cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modification of the petroleum system concept: Origins of alkanes and isoprenoids in crude oils: Discussion

In their recent paper, Collister et al. (2004) presented a statistical analysis of C10–C28 n-alkane and C16–C21 regular isoprenoid distributions of oils and rock extracts from the Timan-Pechora basin. They found that all unaltered to moderately biodegraded samples could be described as mixtures of six end-member compositions that were assigned to five unique biological sources and to one reservoir process (biodegradation). Because the end members appeared to yield no indications of thermal maturation, Collister et al. surmised that these hydrocarbons were generated not from the thermal cracking of kerogen, but from the liquefaction of biopolymers. If this theory is true, our current paradigms of oil generation and source rock potential need to be changed drastically because it suggests that a significant quantity of liquid hydrocarbons can be generated directly from unaltered biological precursors instead of the thermal cracking of kerogen. We respectfully disagree with the conclusions and hypotheses reached by Collister et al. We regard their interpretation of the statistical analysis of the hydrocarbon distribution data to be flawed and their hypotheses concerning the generation of C10+ n-alkanes and isoprenoids during diagenesis from biopolymers to be incorrect. The mathematical procedure (polytopic vector analysis) used by Collister et al. has the ability to extract end-member spectra from mixed systems. They found that six end members were needed to explain most of the variance in the data. This is not a unique solution, however, because the inclusion of additional end members will always improve the overall goodness of fit. Whether these six end-member fluids truly are representative of specific biological precursors, geologic processes, or are merely mathematical constructs cannot be resolved from the statistical analysis alone. Although Collister et al. claim that five of the end members bear the signature of specific biological sources and …
Axenic aerobic biofilms inhibit corrosion of SAE 1018 steel through oxygen depletion

Corrosion inhibition of SAE 1018 steel by pure-culture biofilms of Pseudomonas fragi and Escheri-chia coli DH5α has been evaluated in complex Luria-Bertani medium, seawater-mimicking medium, and modified Baar's medium at 30 °C. In batch cultures, both bacteria inhibited corrosion three to six fold compared to sterile controls, and the corrosion was comparable to that observed in anaerobic sterile media. To corroborate this result, a continuous reactor and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were used to show that both P. fragi K and E. coli DH5α decreased the corrosion rate by 4- to 40-fold as compared to sterile controls; this matched the decrease in corrosion found with sterile medium in the absence of oxygen and with E. coli DH5α grown anaerobically. In addition, the requirement for live respiring cells was demonstrated by the increase in the corrosion rate that was observed upon killing the P. fragi K biofilm in continuous cultures, and it was shown that fermentation products do not cause an increase in corrosion. Hence, pure-culture biofilms inhibit corrosion of SAE 1018 steel by depleting oxygen at the metal surface.
c-Maf Interacts with c-Myb To Regulate Transcription of an Early Myeloid Gene during Differentiation

The MafB transcriptional activator plays a pivotal role in regulating lineage-specific gene expression during hematopoiesis by repressing Ets-1-mediated transcription of key erythroid-specific genes in myeloid cells. To determine the effects of Maf family proteins on the transactivation of myeloid-specific genes in myeloid cells, we tested the ability of c-Maf to influence Ets-1- and c-Myb-dependent CD13/APN transcription. Expression of c-Maf in human immature myeloblastic cells inhibited CD13/APN-driven reporter gene activity (85 to 95% reduction) and required the binding of both c-Myb and Ets, but not Maf, to the promoter fragment. c-Maf’s inhibition of CD13/APN expression correlates with its ability to physically associate with c-Myb. While c-Maf mRNA and protein levels remain constant during myeloid differentiation, formation of inhibitory Myb-Maf complexes was developmentally regulated, with their levels being highest in immature myeloid cell lines and markedly decreased in cell lines representing later developmental stages. This pattern matched that of CD13/APN reporter gene expression, indicating that Maf modulation of c-Myb activity may be an important mechanism for the control of gene transcription during hematopoietic cell development.
Not so innocent bystander(s)

A patient with atrial flutter, intermittent non-sustained wide complex tachycardia and 1:1 AV conduction is reported. Electrophysiology testing showed counterclockwise isthmus-dependant right atrial flutter with conduction via the AV node and an innocent bystander left lateral accessory pathway. This explained the observed intermittent wide complex tachycardia. After successful bidirectional cavotricuspid isthmus conduction block, a sustained wide complex tachycardia with identical counterclockwise right atrial activation and rate occurred. This was due to antidromic AV re-entrant tachycardia with innocent bystander activation of the right atrium mimicking atrial flutter. Accessory pathway ablation effectively stopped tachycardia.
Shape-based detection of cortex variability for more accurate discrimination between autistic and normal brains.

Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first 3 years of life, and is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. Early detection allows for treatments to be attempted, thus minimizing the impact of the autism on the individual. Given currently available diagnostic instruments, autism and other pervasive developmental disorders are difficult to detect in very young children. While shape based statistical analysis methods for autism are still in their early stages, current results show positive outlooks on the ability to detect differences between autistic and non-autistic patients. A framework is proposed that is capable of taking two-dimensional images from a standard medical scanner, and be able to construct a three-dimensional representation of the object and examine it through combination of its weighted linear spherical harmonics. The desired outcome is that a distinction can be made between the analysis of autistic and non-autistic brain data. The reconstruction analysis process involves linearly combining spherical harmonics of the corresponding mesh. It was expected that due to the complexity of the brain of an autistic subject it would require more iterations of reconstruction to reach convergence of the same error level as compared to the brain of a non-autistic subject. This was confirmed by the data. Using this method of analyzing the data a significant difference can be demonstrated between groups of examined subjects. The research clearly demonstrates that the non-autistic subjects’ data converges both faster and with a lower rate of error level than the data taken from a person with autism.
Enforcement of Oral Settlement Agreements

A common occurrence in litigation is settlement. Settlement is usually effectuated by a formal written agreement, or by the exchange of a release, dismissal with prejudice, or covenant not to sue, or all of the above, for a sum of money. Prior to such formalization, there is a time when the parties reach a verbal understanding as to the terms. What happens after a verbal agreement to settle a case when one party refuses to execute a written settlement agreement or otherwise perform his or her obligations?
Identification of infusion strategy for achieving repeatable nanoparticle distribution and quantification of thermal dosage using micro-CT Hounsfield unit in magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia

AbstractObjectives: The objective of this study was to identify an injection strategy leading to repeatable nanoparticle deposition patterns in tumours and to quantify volumetric heat generation rate distribution based on micro-CT Hounsfield unit (HU) in magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia. Methods: In vivo animal experiments were performed on graft prostatic cancer (PC3) tumours in immunodeficient mice to investigate whether lowering ferrofluid infusion rate improves control of the distribution of magnetic nanoparticles in tumour tissue. Nanoparticle distribution volume obtained from micro-CT scan was used to evaluate spreading of the nanoparticles from the injection site in tumours. Heating experiments were performed to quantify relationships among micro-CT HU values, local nanoparticle concentrations in the tumours, and the ferrofluid-induced volumetric heat generation rate (qMNH) when nanoparticles were subject to an alternating magnetic field. Results: An infusion rate of 3 µL/min was identified to re...
Seed Vigor and Vigor Testing

Seeds, as reproductive units, are expected to produce plants in the field. However, farmers and seed producers have long recognized that the labeled germination often overestimates the actual field emergence of seed lots. This occurs because by definition, germination is the “emergence and development from the seed embryo of those essential structures which, for the kind of seed in question, are indicative of the ability to produce a normal plant under favorable conditions (AOSA 2000).” As a result, the standard germination test may fail to provide accurate information concerning a seed lot&s field performance potential for at least four reasons. These include the following.
Religion in American Life

Religion is woven tightly into the fabric of American life. In some ways, the essential “religiousness” of our culture is quite visible. The large number of congregations in any community, the key role of religious leaders and rituals during important transitions in life, the rapid expansion of ministry into television, and the prominence of religious traditions and holidays are clear signs of the salience of religion in the United States. Less visible, but perhaps more revealing, are some other indicators. For example, it is estimated that 94% of the American population believe in God; 88% believe God loves them; 81% believe we will be called before God on Judgment Day; 71% believe in life after death; more people have confidence in organized religion than in any other social institution; and religious figures such as Billy Graham, Mother Teresa, Pope John Paul II, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu are consistently named by Americans in their lists of most admired people (Gallup & Castelli, 1989)
Income Migration and Home Price Trajectories in the United States

This paper models one facet of the relationship between housing market price shifts and income migration among U.S. regions: how income migration relates to regional housing price clusters. The tremendous negative slide in national housing prices from 2006 to 2012 had an uneven spatial distribution. These differences are explored within the context of net income and net population migration (movement of money with people). Median housing prices for urban areas from 2005 to 2010 and IRS county-to-county migration data are used to compare income migration among urban clusters of similar housing price trends. Selective migrations of people and income in and out of these housing clusters have either exacerbated the housing bust or softened its decline. Income effectiveness, or the gain or loss of money caused by migration, is a helpful measure that can be used to help predict future housing price movements.
Looking Forward into the Past.

This article concerns the interpretation of a semester-long email mentoring correspondence related to social studies teaching between the two authors. Analysis interpreted the mentee’s growth along...
Multitask learning and system combination for automatic speech recognition

In this paper we investigate the performance of an ensemble of convolutional, long short-term memory deep neural networks (CLDNN) on a large vocabulary speech recognition task. To reduce the computational complexity of running multiple recognizers in parallel, we propose instead an early system combination approach which requires the construction of a static decoding network encoding the multiple context-dependent state inventories from the distinct acoustic models. To further reduce the computational load, the hidden units of those models can be shared while keeping the output layers distinct, leading to a multitask training formulation. However in contrast to the traditional multitask training, our formulation uses all predicted outputs leading to a multitask system combination strategy. Results are presented on a Voice Search task designed for children and outperform our current production system.
Active surveillance for prostate cancer: current evidence and contemporary state of practice

Prostate cancer remains one of the most commonly diagnosed malignancies worldwide. Early diagnosis and curative treatment seem to improve survival in men with unfavourable-risk cancers, but significant concerns exist regarding the overdiagnosis and overtreatment of men with lower-risk cancers. To this end, active surveillance (AS) has emerged as a primary management strategy in men with favourable-risk disease, and contemporary data suggest that use of AS has increased worldwide. Although published surveillance cohorts differ by protocol, reported rates of metastatic disease and prostate-cancer-specific mortality are exceedingly low in the intermediate term (5-10 years). Such outcomes seem to be closely associated with programme-specific criteria for selection, monitoring, and intervention, suggesting that AS--like other management strategies--could be individualized based on the level of risk acceptable to patients in light of their personal preferences. Additional data are needed to better establish the risks associated with AS and to identify patient-specific characteristics that could modify prognosis.
Critique of Glenn on Settler Colonialism and Bonilla-Silva on Critical Race Analysis from Indigenous Perspectives

I critique Glenn’s article on settler colonialism and Bonilla-Silva’s article on critical race analysis from Indigenous perspectives, including racial genocide and world-systems analysis, to cover ...
Diffusion-Controlled Cool Flame Propagation Speeds

Cool flames in an equimolar propane-oxygen premixture have been studied at reduced gravity in a closed, unstirred, static, spherical reactor. Acquired visual records were then analyzed and used to determine the cool flame propagation speeds for different vessel temperatures and initial reactant pressures. Without complexities associated with natural convection, transport is governed by diffusion of heat and species and the reactive-diffusive flame front as evidenced by the peak visible light emission, which is observed to propagate from the center of the reactor towards the walls. Flame speed dependencies on the flame radius, mixture composition, temperature, and pressure are presented. Additionally, the very nature of the propagation mechanism is brought into question as the flame propagation speeds are roughly an order of magnitude higher than the diffusional speeds based on a simple scaling analysis. Perhaps, the apparent front propagation is a phase wave with temperature and species concentration profiles altered by diffusion. A first comparison between these experimental results and the light emission predicted using a reduced propane mechanism, augmented with diffusive transport, by Fairlie and co-workers shows a much steeper light intensity gradient in the experiments than in the model.
Solubility and diffusivity of carbon dioxide in poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile)

Abstract Poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) (SAN) foam is produced for applications requiring high impact and/or high solvent resistance. The use of environmental friendly carbon dioxide is preferred as a foaming agent when possible. Little or no data are available for the solubility and diffusivity of carbon dioxide in SAN. In this work data are provided for these properties at 30, 125, and 165 °C and pressures up to 6 MPa. The results show the solubility follows Henry’s law above the glass transition temperature and the diffusivity is a relatively strong function of temperature.
Ergativity from Subjunctive in Austronesian Languages

This paper proposes a diachronic analysis of the origin of the unusual alignment found in Formosan and Philippine languages commonly referred to as a ‘focus’ or ‘voice’ system. Specifically, I propose that Proto-Austronesian (PAn) was an accusative language, an alignment which is preserved in modern Rukai dialects, while the non-accusative alignment found in other Austronesian languages resulted first from the reanalysis of irrealis clause types in a daughter of PAn, which I term ‘Proto-Ergative Austronesian’ (PEAn). Modern Rukai dialects belong to the other primary subgroup and do not reflect the innovation. The main theoretical claim of the proposal is that ergative alignment arises from an accusative system when v is unable to structurally license the object in a transitive clause, and the subject does not value case with T. Since the external argument is licensed independently, T is able to probe past it and exceptionally value nominative case on the object. I propose that irrealis v, which is frequen...
PSSV: a novel pattern-based probabilistic approach for somatic structural variation identification.

Motivation: Whole genome DNA-sequencing (WGS) of paired tumor and normal samples has enabled the identification of somatic DNA changes in an unprecedented detail. Large-scale identification of somatic structural variations (SVs) for a specific cancer type will deepen our understanding of driver mechanisms in cancer progression. However, the limited number of WGS samples, insufficient read coverage, and the impurity of tumor samples that contain normal and neoplastic cells, limit reliable and accurate detection of somatic SVs. Results: We present a novel pattern-based probabilistic approach, PSSV, to identify somatic structural variations from WGS data. PSSV features a mixture model with hidden states representing different mutation patterns; PSSV can thus differentiate heterozygous and homozygous SVs in each sample, enabling the identification of those somatic SVs with heterozygous mutations in normal samples and homozygous mutations in tumor samples. Simulation studies demonstrate that PSSV outperforms existing tools. PSSV has been successfully applied to breast cancer data to identify somatic SVs of key factors associated with breast cancer development. Availability and Implementation: An R package of PSSV is available at http://www.cbil.ece.vt.edu/software.htm. Contact: ude.tv@naux Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Changes in Fasting and Prandial Gut and Adiposity Hormones Following Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy or Roux-en-Y-Gastric Bypass: an 18-Month Prospective Study

Vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) produce substantial weight loss, both primarily through gastric restriction but with potentially different hormonal signaling. This prospective, observational study compared changes in gut-derived hormones in VSG, RYGB, and weight-stable participants at 6 and 18 months post-surgery. Sixty-four obese, non-diabetic women, including 18 VSG, 23 RYGB, and 23 weight-stable controls completed assessments at baseline and 6 months, before and after consuming a mixed-nutrient meal; blood sampling occurred for 180 min post-meal. Fifty-one participants completed the 18-month outcome. Change from baseline in post-prandial area under the curve (over 180 min) for GLP-1, PYY3–36, ghrelin, and leptin was measured at 6 and 18 months post-surgery. At 18 months, VSG and RYGB participants lost a mean (±SEM) of 25.5 ± 2.3% and 34.2 ± 4.2% of initial weight, respectively (p < 0.156), which both differed (p < 0.001) from the +1.7 ± 1.0% gain in the control group. Fasting ghrelin declined significantly more in VSG than RYGB participants at both months 6 (p = 0.0199) and 18 (p = 0.0003). In response to the mixed-nutrient meal, GLP-1 and PYY3–36 demonstrated an exaggerated post-prandial response that was significantly greater in RYGB than VSG at 6 months (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0062, respectively) but not 18 months (p = 0.0296 and p = 0.1210). VSG and RYGB both produced substantial weight losses at 18 months. The data suggest a role of gastrointestinal hormones as mediators of weight loss.
Radiologist performance in the interpretation of contrast enemas performed for Hirschsprung's disease in children >1 year of age

Aim To evaluate the diagnostic performance of contrast enemas (CEs) for the diagnosis of Hirschsprung's disease (HD). Methods and materials CE studies performed as part of an HD workup in patients 1–18 years of age over a 10-year period were identified. All abnormal CE studies and an equal number of age-matched controls were included in the final study group. Two radiologists independently and blindly reviewed all CE studies for quality (scale of 0–3) and the presence of large colon calibre, colon redundancy, transition zone, rectosigmoid ratio, and abnormal contractions. Readers also determined whether a rectal biopsy would be recommended to confirm an HD diagnosis. Discrepancies were resolved in consensus. Findings were correlated with surgery and biopsy data. Results Out of 834 CE studies, 38 abnormal CE studies were identified (mean age 5.9 years) and included 38 matched controls. Seventeen of 76 patients were recommended for rectal biopsy, of which five were confirmed to have HD. Twelve of 70 (17.1%) were false positives, and were clinically confirmed not to have HD. The proportion of HD in the present population was 6/834 (0.72%). Of the 17 recommended for biopsy, CE studies showed 17/17 (100%) with an abnormal rectosigmoid ratio, 16/17 (94.1%) with redundant colon, and 15/17 (88%) with large colon. Of patients not recommended for biopsy, one was diagnosed with HD, (false negative, 16.7%). The diagnostic performance of CE was 83.3% sensitivity and 82.9% specificity. Conclusion Few children >1 year of age were found to have HD and the diagnostic performance of the CE is moderately high. The CE examination is a valuable non-invasive imaging study to help exclude older children who may not have HD, thereby obviating the need for invasive rectal biopsy and surgery.
Optimization of greenhouse gas emissions in second-hand consumer product recovery through reuse platforms

Product reuse in the solid waste management sector is promoted as one of the key strategies for waste prevention. This practice is considered to have favorable impact on the environment, but its benefits have yet to be established. Existing research describes the perspective of "avoided production" only, but has failed to examine the interdependent nature of reuse practices within an entire solid waste management system. This study proposes a new framework that uses optimization to minimize the greenhouse gas emissions of an integrated solid waste management system that includes reuse strategies and practices such as reuse enterprises, online platforms, and materials exchanges along with traditional solid waste management practices such as recycling, landfilling, and incineration. The proposed framework uses material flow analysis in combination with an optimization model to provide the best outcome in terms of GHG emissions by redistributing product flows in the integrated solid waste management system to the least impacting routes and processes. The optimization results provide a basis for understanding the contributions of reuse to the environmental benefits of the integrated solid waste management system and the exploration of the effects of reuse activities on waste prevention. A case study involving second-hand clothing is presented to illustrate the implementation of the proposed framework as applied to the material flow. Results of the case study showed the considerable impact of reuse on GHG emissions even for small replacement rates, and helped illustrate the interdependency of the reuse sector with other waste management practices. One major contribution of this study is the development of a framework centered on product reuse that can be applied to identify the best management strategies to reduce the environmental impact of product disposal and to increase recovery of reusable products.
Diagnostic criteria in pediatric intracranial hypertension

Background The modified Dandy criteria and the newer diagnostic criteria for pseudotumor cerebri syndrome (PTCS) are both used to diagnose intracranial hypertension (IH). In comparison to the modified Dandy criteria, the PTCS criteria stratify the IH diagnosis into definite, probable, and suggested categories, exclude clinical symptoms, and use radiologic evidence for diagnosis. There is a lack of consensus on which criteria should be used in the pediatric population. The purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic criteria for PTCS to the modified Dandy criteria and to identify limitations within both sets of criteria. Methods The PTCS criteria were retrospectively applied to 50 patients originally diagnosed with IH under the modified Dandy criteria. Results Of the 50 patients, 31 (62%) met diagnostic criteria for definite PTCS, 10 (20%) met criteria for probable PTCS, and 9 patients (18%) failed to meet sufficient PTCS criteria for diagnosis. Conclusions Although the PTCS criteria use objective data to make the IH diagnosis, we found subjective symptoms to be useful indicators of disease in this group of patients. Additionally, distinguishing probable from definite IH may not have clinical relevance, because both groups were treated similarly. The absence of radiographic evidence of IH should not preclude a diagnosis of the condition, as it was present in a minority of patients included in this study. Further research is needed to clarify the disease process in patients who present with signs and symptoms of elevated intracranial pressure but lack ocular pathology.
From aperture satellite to "Internet finance": Institutionalization of ICTs in China's financial sector since 1991

Abstract China's financial industries started the process of marketization only two decades ago, but by 2017 its financial technology or fin-tech sector had taken half of the global market. The exponential diffusion of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in Chinese financial contexts have generated new organizational structures and socio-political relations that have the capacity to change China's position in the world economy. Drawing upon the sociological concept of institutionalization, this paper examines how the Chinese state has integrated ICT diffusion in its formal policies and its informal rules in China's financial development since 1991. Further, it addresses the political and socio-economic consequences of these developments. Based on the analyses of government documents and sources, trade journals, and statistic data from business databases, this paper divides the Chinese institutionalization of financial technologies into three stages and identifies the primary actors and paradigms for ICT diffusions in each stage. ICT diffusion has been constitutive but also disruptive to the existing financial policies, instrumental to the commercialization of state-owned banks, and has gradually transformed into a set of formal and informal rules accepted by a network of professionals, corporations, and government agencies. The institutionalization of ICT diffusion has engendered the continuous adjustment of financial policies and propelled innovations in China's financial economy.
Outflow Tract Anomalies

Anomalies of the aortic and pulmonary outflow tracts are usually associated with obstruction, regurgitation, and/or aneurysmal dilation of the proximal great arteries, and they represent some of the conditions most frequently encountered by congenital heart disease specialists. In most instances, a full preoperative diagnosis is performed by standard transthoracic echocardiography and other imaging modalities such as cardiac catheterization and magnetic resonance imaging. However, transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) serves an important role in the perioperative management of these patients. Preoperative TEE can provide information regarding the morphology of the outflow tracts and the degree of obstruction and regurgitation; postoperative TEE can evaluate the success of a surgical procedure and exclude residual obstruction, regurgitation, or other potential complications. In addition, TEE is sometimes necessary outside of the operating room setting for older patients with poor transthoracic echocardiographic windows, particularly if the patient has undergone prior surgery. This chapter discusses the use of TEE for the evaluation of both right and left sided outflow tract anomalies.
Palisading Granulomatous Dermatitis

This pattern is characterized by an interstitial infiltrate of histiocytes admixed with other inflammatory cells, principally lymphocytes, and zones of altered collagen. Classically, the inflammatory infiltrate surrounds the zones of altered collagen in a wall-like or fence-like fashion, hence the term “palisading.” The classic entities in this differential diagnosis include granuloma annulare, necrobiosis lipoidica, rheumatoid nodule, and palisaded and neutrophilic granulomatous dermatitis.
The Positive Deviance Approach to Improve Health Outcomes: Experience and Evidence from the Field—Preface:

Positive deviance (PD) refers to a phenomenon that exists in many resource-poor communities that is the finding that a few individuals and families employ uncommon beneficial practices that allow them and their children to have better health as compared to their similarly impoverished neighbors. These PD behaviors are likely to be affordable acceptable and sustainable by the wider community because their peers are already practicing them. Programmers who use the PD approach for improving health outcomes work with communities to determine community norms regarding a specific desirable outcome (e.g. good child growth) to identify a few (usually four to six) individuals who have achieved the good outcome (i.e. not the "normal" or expected outcome) despite high risk to conduct a PD inquiry to learn from these PD individuals the behaviors that are likely to explain the good outcome and be feasible for their neighbors and to design behavior change interventions to enable adoption of these new PD behaviors. Most PD interventions thus far have targeted childhood malnutrition and have provided communal opportunities to observe and practice new behaviors until skills are mastered (e.g. hearth settings). (excerpt)
Young and aged TLR4 deficient mice show sex-dependent enhancements in spatial memory and alterations in interleukin-1 related genes.

Abstract Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4) is a transmembrane receptor that initiates an immune response following a bacterial infection or host derived molecules associated with cellular distress. Beyond triggering inflammation, TLR4 has been implicated in modulating behavioral and cognitive processes in a physiologically normal state, as young adult TLR4 deficient mice show learning enhancements in select tasks. Currently unknown is whether these benefits are present in both sexes and persist with aging. The present study evaluated spatial memory, anxiety-like behavior, and central levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory molecules in young (4–5 months) and aged (18–19 months) TLR4 deficient (TLR4−/−) and wild-type (WT) male and female mice. Results confirmed that TLR4−/− mice show enhanced spatial memory compared to WT mice. These effects were age- and sex-specific, as memory retention was superior in the TLR4−/− young males and aged females. While TLR4−/− mice showed age-related changes in behavior, these changes were attenuated relative to aged WT mice. Further, aged TLR4−/− mice showed differential expression of molecules involved in interleukin (IL)-1 signaling in the hippocampus. For instance, aged TLR4−/− females showed heightened expression of IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) and the IL-1 accessory proteins AcP and AcPb. Collectively, these data provide the initial evidence that TLR4 deficiency enhances cognitive function and modulates the inflammatory profile of the hippocampus in a sex- and age-dependent manner.
Age stratification corrects bias in estimated hazard of APOE genotype for Alzheimer's disease

Abstract Introduction The apolipoprotein E (APOE) e4 allele is a major genetic risk factor of late-onset Alzheimer's disease. However, its interaction with two other canonical risk factors, age and sex, is not clear. Previous studies have reported conflicting results on its differential effects in men and women, its association with young-onset AD before the age of 65 years, and its significance in genetic admixture populations. In these studies, the hazard of the e4 allele was assumed to be constant during aging. However, this hypothesis has not been tested and its violation may lead to significant biases and contribute to such discrepant findings. Methods In a prospective cohort of 4727 subjects, we performed Cox regression analysis of the association of the e4 allele with AD age of onset. We then performed diagnostics on the resulting model and tested if the hazard of the e4 allele violated the assumption of proportionality during aging. We examined whether incorporating age stratifications and time-dependent coefficients could restore the proportionality. We then validated our findings in four independent cohorts. Results Hazard of the e4 allele for AD was nonproportional. It took a stepwise decline around the age of 80 years for men and around the age of 75 years for women. By stratifying subjects into a younger group and an older group, we detected more consistent effects of the e4 allele across multiple independent cohorts. We also found that the e4 allele was a significant risk factor for young-onset AD with age of onset before 65 years. Discussion Age compositions of study cohorts can significantly bias the estimated effect of the APOE genotype. Studies of AD should consider hidden age structures among subjects and routinely employ appropriate age and sex stratification strategies or nonparametric modeling in experimental designs and data analysis. Finally, we argue that the e4 allele is a risk factor not only for late-onset AD but also for young-onset AD.
Evolutionary origins of polycystic ovary syndrome: An environmental mismatch disorder.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common female endocrine disorder and has important evolutionary implications for female reproduction and health. PCOS presents an interesting paradox, as it results in significant anovulation and potential sub-fecundity in industrialized populations, yet it has a surprisingly high prevalence and has a high heritability. In this review, we discuss an overview of PCOS, current diagnostic criteria, associated hormonal pathways and a review of proposed evolutionary hypotheses for the disorder. With a multifactorial etiology that includes ovarian function, metabolism, insulin signaling and multiple genetic risk alleles, PCOS is a complex disorder. We propose that PCOS is a mismatch between previously neutral genetic variants that evolved in physically active subsistence settings that have the potential to become harmful in sedentary industrialized environments. Sedentary obesogenic environments did not exist in ancestral times and exacerbate many of these pathways, resulting in the high prevalence and severity of PCOS today. Overall, the negative impacts of PCOS on reproductive success would likely have been minimal during most of human evolution and unlikely to generate strong selection. Future research and preventative measures should focus on these gene-environment interactions as a form of evolutionary mismatch, particularly in populations that are disproportionately affected by obesity and metabolic disorders. Lay Summary The most severe form of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is likely a result of interactions between genetic predispositions for PCOS and modern obesogenic environments. PCOS would likely have been less severe ancestrally and the fitness reducing effects of PCOS seen today are likely a novel product of sedentary, urban environments.
(Trans)gender stereotypes and the self: Content and consequences of gender identity stereotypes

Transgender individuals experience stigmatization through the application of gender stereotypes. In Study 1, cisgender individuals (N = 212) produced unique stereotypes, such as “mentally ill” and ...
Impact of solid tumor brain metastases on end-of-life healthcare utilization.

e18373Background: Patients with brain metastases (BMets) represent a subset of cancer patients who may experience high costs and frequent healthcare utilization. This study aims to assess whether p...
Large-scale quasi-Newton trust-region methods with low-dimensional linear equality constraints

We propose two limited-memory BFGS (L-BFGS) trust-region methods for large-scale optimization with linear equality constraints. The methods are intended for problems where the number of equality constraints is small. By exploiting the structure of the quasi-Newton compact representation, both proposed methods solve the trust-region subproblems nearly exactly, even for large problems. We derive theoretical global convergence results of the proposed algorithms, and compare their numerical effectiveness and performance on a variety of large-scale problems.
Photochemistry from low-lying states of HOSO.

Using configuration interaction ab initio methods, the evolution of the lowest electronic states of singlet and triplet spin multiplicities of HOSO+ along the stretching and bending coordinates of is investigated. Equilibrium geometries, rotational constants, and harmonic vibrational frequencies of the lowest electronic states are calculated, i.e., X1A', 11A″, 13A', and 13A″. The global minimum of the 11A″ state is located below the first dissociation limit and its calculated lifetime is predicted to be 0.40 µs, making it suitable for detection by laser-induced fluorescence. According to the potential energy surfaces, HOSO+ should produce SO2+ and H after ultraviolet photon absorption to the 21A' state. This work opens the door to investigate the branching ratio and the production rates of SO2+, SO+, and OH from HOSO+. These insights can help understand the SO2 cycle in the earth's atmosphere and its effect on cooling our planet.
8 – Radiant Energy Exchange

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses radiant energy exchange. There are many important processes for which absorption and emission are negligible except at phase interfaces, and as terrestrial radiant energy exchange is always quasi-steady, the specific intensity equation can be simplified. In treating the problem of radiant energy exchange between black bodies, it is convenient to define a view factor, Fu. The view factor can be defined as the fraction or radiant energy leaving the ith surface, which is incident upon the jth surface. Often the view factor is denoted by Fi=jor FAi→Aj to clearly indicate that the radiant energy is emitted by the ith surface and is incident upon the jth surface. One can solve some simple gray body exchange problems without matrix methods if one employs what is known as the method of successive reflections. Even though the method has limited application, it provides a very nice picture of the radiant energy exchange process, and as such it can serve to strengthen one's understanding of radiant heat transfer.
What’s in a name? An experimental test of marital name change on perceptions of female political candidates

Stereotypes about female candidates can affect voters’ perceptions, particularly when candidates violate gender role norms. We focus on a potentially important but overlooked characteristic: whethe...
Minimally invasive surgical management of a cornual ectopic pregnancy, with and without a concurrent intrauterine pregnancy

Objective To describe techniques for resection of a cornual heterotopic pregnancy. Design This video demonstrates a surgical technique for excision of a cornual heterotopic pregnancy with narrative video footage using two case examples. Setting The incidence of cornual heterotopic pregnancy is unknown; however, the incidence of heterotopic pregnancy itself has increased through the use of assisted reproductive technologies and the majority of cornual heterotopic pregnancies occur after assisted reproductive technologies use. These cases have been treated traditionally using exploratory laparotomy and cornual wedge resection with good outcomes. With advancements in minimally-invasive surgical techniques, laparoscopic resection of cornual heterotopic pregnancies has been demonstrated to be safe and feasible. Patient(s) A patient with an 8-week cornual heterotopic pregnancy and a patient with a 10-week cornual ectopic pregnancy. Interventions Laparoscopic resection of the cornual ectopic pregnancy. Main Outcome Measure(s) Feasibility of a “purse-string” technique for the resection of a heterotopic cornual pregnancy. Result(s) Robotic-assisted laparoscopic resection of a cornual heterotopic pregnancy can be performed with minimal blood loss with the use of the “purse-string” technique in settings where vasopressin cannot be used for hemostasis. This technique includes the use of a 2-0 V-Loc suture in a circumferential fashion around the ectopic pregnancy, which allows for faster suturing and immediate tension at the myometrium. The same suture is then used to close the defect, which allows for a simpler and efficient closure with minimal entry into the myometrium. Conclusion(s) In this video, we demonstrate the successful resection of cornual heterotopic pregnancy using a “purse-string” surgical technique. This technique allows for minimal blood loss in cases where additional techniques for hemostasis cannot be used, such as injection of vasopressin and uterine artery ligation.
Repairing maxillary sinus membrane perforations, iatrogenic or intentional: Two case reports.

Introduction Maxillary sinus augmentation is a common and predictable procedure utilized to gain vertical alveolar bone height to allow for successful placement of dental implants in the deficient posterior maxilla. The surgical techniques, however, may be associated with intraoperative complications, the most common of which is Schneiderian membrane perforation and, less commonly, bleeding and the loss of an implant into the sinus cavity. Case presentation In the current report, we present two cases with unique complications. A large perforation which was discovered after the graft material had been placed was successfully managed by carefully removing the graft material from both sides of the perforation and sealing the perforation with a resorbable membrane and a tack fixation. The second case involved a patient who presented with an implant that had migrated into the sinus during an unsuccessful transcrestal sinus lift. The case was successfully treated by locating and removing the implant through an intentional membrane perforation, repairing the perforation, and placing a new implant with simultaneous grafting. Conclusion Management and repair of maxillary sinus membrane perforations that are either intentionally or iatrogenically created can be predictable procedures with favorable outcomes if thoughtful evaluation and treatment are provided. Managing such complications at the time of occurrence avoids unnecessary additional surgical procedures that might prove to be even more complicated.
Nonlinear Generation of Energetic Ultrashort Vortex Pulses with Spectral and Topological Charge Diversity

We demonstrate the generation of ~170-fs, ~5-nJ pulses of spectrally diverse light carrying orbital angular momentum of user-controlled topological charge by exploiting the selectivity and efficiency of the soliton self-mode conversion phenomenon in optical fibers.
An Opioid-free Anesthesia Protocol for Pediatric Strabismus Surgery: A Quality Improvement Project.

Introduction This quality improvement (QI) project tracks a series of 2 Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles as we standardized and refined an ambulatory pediatric anesthesia strabismus protocol. We aimed to provide effective pain relief, reduce postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) rates, and be cost-efficient while minimizing perioperative opioids over 5 years. Methods We used statistical process control (SPC) charts to analyze real-world data captured from the medical record. We chose the following outcome and process measures to evaluate effectiveness: postoperative morphine rescue rate, maximum pain score in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU), and PONV rescue rate. We also used 2 balancing measures: postoperative length of stay (LOS) and total anesthesia time. We standardized our anesthesia protocol for our first PDSA cycle (April 2017) by removing intraoperative intravenous acetaminophen and utilizing fentanyl only. For the second PDSA cycle (January 2019), we replaced intraoperative fentanyl with dexmedetomidine. Results There was a total of 325 pediatric strabismus repair surgeries performed between April 2015 and July 2020. There was no special cause variation detected in the SPC charts for the family of measures chosen to measure effectiveness: postoperative morphine rescue rate, maximum pain score in the PACU, or the PONV rescue rate. The PONV rescue rate was 0 with the removal of opioids. Also, there was no special cause variation for the balancing measures: postoperative LOS or total anesthesia time. Conclusions Throughout 2 PDSA cycles, this QI project enabled our team to standardize an opioid-free and cost-efficient anesthesia protocol for pediatric strabismus surgery over 5 years.
Calcium Extrusion by Retinal Rods Modifies Light Sensitivity of Dark Current

A chemical mode for signal transmission in biological systems occurs whenever the sender and the receiver are physically and electrically distinct. For transmission within a cell it involves (1) the creation or release of a specific chemical upon stimulation, (2) the diffusion of the chemical to the receptor and interaction with it, and (3) the removal of the chemical signal by either transportation away from the intracellular receptor by extrusion through the plasma membrane (3a), uptake by intracellular organelles (3b), by reversible reactions with binding sites (3c), or degradation (3d). The amount of transmitter required for its production and rapidity of appearance and removal by a sensory system depends primarily on the substance’s migration rate, the distance spanned, and the system noise [4,9].
Revitalize Your Teaching: Creative Approaches to Applying Social Media in the Classroom

Social media is a widespread phenomenon focused on connecting, sharing, and collaborating. The purpose of this chapter is to focus on the educational opportunities for applying social media in the classroom and this is achieved through an application of Bloom’s Taxonomy. A brief description of Bloom’s Taxonomy (Bloom, B.S. Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The Classification of Educational Goals. Susan Fauer Company, Inc., 1956) and a description of its components: remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating is given. It is argued that each of Bloom’s components can be highlighted using different social media tools. Finally, a variety of case studies and further ideas demonstrate the effective deployment of social media in the classroom.