cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Estimating Target Speed from the Population Response in Visual Area MT

To guide behavior, perceptual and motor systems must estimate properties of the sensory environment from the responses of populations of cortical neurons. In the domain of visual motion, estimates of target speed are derived from the responses of motion-sensitive neurons in the middle temporal (MT) area of the extrastriate visual cortex and are used to drive smooth pursuit eye movements and perceptual judgments of speed. We have asked how these behavioral systems estimate target speed from the population response in area MT. We found that increasing the spatial frequency of a sine wave grating caused decreases in the target speed estimated by both pursuit and perception and commensurate changes in the identity of the active neurons in area MT. Decreasing the contrast of a sine wave grating caused decreases in the target speed estimated by both pursuit and perception, while altering only the response amplitude of MT neurons and not the identity of the active neurons. Applying a modified vector-averaging computation to the population response measured in area MT allowed us to predict the effects of both spatial frequency and contrast on speed estimation for both perception and pursuit. The modification biased the speed estimation toward low target speeds when responses across the population of neurons were small.
Minireview: Deciphering the Cellular Functions of PELP1.

Proline, glutamic acid, and leucine-rich protein 1 (PELP1) has been ascribed a large number of cellular functions, including roles in regulation of steroid receptor (SR) signaling (1), SR cross talk, cell cycle regulation (2), ribosome biogenesis (3), apoptosis, and differentiation (4). PELP1 is critical during development, as evidenced by embryonic lethality of PELP1 knockdown. PELP1 may act as a protooncogene, with its dysregulation linked to therapy resistance in hormonal cancers (1, 5–9). How does PELP1 perform these various cellular roles? PELP1 neither binds specific sequences on the DNA nor is involved in signal transduction at the plasma membrane not has any known enzymatic activity. The explanation for the ascribed roles of PELP1 may lie in its extensive social network with other protein partners. PELP1 has multiple structural motifs that enable its direct interaction with a number of key proteins (Figure 1) (10); by functioning as a scaffold, PELP1 “enables” cross talk between its interacting proteins (11–14). The interactome of PELP1 is extensive and includes SRs, chromatin-modifying enzymes, cellular kinases, splicing factors, and transcriptional regulators (Figure 2). PELP1 likely indirectly but critically influences cell signaling and cellular processes. This review critically evaluates the molecular basis of the role of PELP1 in hormonal signaling and cancer.
Information Extraction of Regulatory Enforcement Actions: From Anti-Money Laundering Compliance to Countering Terrorism Finance

Financial fines imposed by regulatory bodies to penalize illegal activities and violations against regulations (cases of non-compliance) have recently become more common, and the sizes of fines have increased. This development coincides with the ongoing increase of complexity of regulatory rules. Huge fines have been imposed on banks for financial fraud and regulations have been made more stringent after 9/11 to curb funding of terrorist groups. Market players would also like to have available a database of fine events for a range of applications, such as to benchmark their competitors performance, or to use it as an early warning system for detecting shifts in regulators' enforcement behavior. To this end, we introduce the task of extracting fines from regulatory enforcement actions and we present a method to extract such fine event instances from timeline-like descriptions of regulatory investigation activities authored by legal professionals for a commercial product. We evaluate how well a rule-based method can extract information about fine events and we compare its performance to a machine-learning baseline. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first one addressing this task.
Fundamentals or Panic: Lessons from the Empirical Literature on Financial Crises

There are two basic approaches to explaining financial crises. One argues that they are driven by bad fundamentals, while the other one argues that they reflect panic or coordination failures among investors. The empirical literature has established a fairly strong link between fundamentals and crises, suggesting support for the fundamental-based view and not for the panic-based view. However, in theory, the two approaches are not mutually exclusive: the link between fundamentals and crises does not go against the validity of the panic-based view. In fact, there are models that predict panic to be triggered by low fundamentals. The article reviews empirical evidence in the financial-crises literature in light of the tension between the fundamental-based and panic-based approach. It points out the limited ability to draw conclusions on the validity of the panic-based approach and describes possibilities for identifying panic in the data.
What Should the Proposed Restatement of Employment Law Say About Remedies

Employment termination in breach of contract is normally remedied by anticipated earnings from the lost job, mitigated by any amounts that the victim actually earned, or could with reasonable effort have earned, from alternative employment. Traditionally neither consequential nor punitive damages are available. The assumption is that most people who lose jobs unlawfully manage quickly to find alternative employment and suffer no long-lasting harm. Recent economic and epidemiological research explodes this assumption. Workers who lose jobs experience health problems (stroke, heart disease, depression, tobacco use), increased mortality, and continuing economic losses, long after the period of unemployment. Moreover, that period of unemployment after job loss lasts much longer than it used to. The Restatement should not freeze existing remedies, but should permit common law remedies to evolve to resemble statutory remedies under the Civil Rights Act of 1991, for example by expanding the covenant of good faith and fair dealing.
Effect of physical training on the insulin resistance of aging.

Part of the insulin resistance associated with aging may be attributable to a loss of physical fitness. It was hypothesized that an increase in level of physical training would result in an increase in peripheral insulin action. Eleven healthy 60- to 80-yr-old subjects with normal oral glucose tolerance were studied by a euglycemic two-step hyperinsulinemic clamp before and after 12 wk of physical training. Weight and body composition were held constant, and the clamp was separated by 7 days from the last bout of exercise. There was a positive correlation before training between maximum O2 uptake (Vo2 max) and total body glucose disposal rate (M) at the 40 mU.m-2.min-1 insulin infusion (r = 0.69, P less than 0.02). After training Vo2 max increased 6.7%, M increased 13.4% during the 40 mU.m-2.min-1 and 11.0% during the 200 mU.m-2.min-1 insulin infusion. These results show that peripheral insulin resistance in older persons can be decreased by increasing the level of physical training, independent of changes in weight or body composition. Therefore a part of the insulin resistance of aging is reversible, and level of physical training should be considered in its measurement.
Combined transrectal sonographic and fluoroscopic guidance for deep pelvic abscess drainage

We attempted to determine the feasibility, safety, and success of transrectal catheter drainage of deep pelvic abscesses using a combination of transrectal sonography and fluoroscopic guidance. In this retrospective review of five cases, transrectal catheters were placed within abscess cavities over a 20 month period. Clinical improvement was prompt, catheters were removed within 7 days, and no complications were detected. No patient required further intervention (follow-up 2 to 20 months). Transrectal sonographically guided catheter drainage proved to be safe and effective in our series. This method is a promising alternative to the posterior (sciatic notch) approach when the anterior transabdominal approach is contraindicated.
Automated segmentation and enhancement of optical coherence tomography-acquired images of rodent brain.

Background Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive optical imaging method that has proven useful in various fields such as ophthalmology, dermatology and neuroscience. In ophthalmology, significant progress has been made in retinal layer segmentation and enhancement of OCT images. There are also segmentation algorithms to separate epidermal and dermal layers in OCT-acquired images of human skin.
Structure and design of polymers for durable, stretchable organic electronics

The field of stretchable electronics has recently gained significant interest from the academic community, with a focus on producing materials that demonstrate reliable electrical performance with improved response to mechanical deformation. This review highlights the recent progress in understanding the relationships between the mechanical behavior and electrical performance of such devices. Potential solutions can take the form of intrinsically elastic polymers, polymer semiconductor/elastomer blends and alternative engineering-oriented approaches, which are discussed herein. Trends and design strategies are beginning to manifest in this early stage of the stretchable electronics field. The development of stretchable electrical systems can provide unique applications of organic electronics. Stretchable electronics are an attractive means for producing mechanically robust devices with enhanced utility and can enable novel applications such as conformal solar cells, electronic skin and wearable electronics. Approaches to stretchable organic electronics, specifically polymer solar cell active layer materials, via a molecular design strategy are presented. Further discussion into polymer blends and engineering approaches to producing other types of stretchable electronics is given. The relationships between mechanical and electrical properties of all these materials are discussed and suggestions are given for future areas of research.
Diffraction efficiency and aberrations of diffractive elements obtained from orthogonal expansion of the point spread function

The Point Spread Function (PSF) indirectly encodes the wavefront aberrations of an optical system and therefore is a metric of the system performance. Analysis of the PSF properties is useful in the case of diffractive optics where the wavefront emerging from the exit pupil is not necessarily continuous and consequently not well represented by traditional wavefront error descriptors such as Zernike polynomials. The discontinuities in the wavefront from diffractive optics occur in cases where step heights in the element are not multiples of the illumination wavelength. Examples include binary or N-step structures, multifocal elements where two or more foci are intentionally created or cases where other wavelengths besides the design wavelength are used. Here, a technique for expanding the electric field amplitude of the PSF into a series of orthogonal functions is explored. The expansion coefficients provide insight into the diffraction efficiency and aberration content of diffractive optical elements. Furthermore, this technique is more broadly applicable to elements with a finite number of diffractive zones, as well as decentered patterns.
Signalling Pathways Have Different Expression Profiles in Human Platelets Isolated from Men and Women.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading causes of death for men and women in the U.S. Platelets play a central role in the inflammation and coagulation mechanisms responsible for these disorders, and anti-platelet drugs are therefore the current mainstays in prevention and therapy. Understanding the signaling pathways involved in normal and abnormal platelet function using proteomic techniques offers a novel strategic approach to the discovery of potential new therapeutic targets. Hypothesis: The incidence and outcomes of cardiovascular disease are profoundly dependent on gender, and it is possible that differences in platelet signaling mechanisms may contribute to these disparities. We have therefore hypothesized that the platelet signaling proteome is gender-specific. Methods: Platelets were isolated and purified from four normal adult male and four normal adult female donors under an IRB-approved protocol. Conventional 2D-gel electrophoresis (2DGE) and mass spectrometry were used to profile the high abundance platelet proteome. Antibody microarrays, bearing 507 monoclonal antibodies against low abundance proteins involved in signaling pathways and related functions, were used to interrogate the lower abundance platelet. Western blots were used to validate a subset of the data. Results: Discovery studies with 2DGE revealed at least nineteen lower abundance proteins which could be significantly distinguished on the basis of gender (P<0.05). Two of these proteins, a thrombopoeitin-activated G-protein component (#1101) and a megakaryocyte-relevant co-factor for DNA synthesis (#1583), were selectively elevated in male platelets. Concurrent studies on the sensitive antibody microarray platform revealed that more than 420 proteins were significantly expressed in a gender-specific manner (P<0.05). Of these, 62 remained significant by the stringent criterion of a False Discovery Rate (FDR) of <10% (SAM Algorithm, 2000 permutations). By rank-ordering the proteins by expression level, we found that platelets from normal male and female donors were significantly and uniquely enriched in different signaling proteins. These gender-specific signaling proteins included IL-1beta, and specific isoforms of iNOS (inducible nitric oxide synthase), PLC (phospholipase C), and PKC (protein kinase C). Western blot analysis validated a subset of the differentially expressed platelet proteome. Conclusions: These data support the hypothesis that the platelet signaling proteome is gender-specific. We interpret these data to indicate that gender-specific differences in the platelet signaling proteome may contribute to the gender-specific disparity in outcomes for cardiovascular diseases in men and women.
A parallel randomized finite element domain decomposition solver for large-scale EM problems

A parallel computational framework of finite element domain decomposition method (FE-DDM) is presented. Specifically, the randomized computation of domain Dirichlet-to-Neumann (DtN) operators and a robust randomized-based W-FETI preconditioning technique are integrated in a parallel implementation. Numerical examples are given to show the parallel scalability, accuracy and efficiency of the presented methodology.
Computational Biosensors: Molecules, Algorithms, and Detection Platforms

Advanced nucleic acid-based sensor-applications require computationally intelligent biosensors that are able to concurrently perform complex detection and classification of samples within an in vitro platform. Realization of these cutting-edge computational biosensor systems necessitates innovation and integration of three key technologies: molecular probes with computational capabilities, algorithmic methods to enable in vitro computational post processing and classification, and immobilization and detection approaches that enable the realization of deployable computational biosensor platforms. We provide an overview of current technologies, including our contributions towards the development of computational biosensor systems.
Topology and measure in logics for region-based theories of space

Abstract Space, as we typically represent it in mathematics and physics, is composed of dimensionless, indivisible points. On an alternative, region-based approach to space, extended regions together with the relations of ‘parthood’ and ‘contact’ are taken as primitive; points are represented as mathematical abstractions from regions. Region-based theories of space have been traditionally modeled in regular closed (or regular open) algebras, in work that goes back to [5] and [21] . Recently, logics for region-based theories of space were developed in [3] and [19] . It was shown that these logics have both a nice topological and relational semantics, and that the minimal logic for contact algebras, L m i n c o n t (defined below), is complete for both. The present paper explores the question of completeness of L m i n c o n t and its extensions for individual topological spaces of interest: the real line, Cantor space, the rationals, and the infinite binary tree. A second aim is to study a different, algebraic model of logics for region-based theories of space, based on the Lebesgue measure algebra (or algebra of Borel subsets of the real line modulo sets of Lebesgue measure zero). As a model for point-free space, the algebra was first discussed in [2] . The main results of the paper are that L m i n c o n t is weakly complete for any zero-dimensional, dense-in-itself metric space (including, e.g., Cantor space and the rationals); the extension L m i n c o n t + ( C o n ) is weakly complete for the real line and the Lebesgue measure contact algebra. We also prove that the logic L m i n c o n t + ( U n i v ) is weakly complete for the infinite binary tree.
Effectiveness of phosphate binders in adult patients with end stage renal disease receiving hemodialysis: a systematic review.

Objectives The objective of the review was to evaluate the effectiveness of the use of phosphate binders on mortality and serum levels of phosphorus, calcium and parathyroid hormone in adult patients with end stage renal disease receiving hemodialysis compared to hemodialysis with no phosphate binder use. Introduction End stage renal disease leading to hemodialysis is a common global health issue. Effective management of this population is focused on balancing alterations in bone mineral markers such as phosphorus, calcium and parathyroid hormone. Chronic imbalances are associated with all-cause mortality. Phosphate binders are a crucial element to regulating these levels. Inclusion criteria The review considered studies including adult patients, age 18 and over, receiving hemodialysis. The intervention of interest was the use of any drug within the class of phosphate binders. Outcomes of interest were all-cause mortality and serum levels of phosphorus, calcium and parathyroid hormone. Experimental and quasi-experimental study designs were considered. Methods A search for relevant published and unpublished literature was conducted through November 5, 2017. Databases searched included PubMed, CINAHL, Embase and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), in addition to gray literature sources. Articles that met the inclusion criteria were further assessed for methodological validity by two independent reviewers using the standard critical appraisal instruments from Joanna Briggs Institute. Data were extracted from papers included in the review using the standardized data extraction tool from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Quantitative data were pooled for statistical meta-analysis to evaluate the impact of phosphate binders on phosphorus and calcium. Results Seven studies were included in this review. A meta-analysis of four studies showed that the use of phosphate binders resulted in a statistically significant decrease in phosphorus levels compared to placebo (mean difference -1.89 mg/dL, 95% confidence interval -2.03 mg/dL, -1.75 mg/dL); three additional studies described narratively also showed a statistically significant decrease in phosphorus. A meta-analysis of three studies showed a statistically significant increase in calcium compared to placebo (mean difference 0.57 mg/dL, 95% confidence interval 0.50 mg/dL, 0.64 mg/dL); two additional studies described narratively showed no difference in effect on calcium. Of the three studies that measured parathyroid hormone, one showed a statistically significant improvement with the use of phosphate binders (mean difference -83.0 pg/mL, 95% confidence interval -154.63 pg/mL, -11.37 pg/mL) and two showed no difference in effect. No studies measured mortality. Conclusion Phosphate binders are effective in reducing serum phosphorus. The findings on parathyroid hormone and calcium did not provide adequate support for phosphate binder use. The impact on mortality was not directly measured in any of the included studies.
Spreadsheet-based program for the analysis of DNA methylation.

Methylation of DNA in CpG dense regions of gene promoters (CpG islands) is important for transcriptional inactivation of selective genes in normal and neoplastic cells. Here, we present a spreadsheet-based program adapted from Microsoft® Excel® that is useful for identifying CpG islands and for assisting in the laboratory analysis of DNA methylation of these regions. Upon execution of the program, a customized workbook analyzes an entered DNA sequence for the total number and percentage cytosine and guanine nucleotides, the total number and percentage of CpG sites, and a CpG:GpC ratio. The program also displays the distribution of CpG sites in a visual format as well as in two different graphical formats. Finally, the program assists in laboratory studies of DNA methylation that employ bisulfite modification of DNA by displaying methylation-dependent effects of bisulfite treatment on DNA sequences.
Highly sensitive detection of biological substances using microfluidic enhanced Fabry-Perot etalon-based optical biosensors

Abstract A microfluidic based optical biosensor is introduced to detect concentrations of biochemical substances in solution using refractive index measurement with high sensitivity and accuracy. The sensor consists of a liquid channel forming a Fabry-Perot cavity between two semitransparent Ag/SiO2 reflective surfaces. Light is transmitted through the cavity to construct interference peaks in the transmission spectra which depend on the refractive index of the test samples in the channel. The refractive index of glucose, potassium chloride, and sodium chloride solutions is measured in different concentrations. Continuous change in refractive index is resolved by observing the peak wavelength shift in the transmitted spectrum. The sensor is characterized using the contact angle measurer, surface profilometer, and spectrophotometer. The proposed Fabry-Perot etalon biosensor shows real time linear responses as well as high accuracy and sensitivity of 10−3 refractive index per percent of glucose, 1.4 × 10−3 and 1.8 × 10-3 refractive index per percent of KCl and NaCl solution, respectively.
Manipulation, assembling, and actuation of nanomotors by electric tweezers

Abstract In this review, we begin with an introduction of the fundamentals of mechanics and dynamics of nanoparticles in aqueous suspension for understanding their behaviors in electrical fields. Then, we discuss how we utilize the electric tweezers to manipulate, assemble, and actuate various nanomechanical devices with ultrahigh performances and their applications in single-cell biosignal delivery, tunable biochemical release, and microfluidic pumping and mixing.
Rib Fracture Frequency and Location Using Vehicular Crash Data

Trauma analysis is critical in many death investigations and is the primary reason forensic anthropologists testify. This study aims to improve our understanding of the frequency and location of rib fractures, so the anthropologist can be more informed when making interpretations of blunt force trauma to the rib cage. Data were collected from computed tomography images of 180 individuals who were over 18 years of age and were in a motor vehicle accident. Rib number, side of impact (left or right), specific location on the rib (anterior, posterior, lateral), and number of fractures were scored for each individual along with known demographic and crash data, such as age, sex, direction of impact, belted/unbelted, and speed at impact. Density plots, chi-square tests, logistic regression, and multiple correspondence analysis were conducted to explore relationships among the variables and visualize fracture patterns. Age was the only significant variable for both the chi-square and logistic regression results. Individuals of advanced age are 5.5 times more likely to exhibit fractures than those of middle age, which are 2.6 times more likely to exhibit fractures than individuals in the youngest age category. Females of middle and advanced age incurred the most fractures per age and sex group, but males presented with the highest frequency of fractures overall. Density plots showed most fractures occurred on the lateral portions of ribs 2 through 8, regardless of direction of impact. The findings of this study demonstrate that age and sex should be considered when interpreting blunt force trauma on ribs.
Screening for Hydroxychloroquine Retinopathy-Can We Do Better?

Screening for hydroxychloroquine-induced retinal toxicity presents a challenge to the screening ophthalmologist, and even to the retina specialist. The difficulty lies in the lack of consensus of a single screening test or criterion that has demonstrated ideal sensitivity and specificity. With the a
Abstract TP411: Distinct Systolic Blood Pressure Trajectories 72 Hours After Mechanical Thrombectomy Predict Hemorrhagic Transformation and Poor Functional Outcome

Introduction: Current stroke guidelines recommend maintaining systolic blood pressure (SBP) below 180 mmHg after thrombolysis, and this standard has carried over for post-thrombectomy blood pressur...
Epitranscriptomic Addition of m5C to HIV-1 Transcripts Regulates Viral Gene Expression.

Summary How the covalent modification of mRNA ribonucleotides, termed epitranscriptomic modifications, alters mRNA function remains unclear. One issue has been the difficulty of quantifying these modifications. Using purified HIV-1 genomic RNA, we show that this RNA bears more epitranscriptomic modifications than the average cellular mRNA, with 5-methylcytosine (m5C) and 2′O-methyl modifications being particularly prevalent. The methyltransferase NSUN2 serves as the primary writer for m5C on HIV-1 RNAs. NSUN2 inactivation inhibits not only m5C addition to HIV-1 transcripts but also viral replication. This inhibition results from reduced HIV-1 protein, but not mRNA, expression, which in turn correlates with reduced ribosome binding to viral mRNAs. In addition, loss of m5C dysregulates the alternative splicing of viral RNAs. These data identify m5C as a post-transcriptional regulator of both splicing and function of HIV-1 mRNA, thereby affecting directly viral gene expression.
Influence of electrostatic interactions on the formation and stability of multilayer fish oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by whey protein-xanthan-locust bean complexes

Abstract The purpose of this research was to investigate the impact of electrostatic interactions on the stability of multilayered fish oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions stabilized by whey protein isolate (WPI)-xanthan (XG)-locust bean gum (LBG) complexes. Emulsions were prepared using the layer-by-layer deposition technique with salt concentrations (0, 5, and 50 mM NaCl) at pH below (pH 3) and above (pH 7) the isoelectric point of WPI. Results indicated that zeta potential at pH 3 resulted in positive values, whereas at pH 7 resulted in negative values, with the magnitude of the ζ-potentials increasing as the NaCl concentration increased. NaCl did not have any major impact on the particle size of the emulsions. XG emulsions had the highest viscosity at pH 3 regardless of time, though XG-LBG emulsions showed a significant increase at 0 and 5 mM NaCl over time. XG emulsions at pH 3 showed the highest viscosity at every salt concentration. At pH 7, XG-LBG emulsions had the highest viscosity results, yet decreased over time, indicating the negative salt effect the synergistic interaction between XG and LBG. With 0 mM and 5 mM NaCl at pH 7, XG-LBG emulsions had the highest creaming stability; while with 50 mM NaCl, XG emulsions had the highest creaming stability. For both the primary and secondary lipid oxidation tests, XG-LBG emulsions had the highest oxidative stability at every salt concentration at pH 7. These results have important implications in the design of biopolymer-based delivery systems for microencapsulating omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids for use in functional foods.
Blastomycosis presenting as an isolated progressive painless verrucous skin lesion

A painless progressive verrucous skin plaque in an endemic area should raise suspicion for blastomycosis resulting in prompt biopsy with fungal stains and culture. Skin is a common extrapulmonary site. Itraconazole is treatment of choice.
Writing (for) our lives: Black feminisms, interconnected guidance, and qualitative research in special education

In this collaborative sense-making of mentorship and interconnected guidance for education research, two Black women academics in special education offer lessons learned from their sustained dialog...
Does visual speech provide release from perceptual masking in children

Adults benefit more from visual speech in speech maskers than in noise maskers because visual speech helps perceptually isolate target talkers from competing talkers. To investigate whether children use visual speech to perceptually isolate target talkers, this study compared children's speech recognition thresholds in auditory and audiovisual condition across two maskers: two-talker speech and noise. Children demonstrated similar audiovisual benefit in both maskers. Individual differences in speechreading accuracy predicted audiovisual benefit in each masker to a similar degree. Results suggest that although visual speech improves children's masked speech recognition thresholds, children may use visual speech in different ways than adults.
Seizures and Renal/Liver Failure

Seizures can complicate kidney or liver disease, or epilepsy may be present in these patients as a preexisting condition. When related to end-organ disease, it may be caused by toxin accumulation or, in the case of renal disease, can be related to treatment. Pharmacokinetic properties related to drug clearance and volume of distribution are important to understand as kidney and hepatic disease can affect these to increase drug elimination half-life and concentration. In order to safely and appropriately treat patients, the pharmacokinetic properties of antiseizure medication (ASM) need to be considered by the prescriber so that proper dose adjustments are made. In the case of patients on intermittent hemodialysis for end-stage renal disease, these same properties affect how ASM are impacted by dialysis. Some ASM may need supplemental dosing following dialysis to maintain adequate levels.
Impact of Clostridium difficile infection on pediatric appendicitis

Clostridium difficile is an important cause of nosocomial infection in the pediatric population. The purpose of this study is to estimate the impact of Clostridium difficile infection complicating pediatric acute appendicitis. This study utilizes the combined 2009 and 2012 Kids’ Inpatient Database. Statistical analysis is weighted and was done using Survey Sampling and Analysis procedures in SAS 9.4. We identified 176,934 cases with appendicitis and 0.2% (n = 358) had a concurrent diagnosis of C. difficile. The proportion of cases with C. difficile in perforated appendicitis was greater than in the non-perforated cases (0.39% vs. 0.06%; p < .01). Multivariate analysis showed that perforated appendicitis (OR 5.22), and anemia (OR 4.95) were independent predictors of C. difficile infection (p < .001). Adjusted for perforated appendicitis, cases with C. difficile had 4.78 days longer length of stay (LOS) and higher total charges of $29,887 (all p < 0.0001) compared to non-C. difficile cases. C. difficile infection is a rare, but impactful complication of pediatric appendicitis and is associated with greater disease severity. Proper antibiotic stewardship could minimize the risk of C. difficile in pediatric appendicitis.
Cost and Health Care Resource Utilization Differences After Spine Surgery for Bony Spine versus Primary Intradural Spine Tumors.

Objective The aim of this study was to compare complication rates, length of stay (LOS), and hospital costs after spine surgery for bony spine tumors and intradural spinal neoplasms. Methods A retrospective cohort study was performed using the National Inpatient Sample database from 2016 to 2017. All adult inpatients who underwent surgical intervention for a primary intradural spinal tumor or primary/metastatic bony spine tumor were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis/procedural coding systems. Patient demographics, comorbidities, intraoperative variables, complications, LOS, discharge disposition, and total cost of hospitalization were assessed. Backward stepwise multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent predictors of perioperative complication, extended LOS (≥75th percentile), and increased cost (≥75th percentile). Results A total of 9855 adult patients were included in the study; 3850 (39.1%) were identified as having a primary intradural spinal tumor and 6005 (60.9%) had a primary or metastatic bony spine tumor. Those treated for bony tumors had more comorbidities (≥3, 67.8% vs. 29.2%) and more commonly experienced ≥1 complications (29.9% vs. 7.9%). Multivariate analyses also showed those in the bony spine cohort had a higher odds of experiencing ≥1 complications (odds ratio [OR], 4.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.04–5.97; P Conclusions Relative to patients being treated for primary intradural tumors, those undergoing spine surgery for bony spine tumors experience significantly higher risk for perioperative complications, extended LOS, and increased cost of hospital admission. Further identification of patient and treatment characteristics that may optimize management of spine oncology may reduce adverse outcomes, improve patient care, and reduce health care resources.
The Mitochondrial mitoNEET Ligand NL-1 Is Protective in a Murine Model of Transient Cerebral Ischemic Stroke

Therapeutic strategies to treat ischemic stroke are limited due to the heterogeneity of cerebral ischemic injury and the mechanisms that contribute to the cell death. Since oxidative stress is one of the primary mechanisms that cause brain injury post-stroke, we hypothesized that therapeutic targets that modulate mitochondrial function could protect against reperfusion-injury after cerebral ischemia, with the focus here on a mitochondrial protein, mitoNEET, that modulates cellular bioenergetics. In this study, we evaluated the pharmacology of the mitoNEET ligand NL-1 in an in vivo therapeutic role for NL-1 in a C57Bl/6 murine model of ischemic stroke. NL-1 decreased hydrogen peroxide production with an IC50 of 5.95 μM in neuronal cells (N2A). The in vivo activity of NL-1 was evaluated in a murine 1 h transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (t-MCAO) model of ischemic stroke. We found that mice treated with NL-1 (10 mg/kg, i.p.) at time of reperfusion and allowed to recover for 24 h showed a 43% reduction in infarct volume and 68% reduction in edema compared to sham-injured mice. Additionally, we found that when NL-1 was administered 15 min post-t-MCAO, the ischemia volume was reduced by 41%, and stroke-associated edema by 63%. As support of our hypothesis, as expected, NL-1 failed to reduce stroke infarct in a permanent photothrombotic occlusion model of stroke. This report demonstrates the potential therapeutic benefits of using mitoNEET ligands like NL-1 as novel mitoceuticals for treating reperfusion-injury with cerebral stroke.
Simulating Robustness of Structural Controllability for Directed Networks Under Multi-Round Edge Strategies

The study of structural controllability of control systems is a crucial property in the design and analysis of complex networks as well as networks which require a control relationship between nodes. The fundamental aim of attack vulnerability research is to safeguard electric power networks along-with their control systems as part of critical infrastructure systems. Such a system may have its structural control undermined or co-opted to hinder or hijack control if the entire network system is already known and understood by an attacker. A significant focus on the graph-theoretical interpretation of Kalman controllability has emerged as a concept linked to structural controllability that offers a powerful abstraction for understanding the structural properties of a control network and its critical elements. The determination of driver node sets that can monitor the whole network is therefore enabled, although it is a $W[{2}]$ -hard problem identifying these nodes. Indeed, problematic computational complexity is a feature of the various extant driver node identification techniques. Accordingly, this paper is highly motivated to adopt the power dominating set approach to explore how directed Erdős-Renyi networks are influenced by targeted iterative multiple-edge removal, in addition to the assessment of its effects on the robustness of network controllability from multiple structural vulnerabilities.
Activity-dependent LTP in the dentate gyrus promotes epileptic seizures

Epilepsy is a devastating brain disorder whose cellular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Excitatory mossy cells (MCs) in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus are implicated in temporal lobe epilepsy, the most common form of focal epilepsy in adults. However, the role of MCs during initial seizures, before MC loss occurs, is unclear. Here, we show that initial seizures induced with kainic acid (KA) intraperitoneal injection in adult mice, a well-established model of experimental epilepsy, not only increased MC and granule cell (GC) activity in vivo, but also triggered a BDNF-dependent long-term potentiation at MC-GC synapses (MC-GC LTP). In vivo induction of MC-GC LTP worsened KA-induced seizures, whereas selective MC silencing and Bdnf genetic removal from GCs, which abolishes LTP, were both anti-epileptic. Thus, initial seizures strengthen MC-GC synaptic transmission, thereby promoting epileptic activity. Our findings reveal a potential mechanism of epileptogenesis that may help develop therapeutic strategies for early intervention.
Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome Treatment: A Systematic Review of Sexual Health Outcomes.

ABSTRACT Introduction Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is a chronic condition with highly prevalent negative consequences on sexual health and quality of life. However, there is a lack of consensus regarding treatment options that improve sexual function in this population. This study aims to review the current literature on sexual health outcomes in patients treated for IC/BPS. Methods We conducted a systematic review of the literature on sexual health outcomes after treatment of IC/BPS. PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINHAL, and Google Scholar were queried, and results were screened using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Inclusion criteria for this review were: IC/BPS was clearly defined in the cohort, sexual health outcomes were measured as the primary or a secondary outcome, manuscript was written in English from January 2000 to April 2020. Studies on cystectomy were excluded as radical surgery is a confounding factor for sexual dysfunction. Results We identified 1611 items with our search algorithm and determined that 10 studies ultimately met inclusion criteria. 4 of 10 studies reported improved sexual function after treatment. 4 of 10 studies were randomized control trials and reported no improvement in sexual function in each of the therapies that were investigated. Data were conflicting regarding the effect of intravesical hyaluronic acid. Conclusion This systematic review demonstrates the lack of focus on sexual health outcomes in studies of the IC/BPS. There was no strong evidence that any modality used to treat IC/BPS also improves sexual function despite the higher prevalence in this population. Chen A, Shahiyan RH, Anger J. Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome Treatment: A Systematic Review of Sexual Health Outcomes. Sex Med Rev 2021;xx:xx–xx.
Automatic modelling of buildings and thermal substations for large district heating systems

Abstract Fast prediction of thermal behaviour of buildings and substation connected to district heating systems is an important aspect for implementing technique aimed at reducing primary energy consumption and consequently pollutant emission, such as demand side management, network expansion, renewable sources penetration, integration of waste heat. In this work, an approach to model the end-users connected to a district heating network (each building and each substation) is proposed. A physical model is used, which is calibrated through a proper approach using experimental data. The main strength of the work is that only data that are usually measured in district heating substations (temperature and mass flow rates in the substation) and building volume are required to obtain the model. This makes the model creation and its use automatic and applicable to a wide range of district heating systems also in case other data are not available. This characteristic is essential to make the model suitable for large networks including various thousands of substations. Results show that the model allows simulating the effects of modifications in district heating system operations in terms of building thermal request and temperature variation with an average errors lower than 5% for all the measures analysed.
Mass spectrometric studies at high temperatures—XIII: Stabilities of samarium, europium and gadolinium mono- and difluorides

Abstract Gaseous subfluorides of Sm, Eu and Gd were produced in a Knudsen cell and the equilibria among them studied with a mass spectrometer. Dissociation energies and heats of atomization were determined.
The Undergraduate Affiliates Network as a faculty network (104.3)

Faculty advisors of the ASBMB Undergraduate Affiliate Network clubs continuously cite the importance of the faculty networking opportunities during the year and at the national and regional meetings. The opportunity to engage in creative and stimulating discussion with others teaching courses, and getting feedback from colleagues on research, is frequently noted as valuable. Junior faculty welcome the mentoring and career advice. Financial support for activities such as outreach is valuable to both students and advisors. In this session we will discuss the UAN, networking, and how to participate.
Reflecting on the Social Environment Dimensions of HB&SE: An HB&SE Faculty Member as Discussant

SUMMARY This paper discusses the contributions of three studies of the Human Behavior and the Social Environment curriculum presented in this volume (Mulroy & Austin; Taylor, Mulroy, & Austin; Taylor, Austin, & Mulroy). A key theme across these theoretical and empirical pieces is that content related to social environment may not be coherently or consistently presented across courses. This finding is discussed in light of the general move toward contextualism in the social sciences in recent decades. Implications for social work pedagogy, research, and theory development are discussed.
Managing the effects of tax expenditures on national budgets

Tax expenditures, in the form of tax provisions, are government expenditures. They are conceptually and functionally distinct from those tax provisions whose purpose is to raise revenue. Tax expenditure programs are comparable to entitlement programs. Therefore, tax expenditures must be analyzed in spending terms and integrated into the budgetary process to ensure fiscal accountability. In addition, tax expenditures must be audited for performance and the information must be published (with comprehensive analysis) to ensure fiscal transparency. The author analyzes the concept and definition, size, and effects of tax expenditures, as well as the fiscal accountability and transparency of tax expenditure spending. In short, tax expenditures affect (1) the budget balance, (2) budget prioritization in allocation, (3) the effectiveness and efficiency of fiscal resources, and (4) the scope for abuse by taxpayers, government officials and legislators. While reviewing the current practices in tax expenditures against the requirements of fiscal accountability and transparency, she finds that this fiscal area must be strengthened. The author sketches four building blocks to strengthen tax expenditures toward fiscal accountability and transparency, based on the literature developed by Surry and McDaniel, the practices from industrial and developing countries, the Campos and Pradhan fiscal accountability model, and the International Monetary Fund's fiscal transparency code. The author argues that normative/benchmark tax structure, a revenue-raising component of the tax system, should be formalized. The normative/benchmark tax structure should be legally defined in the tax law and should be transparent. The tax receipts from this normative/benchmark tax structure should be quantified and published. Presently, many countries could publish imputed tax revenue from normative/benchmark tax structures because such data is available. Only if imputed tax revenue is published in the same way as the other budget components-tax revenue received, tax expenditures, direct expenditures, and fiscal balance-will a budget system be truly transparent in terms of revenue-raising activities and expenditure activities. In addition, when the tax revenue-raising activity is formalized, the inherent spending nature of tax expenditures is further exposed. Therefore, tax expenditures should be added to direct expenditures forming total government expenditures. Furthermore, the conventional concept of the size of government should be remedied by including both direct expenditures and tax expenditures.
Microcanonical mean field annealing: a new algorithm for increasing the convergence speed of mean field annealing

The authors consider the convergence speed of mean field annealing (MFA). They combine MFA with the microcanonical simulation (MCS) method and propose an algorithm called microcanonical mean field annealing (MCMFA). In the proposed algorithm, cooling speed is controlled by current temperature so that computation in the MFA can be reduced without degradation of performance. In addition, the solution quality of MCMFA is not affected by the initial temperature. The properties of MCMFA are analyzed with a simple example and simulated with Hopfield neural networks. In order to compare MCMFA with MFA, both algorithms are applied to graph bipartitioning problems. Simulation results show that MCMFA produces a better solution than MFA. >