperative that these data must be appropriately handled according to the agreements. These new disruptive trends will greatly change the notions of the information security governance calling for more fine-grained, data-centric, and risk-adjusted governance models with the innovative implementation technologies. The call for papers attracted sixteen submissions from Asia, Europe, and the United States. The program committee accepted five full papers and three short papers that cover the compliance, governance, security risk, security policy and privacy issues.
Quantifying Vascular Deformations

Abstract This chapter reviews methods to quantify vascular deformations caused by cardiac, respiratory, musculoskeletal, and external sources using geometric models derived from medical images. In general, deformations can be grouped into cross-sectional, axial length, bending, branch angulation, axial twist, and surface curvature categories. Fiducial markers are an important aspect of these methods since the same blood vessel region of interest must be compared in two anatomic states in order to quantify deformation.
A Place for the Church within Professional Psychology

There are various reasons why Christian psychologists may resist fully participating in a church community. Among these are historic tensions between science and religion, the complexity of multipl...
Happiness, love, and compassion as antidotes for anxiety

This study compared the relative effectiveness of happiness, love, and compassion as antidotes for anxiety. Participants were 208 undergraduates averaging 18.9 years of age, 58% female and 42% male...
Synthetic Genetic Codes Designed to Hinder Evolution

One challenge in engineering organisms is guaranteeing system behavior over many generations. Spontaneous mutations that arise before or during use can impact heterologous genetic functions, disrupt system integration, or change organism phenotype. Here, we propose restructuring the genetic code itself such that all point mutations in protein-coding sequences are selected against. Synthetic genetic systems so-encoded should fail safely in response to many individual spontaneous mutations. We designed a family of such fail-safe codes and analyzed their expected effect on the evolution of engineered organisms via simulation. We predict that fail-safe codes supporting expression of 20 or 15 amino acids could slow the evolution of proteins in so-encoded organisms to 30 or 0 percent the rate of standard-code organisms, respectively. We also designed quadruplet-codon codes that should be capable of encoding at least 20 amino acids while ensuring all single point mutations in protein-coding sequences are selected against. We show by in vitro experiments that a reduced set of 21 tRNA is capable of expressing a protein whose coding sequence is recoded to use a fail-safe code, whereas a standard-code encoding is not expressed. Our work suggests that a rationally depleted but otherwise natural translation system should yield biological systems with intrinsically reduced evolutionary capacity, and that so-encoded hypoevolvable organisms might be less likely to invade new niches or outcompete native populations.
The role of comparative city policy data in assessing progress toward the urban SDG targets

Abstract As part of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, all countries have agreed to “make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”. We argue that there is a critical need for large-scale comparative city policy data that, when linked with outcome data, could be used to identify where policies are working and where they could be improved. In an assessment of the landscape of existing city policy data, based on a comprehensive scoping review, we find that existing databases are insufficient for the purposes of comparative analysis. We then describe what an “ideal” city policy database would look like, where it could be housed, and how it could be developed. Such a database could be a key tool for achieving SDG 11, the urban Sustainable Development Goal.
Capecitabine-Induced Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy: A Case Report.

Introduction The medication 5-fluorouracil is known to cause cardiotoxic effects (with an incidence ranging from 5% to 18%), such as rhythm abnormalities and cardiomyopathies, including takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Capecitabine, an oral prodrug of 5-fluorouracil, has rarely been reported to cause cardiotoxic effects compared with its parent drug. Case presentation An 80-year-old woman presented to the hospital with chest pain after recent initiation of capecitabine use for anal cancer. Results of cardiac catheterization revealed moderate nonobstructive coronary disease. Overall, the findings were highly consistent with a clinical diagnosis of takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Discussion With the current increasing use of capecitabine, recognizing this agent as a potential risk factor for cardiac-related events is important.
First Successful Open-Heart Surgery Utilizing Cross-Circulation in 1954

A pioneering surgeon at the University of Minnesota, Dr C. Walton Lillehei, is still considered the "father of open-heart surgery". Dr Lillehei and his surgical team performed the first open-heart operations utilizing cross-circulation, including the first successful ventricular septal defect closure on a 3-year-old boy. Before his death at age 67, this patient arranged to donate his body to the University of Minnesota's Anatomy Bequest program. We describe this patient's medical history, and present unique images of internal/external cardiac anatomies and implanted devices obtained via direct visualizations, computed tomography, and fluoroscopy post-mortem. Additionally, we present computational models and 3-dimensional printed models.
Hollow concrete cylinders confined with CFRP: Strength and size effect

Abstract This paper presents the behavior of hollow concrete cylinders fully- and partially-confined with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets. To examine a potential size effect, geometrically similar configurations are considered (diameter to height = 1:2 and inner to outer diameters = 0.75:1.0) with two confining schemes (one-end and both-end wrapping). A total of 72 cylinders are tested, followed by analytical modeling to complement experimental findings. The load-carrying capacity of the cylinders is controlled by the size, CFRP-coverage, and confining methods. The strength of the partially-confined concrete is reliant upon the interaction between the confined and unconfined portions in tandem with stress-restraint zones. Both-end confinement shows better strengthening effects than its one-end counterpart. Three types of failure modes are observed (diagonal tension cracking, local crushing of unconfined concrete, and rupture of CFRP), depending on the degree of CFRP-confinement and wrapping configurations. The unconfined concrete away from the loaded region (40% of the cylinder height) remains undamaged until the strengthened portion fails. The circumferential and radial stresses of the cylinders are influenced by their outer-diameter where the CFRP-concrete interface exists. As the size of the cylinders increases, the failure of the CFRP system is retarded. The core strength of the confined cylinders is uninfluential on the development of radial pressure and the behavior of the CFRP-concrete interface. A design model is proposed for technology transfer.
A comparison of three methods in categorizing functional status to predict hospital readmission across post-acute care

Background Methods used to categorize functional status to predict health outcomes across post-acute care settings vary significantly. Objectives We compared three methods that categorize functional status to predict 30-day and 90-day hospital readmission across inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRF), skilled nursing facilities (SNF) and home health agencies (HHA). Research design Retrospective analysis of 2013–2014 Medicare claims data (N = 740,530). Data were randomly split into two subsets using a 1:1 ratio. We used half of the cohort (development subset) to develop functional status categories for three methods, and then used the rest (testing subset) to compare outcome prediction. Three methods to generate functional categories were labeled as: Method I, percentile based on proportional distribution; Method II, percentile based on change score distribution; and Method III, functional staging categories based on Rasch person strata. We used six differentiation and classification statistics to determine the optimal method of generating functional categories. Setting IRF, SNF and HHA. Subjects We included 130,670 (17.7%) Medicare beneficiaries with stroke, 498,576 (67.3%) with lower extremity joint replacement and 111,284 (15.0%) with hip and femur fracture. Measures Unplanned 30-day and 90-day hospital readmission. Results For all impairment conditions, Method III best predicted 30-day and 90-day hospital readmission. However, we observed overlapping confidence intervals among some comparisons of three methods. The bootstrapping of 30-day and 90-day hospital readmission predictive models showed the area under curve for Method III was statistically significantly higher than both Method I and Method II (all paired-comparisons, p<.001), using the testing sample. Conclusions Overall, functional staging was the optimal method to generate functional status categories to predict 30-day and 90-day hospital readmission. To facilitate clinical and scientific use, we suggest the most appropriate method to categorize functional status should be based on the strengths and weaknesses of each method.
Cryopreservation of hematopoietic cells using a pre-constituted, protein-free cryopreservative solution with 5% dimethyl sulfoxide.

Abstract Background aims Adequate cryopreservation techniques are critical to ensure optimal recovery of functional progenitor cells in hematopoietic cell (HC) transplantation, minimize risk of contamination and prevent infusion-related adverse events (irAEs). In this article, we provide graft function and infusion safety results observed by decreasing the concentration of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) in cryopreservative media and by minimizing processor-dependent formulation. Methods Ten HC products, collected after standard mobilization of multiple myeloma patients, were cryopreserved with PRIME-XV FreezIS (FreezIS) and compared with products previously cryopreserved with media formulated in-house to achieve a final DMSO concentration of 10% (Std10) and 5% (Std5). At infusion, HCs were analyzed for recovery of CD34+ cells and viability; irAEs and time to engraftment of neutrophils and platelets were also monitored. Results Median CD34+ cell recovery for HC cryopreserved with Std10, Std5 and FreezIS was 38%, 78% and 68%, respectively (P = 0.0002). There were less frequent irAEs with Std5 and FreezIS (10%) compared with Std10 (80%) (P ≤ 0.0001). Median time to neutrophil engraftment was comparable (11 days) for all three groups, while platelet engraftment occurred at a median of 20, 19 and 17 days, respectively (p-values not significant). Conclusions FreezIS, a Good Manufacturing Practice-grade, pre-constituted cryopreservative with low DMSO content, maintains functional viability of the HC product while reducing the incidence of irAEs compared with 10% DMSO solutions. The pre-constituted nature of this agent also decreases processor-dependent handling, hence decreasing the risk of variability and infection.
Si-doped β-(Al0.26Ga0.74)2O3 thin films and heterostructures grown by metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy

We report on n-type degenerate doping in β-(Al0.26Ga0.74)2O3 epitaxial thin films grown by metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy and modulation doping in β-(Al0.26Ga0.74)2O3/β-Ga2O3 heterostructures. Alloy composition is confirmed using high-resolution X-ray diffraction measurements. Carrier concentration in the thin films is proportional to the silane molar flow. Room-temperature Hall measurements showed a high carrier concentration of 6 × 1018 cm–3 to 7.3 × 1019 cm−3 with a corresponding electron mobility between 53–27 cm2 V–1 s–1 in uniformly doped β-(Al0.26Ga0.74)2O3 layers. Modulation doping is used to realize a total electron sheet charge of 2.3 × 1012 cm−2 in a β-(Al0.26Ga0.74)2O3/β-Ga2O3 heterostructure using a uniformly doped β-(Al0.26Ga0.74)2O3 barrier layer and a thin spacer layer.
SCReadCounts: Estimation of cell-level SNVs from scRNA-seq data

Summary: SCReadCounts is a method for a cell-level estimation of the sequencing read counts bearing a particular nucleotide at genomic positions of interest from barcoded scRNA-seq alignments. SCReadCounts generates an array of outputs, including cell-SNV matrices with the absolute variant-harboring read counts, as well as cell-SNV matrices with expressed Variant Allele Fraction (VAFRNA); we demonstrate its application to estimate cell level expression of somatic mutations and RNA-editing on cancer datasets. SCReadCounts is benchmarked against GATK and Samtools and is freely available as a 64-bit self-contained binary distribution (Linux), along with MacOS and Python installation. Availability: https://github.com/HorvathLab/NGS/tree/master/SCReadCounts
The complications associated with excessive development of the human fetus

Abstract Among 20,219 births at the Chicago Lying-in Hospital 0.94 per cent of the infants weighed more than 4,500 gm. The average length of gesttion calculated fromthe first day of the last menstrual period ws 288 dys for these infants. The size of the fetus is lrgely dependent onthe length of gesttion, but size of the parents, multiparity, advancing age, or diabetes in the mother may be contributing factors in producing excessive development. Labor presents greater hazard for both mother and offspring when overdevelopment of the fetus has occurred. The necessity for operative interference is increased and the incidence of toxemia, of post-partum hemorrhage, of maternal morbidity, and of fetal mortality is definitely higher than when fetus is of smaller size. Accurate estimation of fetal size prior to deliver with consequent modification of the technique employed with decrease maternal complications and fetal mortality.
Space Environment Interactions

Space systems operate in an environment in which effects and descriptions are unusual compared to those of weather in the Earth's atmosphere. It continues to be a challenge to engineer systems to survive and perform in the space environment, given the developments in spacecraft materials, electronics, and new mission concepts. Keywords: space environment; vehicle charging; total dose; single event effects; surface charging; space weather; space environment hazards; solar cycle; Van Allen belts; space radiation; cosmic rays
The Effect of Prepubertal Spermatic Cord Torsion on Subsequent Fertility in Rats

This study was undertaken to determine the effects of various durations of testicular torsion in prepubertal rats on their subsequent fertility, and to determine whether these effects could be altered by removal of the torsioned testis. Sixty rats (35 days old) were subjected to 720 degrees unilateral spermatic cord torsion for 0, 1, 3, 5, 9, or 12 hours. The torsioned testis was then either detorsioned or removed. At 65 days of age each male was housed with two females for three weeks. Rats undergoing detorsion of the spermatic cord demonstrated a linear decrease in fertility with respect to the duration of torsion (r = -0.904). However, all of the animals undergoing unilateral torsion with subsequent orchiectomy were fertile, regardless of the duration of torsion. In addition, the percentage of females impregnated, the number of embryos produced, and the mean embryo size decreased with increasing intervals of torsion (r = -0.834 to r = -0.979); the sharpest decline occurred between 5 and 9 hours of torsion. All of these parameters were significantly lower (P less than 0.001 to P less than 0.05) in the detorsioned group as compared to the orchiectomized group. There was a decrease in seminiferous tubule diameter in the contralateral testis with respect to the duration of torsion (P less than 0.01). These data indicate that unilateral spermatic cord torsion in young rats significantly reduced their subsequent fertility with respect to duration of the torsion, and that this detrimental effect may be minimized if the damaged testis is removed rather than untwisted and replaced into the scrotum.
Charles Dickens and 'Boz': The Birth of the Industrial-Age Author

Prologue 1. Christening Boz (1812-1834): The Journalism Sketches 2. Characterizing Boz (1834-1837): Sketches by Boz 3. Writing Boz (1836-1837): The Pickwick Papers 4. Hiring Boz (1837-1839): Bentley's Miscellany and Oliver Twist 5. Paying Boz (1838-1839): Nicholas Nickleby 6. Rewriting Boz (1839-1841): Master Humphrey's Clock and The Old Curiosity Shop 7. Unwriting Boz (1841): Master Humphrey's Clock and Barnaby Rudge Bibliography Index.
Trends and inequalities in the surgical management of ureteric calculi in the USA.

Objective To assess trends in the surgical management of ureteric calculi over a 10-year period. Materials and Methods An analysis of the 5% Medicare Public Use Files, from 2001, 2004, 2007 and 2010, was performed to assess the use of ureteroscopy (URS), extracorporal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) and ureterolithotomy (UL) in treating ureteric calculi. Patients were identified using International Classification of Diseases 9th edition (Clinical Modification) and Current Procedure Terminology codes. Statistical analyses using the Fisher and chi-squared tests, and multivariate logistic regression analysis (dependent variables: URS, ESWL, UL, treatment, no treatment; independent variables: age, gender, ethnicity, geography and year of treatment) were performed. Results A total of 299 920 patients with ureteric calculi were identified. Of these, 115 200 underwent surgery. Men (odds ratio [OR] = 1.15, P 84 years old (P = 0.29). The predominant surgical approach was URS (65.2%), followed by ESWL (33.6%) and UL (1.2%). The use of URS increased over time, while the use of ESWL and UL declined. Women (OR = 1.25, P < 0.001) were more likely to undergo URS. Patients in the South of the USA (OR = 1.51, P < 0.001) and patients from ethnic minorities were more likely to undergo ESWL (OR = 1.23, P = 0.03). Conclusions The surgical treatment of ureteric calculi changed significantly between 2001 and 2010. The use of URS expanded at the expense of ESWL and UL. Multiple inequalities existed in overall surgical treatment rates and in the choice of treatment; age, gender, ethnicity and geography influenced both whether patients underwent surgical intervention and the type of surgical approach used.
Liberty boys and mechanics of New York city, 1764–1774

(1967). Liberty boys and mechanics of New York city, 1764–1774. Labor History: Vol. 8, No. 2, pp. 115-135.
New tricks of tick-borne pathogen

The latest genome to be sequenced is that of the parasite responsible for Lyme disease —Borrelia burgdorferi. Why should this sequence be of interest? First, because Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in Europe, the United States and parts of Asia, so the more we know about the parasite that causes it, the closer we should be to possible treatments. Second, because this is the first spirochaete genome to be sequenced, and the first prokaryotic genome to contain several genetic elements.