cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
2D equation-of-state model for corona phase molecular recognition on single-walled carbon nanotube and graphene surfaces.

Corona phase molecular recognition (CoPhMoRe) has been recently introduced as a means of generating synthetic molecular recognition sites on nanoparticle surfaces. A synthetic heteropolymer is adsorbed and confined to the surface of a nanoparticle, forming a corona phase capable of highly selective molecular recognition due to the conformational imposition of the particle surface on the polymer. In this work, we develop a computationally predictive model for analytes adsorbing onto one type of polymer corona phase composed of hydrophobic anchors on hydrophilic loops around a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) surface using a 2D equation of state that takes into consideration the analyte−polymer, analyte−nanoparticle, and polymer−nanoparticle interactions using parameters determined independently from molecular simulation. The SWCNT curvature is found to contribute weakly to the overall interaction energy, exhibiting no correlation for three of the corona phases considered, and differences of less than ...
Outcomes of Individualized Formative Assessments in a Pharmacy Skills Laboratory.

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of an individualized teaching method in a pharmacy skills laboratory. Design: All third-year students enrolled in an Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) accredited doctor of pharmacy program (n=150) received an individual formative assessment from clinical pharmacists on communication skills and clinical competency after the students counseled standardized mock glaucoma patients during a laboratory focused on alternative dosing formulations. Objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) scores for this station from the 2012 and 2013 classes were compared before and after the intervention. Assessment: Ophthalmic OSCE station scores were higher after the individual formative feedback intervention. Students in 2013 had a mean score of 83.2 ± 8.3% compared to a mean of 74.3 ± 12.9% in 2012 for this OSCE station. The percentage of students receiving an “A” on the OSCE station increased from 8.1% to 31.3% after the intervention. Conclusion: Individualized formative teaching methods benefited students in both their communication skills and clinical assessment. Future research should focus on wider implementation and overcoming obstacles, such as increased facilitator needs.
DYNAMIC NON-DESTRUCTIVE BOND STRENGTH CHARACTERIZATION IN NON-WOVEN FABRICS

A method is presented which permits the quantitative characterization of bonding strength in non-woven fabrics using loss tangent, tan δ, data measured directly from samples non-destructively with the Vibron DDV-II Viscoelastometer. The procedure is derived from a phenomenological model of the structure's mechanical behavior in which its energy dissipation capacity consists of both filament internal viscous friction and a filament-to-filament coulomb friction mechanism. By treating the coulomb dissipation in terms of an additional effective viscous component the loss tangent of the model representing the structure can be analytically expressed in terms of the internal filament viscous properties, a fiber to fiber coulomb parameter, and an undetermined assembly dispersion factor which is representative of bond strength. By measuring effective loss tangent data for the structure and a constituent filament at two separate frequencies and considering the magnitude of the coulomb mechanism to be independent of the test frequency in the range employed, both the assembly dispersion factor and the coulomb friction dissipation can be quantified. Using this procedure, loss tangent data from tests on a series of non-woven fabrics are used to calculate both assembly dispersion and interfilament coulomb friction factors. The value and significance of the calculated results are considered and discussed in terms of the mechanical behavior of the structures.
AB0384 Prevalence of irreversible articular damage and orthopedic surgeries in hispanics with rheumatoid arthritis in the united states (US)

Background Structural damage has been associated with poor functional outcomes and disability in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Hispanics with RA in the US display worse functional outcomes, despite similar disease control to Caucasians. However, the presence of structural articular damage and orthopedic surgeries performed in this subset remains unknown. Objectives To explore the prevalence of irreversible articular damage, orthopedic surgeries, joint replacements and their distribution in US Hispanics with RA. Methods Two hundred and ninety five subjects from a single center were evaluated. Demographics, serologies, radiographs, and treatments were recorded. Irreversible articular damage (IAD) was defined as presence of subluxation, arthrodesis, fusion, or prosthesis). Orthopedic surgeries in upper and lower extremities as well as joint replacement surgeries (JRS) were captured. Non-parametric Mann-Whitney U and Fisher’s exact tests compared continuous and categorical variables respectively. Results Patients are predominantly females with robustly seropositive, chronic, and well controlled RA. IAD was present in 35% of patients and was significantly higher on subjects treated with biologics (43% vs. 26%, p=0.002- table 1). Similarly, the majority of patients with IAD received biologics (65% vs. 39%, p=0.002). Orthopedic surgeries occurred in 39/295 (13%) of patients, or 39/102 (38%) of those with IAD. A higher proportion of subjects on biologics underwent surgery (19% vs. 8% on DMARDs, p=0.006). Concordantly, surgeries occurred predominantly in patients on biologics (69% vs. 31%, p=0.02). Most patients undergoing surgery, had 2 or more procedures (72% vs. 28%, p=0.0002). Overall, 39 subjects underwent 88 procedures; 66/88 (76%) occurred on the lower extremities, and 16/88 (18%) on the upper extremities. The majority were joint replacements (65/88 or 75%), most occurred on the lower extremities (89% vs. 11%), and tended to be more common in subjects on biologics. Conclusions One third of US Hispanics experience irreversible articular damage, especially those treated with biologics, suggesting more severe disease in that subset. Orthopedic surgeries occur commonly, most are joint replacements, are more frequent in subjects receiving biologics, and predominantly happen in the lower extremities. Disclosure of Interest None Declared
Recoil from the Real? – Žižek out of Athens

Žižek's silence with regard to the 2008–2009 riots in Greek cities is puzzling. That the nihilist rebellion of 15-year-old bourgeois youth was joined by immigrant youth from a variety of Balkan (but also Middle Eastern) backgrounds – many of the youngsters raised (and even born) in Greece but bearing no citizenship rights – attests to a phenomenon that operates on social, cultural, and political surplus in relation to strict nationally driven protests. Is Žižek's silence testimony to his reluctance to engage with Balkan surplus when it does not fit standard “postsocialist” parameters?
Micro-scale NMR Experiments for Monitoring the Optimization of Membrane Protein Solutions for Structural Biology.

Reconstitution of integral membrane proteins (IMP) in aqueous solutions of detergent micelles has been extensively used in structural biology, using either X-ray crystallography or NMR in solution. Further progress could be achieved by establishing a rational basis for the selection of detergent and buffer conditions, since the stringent bottleneck that slows down the structural biology of IMPs is the preparation of diffracting crystals or concentrated solutions of stable isotope labeled IMPs. Here, we describe procedures to monitor the quality of aqueous solutions of [2H, 15N]-labeled IMPs reconstituted in detergent micelles. This approach has been developed for studies of β-barrel IMPs, where it was successfully applied for numerous NMR structure determinations, and it has also been adapted for use with α-helical IMPs, in particular GPCRs, in guiding crystallization trials and optimizing samples for NMR studies (Horst et al., 2013). 2D [15N, 1H]-correlation maps are used as “fingerprints” to assess the foldedness of the IMP in solution. For promising samples, these “inexpensive” data are then supplemented with measurements of the translational and rotational diffusion coefficients, which give information on the shape and size of the IMP/detergent mixed micelles. Using microcoil equipment for these NMR experiments enables data collection with only micrograms of protein and detergent. This makes serial screens of variable solution conditions viable, enabling the optimization of parameters such as the detergent concentration, sample temperature, pH and the composition of the buffer.
CT Hounsfield Units as a Predictor for the Worsening of Traumatic Vertebral Compression Fractures.

Introduction With vertebral compression fractures (VCF), height loss has been associated with kyphotic deformity and intractable pain, 2 indications for potential surgical intervention. Consequently, assessment of factors associated with continual height loss can provide insights regarding management. Computed tomography (CT) Hounsfield units (HU), a measure of radiodensity, have been implicated for the assessment of bone quality. No studies have assessed the relationship between CT HU and traumatic VCF. Consequently, the objective of this study was to evaluate this relationship. Methods Patients who sustained a traumatic VCF from a motor vehicle accident from 2006 to 2015 were reviewed retrospectively. Inclusion criteria were single VCF from L1 to L4, appropriate imaging, and appropriate follow-up. Clinical data were extracted (age, gender, history of osteoporosis, body mass index [BMI], and length of follow-up). Initial CT imaging was evaluated for averaged HU at the levels above and below the index level of the VCF. Interval percentage change (Δ%) in anterior compression was evaluated between radiographs obtained during initial presentation and at follow-up. Results Age, BMI, and CT HU significantly correlated with Δ% ( P R 2 0.648, and adjusted R 2 0.606; each variable in the model showed P P Conclusions Age, BMI, and CT HU values are independent predictors of worsening VCF. These factors can help determine appropriate clinical follow-up and need for surgical intervention.
Tracking translation one mRNA at a time.

Imaging of single mRNA molecules undergoing translation provides insights into the regulation of protein synthesis.
Identification of Expressed Sequences on Human Chromosome 9q32–34

Ozelius and colleagues have recently mapped the gene responsible for the neuromuscular disease idiopathic torsion dystonia (DYT1) to human chromosome 9q32–34. Our goal is to identify candidate genes for torsion dystonia, as well as other neurologically important genes localized on 9q32–34. To accomplish this we have identified transcribed sequences within a 3,000 clone collection assembled from a human 9q32–34-specific library. Dystonia candidates are being assessed based on their expression patterns and their localization with respect to the DYT1 locus. cDNA probes from various brain and peripheral tissues were used to screen the clone collection enabling us to elucidate the tissue expression patterns of the genes corresponding to each clone. This resulted in the identification of 143 9q32–34 transcripts, thirty-three of which are expressed in a brain-specific manner and thus are candidates for the dystonia gene. Since none of these transcripts was expressed specifically in the putative dystonic target tissue basal ganglia, the directional tag PCR subtraction method was used to construct a probe enriched in striatal cDNA sequences. Screening of the 9q32–34 clone collection with this subtracted probe identified several additional clones with transcripts expressed preferentially in the striatum.
State Budgetary Delays in an Era of Party Polarization

This article examines the relationship between state budgetary delays and party polarization. Although others have evaluated the influence of divided government on a state’s likelihood of passing a...
Electrospun Regenerated Cellulose Nanofiber Membranes Surface-Grafted with Water-Insoluble Poly(HEMA) or Water-Soluble Poly(AAS) Chains via the ATRP Method for Ultrafiltration of Water.

Electrospun nanofiber membranes (ENMs) have demonstrated promising applications for water purification primarily due to high water flux and low degree of fouling. However, the equivalent/apparent pore sizes of as-electrospun ENMs are in microns/submicrons; therefore, the ENMs can only be directly utilized for microfiltration applications. To make regenerated cellulose (RC) ENMs for ultrafiltration applications, atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) was studied to graft polymer chains onto the surface of RC nanofibers; specifically, monomers of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and sodium acrylate (AAS) were selected for surface-grafting water-insoluble and water-soluble polymer chains onto RC nanofibers, respectively. With prolonging of the ATRP reaction time, the resulting surface-modified RC ENMs had reduced pore sizes. The water-insoluble poly(HEMA) chains coated the surface of RC nanofibers to make the fibers thicker, thus decreasing the membrane pore size and reducing permeability. On the othe...
Epidemiology of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Gastroesophageal reflux is commonly reported in adults. In this chapter we discuss the epidemiology of reflux in children including how prevalence changes in different pediatric age groups from infancy and to adult life. We discuss groups within the pediatric population and their specific risks including premature infants and neurologically impaired individuals. We also examine the relationship to asthma and whether reflux in childhood is related to asthma in adult life.
Contributions of environment and genotype to variation in shrub willow biomass composition

Abstract Yield improvement of woody bioenergy crops has been the major focus of breeding programs, but biomass quality is also important for conversion to biofuels. Using high-resolution thermogravimetric analysis, the composition of biomass samples from two shrub willow ( Salix spp.) yield trial networks representing two distinct datasets were examined. Dataset 1 consisted of 12 yield trials containing 10 genotypes that mainly represented early cultivars from the US breeding program. Dataset 2 consisted of five trial locations containing 19 genotypes from later breeding efforts. Variation in ash and hemicellulose content were largely controlled by genetic factors, while cellulose and lignin content were heavily influenced by environmental effects. Mean biomass composition traits for dataset 1 were 2.1% ash, 42.4% cellulose, 18.7% hemicellulose and 25.5% lignin. For dataset 2 mean traits were 1.9% ash, 43.2% cellulose, 17.7% hemicellulose and 25.7% lignin. Yield was negatively correlated with lignin content and positively correlated with cellulose content at the level of environment. Elite triploid hybrid cultivars have the potential to produce more cellulose per unit area because of higher yields and/or greater cellulose content. These findings suggest that selection of genotypes for improved yield, as well as selection of growing environment, can improve feedstock quality for biofuel production.
Inflammatory and infectious aortic diseases

Aortitis is aortic inflammation, which can be due to inflammatory or infectious diseases. Left undiagnosed, aortitis can lead to aneurysm formation and rupture, in addition to ischemic compromise of major organs. Infectious aortic diseases include mycotic aneurysm and graft infection; the most common inflammatory diseases are Takayasu's and giant cell arteritis. We review the epidemiology, etiology, presentation and diagnosis, and treatment of these entities.
Mobile Business Retailing: Driving Experiential Learning on Campus:

Engaging students in the classroom is a struggle all faculty face especially in the age of modern technology. This article proposes a novel approach to engage and motivate students through the mobi...
Caenorhabditis elegans Dosage Compensation: Insights into Condensin-Mediated Gene Regulation

Recent work demonstrating the role of chromosome organization in transcriptional regulation has sparked substantial interest in the molecular mechanisms that control chromosome structure. Condensin, an evolutionarily conserved multisubunit protein complex, is essential for chromosome condensation during cell division and functions in regulating gene expression during interphase. In Caenorhabditis elegans, a specialized condensin forms the core of the dosage compensation complex (DCC), which specifically binds to and represses transcription from the hermaphrodite X chromosomes. DCC serves as a clear paradigm for addressing how condensins target large chromosomal domains and how they function to regulate chromosome structure and transcription. Here, we discuss recent research on C. elegans DCC in the context of canonical condensin mechanisms as have been studied in various organisms.
Using task performance to inform treatment planning for youth with ADHD: A systematic review

Abstract The role that neuropsychological task performance plays in the assessment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is currently ambiguous, and findings are mixed regarding whether tasks have validity for diagnosing the disorder. Irrespective of their validity for diagnosing ADHD, neuropsychological tasks could provide valuable information to mental health professionals if they can inform recommendations for treatment targets and modalities. Therefore, this review sought to synthesize the available evidence related to the use of neuropsychological task performance as a tool for informing treatment planning for youth with ADHD. Reviewed studies focused on examinations of associations between task performance and academic, social, and health outcomes, as well as response to treatment. Twenty-five relevant studies using samples of youth diagnosed with ADHD in clinical, community, and school settings were identified. Review of the evidence suggests that task performance may be useful in identifying individuals with ADHD at risk for academic impairment. However, the evidence is less compelling for identifying youth at risk for impaired social functioning or poor health outcomes. The review also found that task performance is likely useful for predicting response to treatment with methylphenidate. Across studies, evidence indicated that interpreting task performance in an integrated manner, such as a factor score or mean score, was more consistently useful for predicting outcomes of interest than interpreting performance from a single task. Implications for the use of tasks in ADHD assessments are discussed, and future directions are outlined for further examining the clinical utility of task performance.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus has greater risk of transmission in the operating room than methicillin-sensitive S aureus

Background Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a pathogenic S aureus strain characteristic associated with increased patient morbidity and mortality. The health care system needs to understand MRSA transmissibility in all settings to improve basic preventive measures to generate sustained reductions in invasive MRSA infections. Our primary aim was to compare intraoperative transmissibility of MRSA versus methicillin-sensitive S aureus (MSSA) isolates. Methods S aureus isolates (N = 173) collected from 274 randomly selected operating room environments (first and second case of the day in each operating room, a case pair) at 3 hospitals underwent systematic-phenotypic and genomic processing to identify clonally related transmission events. Confirmed transmission events were defined as at least 2 S aureus isolates obtained from ≥2 distinct intraoperative reservoirs sampled within or between cases in a study unit that were epidemiologically and clonally related. We explored the relationship between clonal transmission and methicillin resistance with Poisson regression analysis. Results We identified 58 clonal transmission events. MRSA isolates were associated with increased risk of clonal transmission compared with MSSA isolates (adjusted incidence risk ratio [IRR], 1.68; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13-2.49; P = .010; unadjusted IRR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.23-2.77; P = .003, respectively). Conclusions MRSA isolates are associated with increased risk of intraoperative transmission. Future work should examine the impact of the attenuation of intraoperative MRSA transmission on the incidence of invasive MRSA infections.
In Favor of [Fortis]: Evidence from Setswana and Sebirwa

This paper argues that in favor of adding the feature [fortis/lenis] to the set of generally accepted phonological features, as originally proposed by Trubetzkoy (1939). Phonetic data from the consonant systems the Southern Bantu languages Setswana and Sebirwa is presented. Measurements of consonant closure and voicing duration in Setswana show that post-nasal “strengthening” and the distribution of ejective stops in this language can best be accounted for phonologically with the feature [fortis] rather than [+/- voice] or [constricted glottis]. In contrast, the phonetic data show Sebirwa to be a “true voice” language, demonstrating that the patterns of Setswana are not phonetically inevitable.
Verschweizerung, or: Some Brief Remarks on Sovereignty, Transnationality, and “Sense-Security” in the Middle of Europe

Even for readers of Central European History, it is easy to forget that there is more than one country in the middle of Europe and that there is more than one solution to the geopolitical problem associated with the perception of being in the “middle.” That problem is so overwhelmingly claimed by Germany and its interpreters, and it is so weighed down by reflections on the (ab)uses of state power, articulated in the long-running debate on the “primacy of foreign policy,” that it is somewhat jarring to encounter a book with the title In the Middle of Europe—Andre Holenstein's Mitten in Europa: Verflechtung und Abgrenzung in der Schweizer Geschichte—that is not at all concerned with Germany. It has Switzerland as its subject and Verschweizerung as its substance and subtext. I leave the term untranslated because it means nothing to most of the world and an English translation would surely not capture the partly facetious, partly scandalized, partly admiring undertones that the German conveys: “Die Welt wird entweder untergehen oder verschweizern,” in the words of Friedrich Durenmatt. Even if not taken in jest, it still sounds better than: “Am deutschen Wesen soll die Welt genesen.” But if horror in the latter case makes sense when looking back at the twentieth century, why is there so much mockery in response to the former?
Liver and Renal Disease

This chapter discusses bleeding and thrombotic issues in patients with renal and liver disease. Causes, testing for, and management of both issues are discussed. While it has been accepted for years that patients with liver disease are at risk of bleeding, recently there has also been the realization that for most patients this hazard has been overstated and that paradoxically thrombosis may also be risk. Most bleeding in liver disease patients is due to mechanical reasons such as a ruptured varix rather than an underlying coagulopathy. In addition, classic tests of coagulation fail in many patients to fully assess their hemostatic capacity.
Imagery and Reality: Can they be Distinguished?

The picture or impression of the external world which we derive at any given instant is heavily dependent on our past experiences, on the present context and our current anticipations. The retinal cells and the ganglion cells behind them receive only the barest sampling of information from the external world; slants, and curvature of lines, relative colors and intensities, edges, contours, and texture, movement or change of position. [6, 5, 4] It is fragments like these that are the “picture” of the external world we used to believe was “Photographed” by the retina. Even these fragments are only a sampling of what actually exists in the physical world, a sampling moreover determined largely by the efferent intent or expectancy of the observer [1, 7].
Branching Ratios of Hg 5d and Cd 4d: Dirac-Fock Calculations,

Dirac-Fock (DF) and Dirac-Slater (DS) calculations of the photoionization of Hg $5d$ and Cd $4d$ have been performed in an effort to assess the utility of such calculations for the prediction of subshell cross sections and branching ratios as well as to attempt to elucidate the effects of relativistic (especially spin-orbit) interactions. Our results indicate that in both cases, the subshell cross section is predicted rather well by the DF results, while the DS is too large (by a factor of \ensuremath{\sim}2) and peaks too close to threshold. For the Hg $5d$ branching ratio, the DF values are in excellent agreement with experiment and the DS results are in pretty fair agreement as well. For Cd $4d$, on the other hand, neither calculation is entirely satisfactory; away from threshold the DF result, however, is reasonably good. The possible origin and implications of these results are discussed.
Income Inequality and International Economic Law: From Flint, Michigan to the Doha Round, and Back

At a time when global poverty is at its lowest, how can it be that income inequality is higher than it has been since the end of the Second World War? How have global trade and international law shaped these trends? Can we connect economic inequality at the domestic and international levels?
Comparison of Overnight Truck Parking Counts with GPS-Derived Counts for Truck Parking Facility Utilization Analysis:

Increased demand for truck parking resulting from hours-of-service regulations and growing truck volumes, coupled with limited supply of parking facilities, is concerning for transportation agencie...
Risque et gestion des saignements intraoculaires associés aux anticoagulants oraux

La thrombose veineuse profonde, l’embolie pulmonaire, l’AVC ischemique et l’infarctus du myocarde sont d’importantes maladies thromboemboliques qui touchent des millions de Nord-Americains. La plupart de ces patients sont pris en charge a long terme avec des anticoagulants oraux qui peuvent accroitre le risque de saignement, y compris les hemorragies intraoculaires. L’interruption de l’anticoagulation augmente temporairement le risque de thromboembolie et l’anticoagulation continue augmente le risque de saignement; les deux scenarios nuisent a la sante globale du patient. Cet article presente une revue generale et une mise a jour des anticoagulants oraux et traite des facons pour les optometristes de gerer les saignements oculaires associes aux anticoagulants oraux.
Creation of the 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 7 knockout rat as a tool for cardiovascular research.

Using CRISPR-Cas9 technology, we created a 5-HT7 receptor global knockout (KO) rat, on a Sprague-Dawley background, for use in cardiovascular physiology studies focused on blood pressure regulation...
Feasibility of pattern type classification for landscape patterns using the AG-curve

Ecological data often contain spatial structures that are latent indicators of ecological processes of interest. The emergence of spatial pattern analysis has advanced ecological studies by identifying spatial autocorrelation and testing its relationship to underlying processes. Spatial point pattern tests such as Ripley’s K function were designed for identifying spatial patterns, however they are not without their limitations. Recently another graphical technique, AG-curve, was proposed. This paper examines its suitability for classifying disturbance patterns in remote sensing scenery containing tens of thousands of pixels. To answer the question, Is there a significant pattern of disturbance or decline present?, landscapes that were subject to disturbance from mining, wildfire and logging activities were analyzed and compared using the AG-curve technique, which classifies spatial patterns in a window as either random, aggregated, or regular (dispersed). 40 × 40 km windows of NDVI data covering the three prototypical disturbance landscapes and one undisturbed landscape were analyzed for the presence of patterns. From a raster representing the net change in NDVI spanning 18 years, the AG-curve correctly classified the spatial pattern of disturbance in the three disturbance landscapes as a pattern of aggregation among the net-loss in NDVI pixels. In contrast, the undisturbed landscape was classified as random. The AG-curve is a descriptive classification technique useful for identifying spatial patterns in remote sensing imagery and discerning clustered from dispersed patterns. Results highlight that information about the spatial scale of the pattern is also apparent when interpreting the AG-curve graph.
Disclosure of Interests and Management of Conflicts of Interest in Clinical Guidelines and Guidance Statements: Methods From the Clinical Guidelines Committee of the American College of Physicians

Rigorous procedures for disclosure of interests (DOI) and management of conflicts of interest (COIs) are essential for the development of high-quality clinical guidelines and guidance statements. T...
What Is the Health Care Burden of Treating Pediatric Dental Infections on an Inpatient Basis

Purpose The purpose of this study was to quantify the inpatient burden of pediatric dental infections. Materials and Methods This was a retrospective study of the Kids' Inpatient Database from 2000 to 2014. Patients with a primary admitting diagnosis of cellulitis or an abscess of the oral soft tissues were included. Predictors were drawn from patient characteristics and the types of interventions performed. The outcomes were hospital charges, length of stay (LOS), and procedure count. Multiple linear regression models for each outcome were created using all the predictors. Results The final sample included 1,779 patients. On average, admissions lasted 2.77 days, patients had a single (1.03) procedure performed, and hospitals billed for $12,729.37. During hospitalization, 41.4% of patients received definitive treatment (incision and drainage or dental extraction), with very few patients requiring some form of mechanical ventilation (2.4%) or a tracheostomy (0.9%). After we controlled for other predictors, dental stage (primary, mixed, or permanent) did not significantly influence the study outcomes. The presence of a medical comorbidity increased the LOS (+0.54 days) and hospital charges (+$3,338.81) but did not carry a need for additional procedures. Definitive treatment contributed to the cost of care (+$5,582.96) but did not meaningfully prolong hospitalization (+0.41 days) when considering the procedure and anesthesia time. Although uncommon, tracheostomy and ventilation independently had the largest impact on all study outcomes. Conclusions On the basis of national estimates, the majority of pediatric odontogenic infections appear to follow an uncomplicated hospital course. Definitive treatment increased the cost of care but did not meaningfully prolong the LOS. This finding suggests that additional management is not usually required once source control is achieved. Future economic studies should evaluate whether definitive treatment may be safely provided on an outpatient basis or under observation status for select patients.
Non-Abelian mirror symmetry beyond the chiral ring

Mirror symmetry is a type of infrared duality in three-dimensional (3D) quantum field theory that relates the low-energy dynamics of two distinct ultraviolet descriptions. Though first discovered in the supersymmetric context, it has far-reaching implications for understanding nonperturbative physics in general 3D quantum field theories. We study mirror symmetry in 3D $\mathcal{N}=4$ supersymmetric field theories whose Higgs or Coulomb branches realize $D$- and $E$-type Kleinian singularities in the $ADE$ classification, generalizing previous work on the $A$-type case. Such theories include the $SU(2)$ gauge theory coupled to fundamental matter in the $D$-type case and non-Lagrangian generalizations thereof in the $E$-type case. In these cases, the mirror description is given by a quiver gauge theory of affine $D$- or $E$-type. We investigate the mirror map at the level of the recently identified 1D protected subsector described by topological quantum mechanics, which implements a deformation quantization of the corresponding $ADE$ singularity. We give an explicit dictionary between the monopole operators and their dual mesonic operators in the $D$-type case. Along the way, we extract various operator product expansion coefficients for the quantized Higgs and Coulomb branches. We conclude by offering some perspectives on how the topological subsectors of the $E$-type quivers might shed light on their non-Lagrangian duals.
Phosphorylation at Serine 21 in G protein‐coupled receptor kinase 1 (GRK1) is required for normal kinetics of dark adaption in rod but not cone photoreceptors

Timely recovery of the light response in photoreceptors requires efficient inactivation of photoactivated rhodopsin. This process is initiated by phosphorylation of its carboxyl terminus by G protein-coupled receptor kinase 1 (GRK1). Previously, we showed that GRK1 is phosphorylated in the dark at Ser21 in a cAMP-dependent manner and dephosphorylated in the light. Results in vitro indicate that dephosphorylation of Ser21 increases GRK1 activity, leading to increased phosphorylation of rhodopsin. This creates the possibility of light-dependent regulation of GRK1 activity and its efficiency in inactivating the visual pigment. To address the functional role of GRK1 phosphorylation in rods and cones in vivo, we generated mutant mice in which Ser21 is substituted with alanine (GRK1-S21A), preventing dark-dependent phosphorylation of GRK1. GRK1-S21A mice had normal retinal morphology, without evidence of degeneration. The function of dark-adapted GRK1-S21A rods and cones was also unaffected, as demonstrated by the normal amplitude and kinetics of their responses obtained by ex vivo and in vivo ERG recordings. In contrast, rod dark adaptation following exposure to bright bleaching light was significantly delayed in GRK1-S21A mice, suggesting that the higher activity of this kinase results in enhanced rhodopsin phosphorylation and therefore delays its regeneration. In contrast, dark adaptation of cones was unaffected by the S21A mutation. Taken together, these data suggest that rhodopsin phosphorylation/dephosphorylation modulates the recovery of rhodopsin to the ground state and rod dark adaptation. They also reveal a novel role for cAMP-dependent phosphorylation of GRK1 in regulating the dark adaptation of rod but not cone photoreceptors.
State-of-the-art on research and applications of machine learning in the building life cycle

Abstract Fueled by big data, powerful and affordable computing resources, and advanced algorithms, machine learning has been explored and applied to buildings research for the past decades and has demonstrated its potential to enhance building performance. This study systematically surveyed how machine learning has been applied at different stages of building life cycle. By conducting a literature search on the Web of Knowledge platform, we found 9579 papers in this field and selected 153 papers for an in-depth review. The number of published papers is increasing year by year, with a focus on building design, operation, and control. However, no study was found using machine learning in building commissioning. There are successful pilot studies on fault detection and diagnosis of HVAC equipment and systems, load prediction, energy baseline estimate, load shape clustering, occupancy prediction, and learning occupant behaviors and energy use patterns. None of the existing studies were adopted broadly by the building industry, due to common challenges including (1) lack of large scale labeled data to train and validate the model, (2) lack of model transferability, which limits a model trained with one data-rich building to be used in another building with limited data, (3) lack of strong justification of costs and benefits of deploying machine learning, and (4) the performance might not be reliable and robust for the stated goals, as the method might work for some buildings but could not be generalized to others. Findings from the study can inform future machine learning research to improve occupant comfort, energy efficiency, demand flexibility, and resilience of buildings, as well as to inspire young researchers in the field to explore multidisciplinary approaches that integrate building science, computing science, data science, and social science.
Learning from Positive and Unlabeled Data by Identifying the Annotation Process

In binary classification, Learning from Positive and Unlabeled data (LePU) is semi-supervised learning but with labeled elements from only one class. Most of the research on LePU relies on some form of independence between the selection process of annotated examples and the features of the annotated class, known as the Selected Completely At Random (SCAR) assumption. Yet the annotation process is an important part of the data collection, and in many cases it naturally depends on certain features of the data (e.g., the intensity of an image and the size of the object to be detected in the image). Without any constraints on the model for the annotation process, classification results in the LePU problem will be highly non-unique. So proper, flexible constraints are needed. In this work we incorporate more flexible and realistic models for the annotation process than SCAR, and more importantly, offer a solution for the challenging LePU problem. On the theory side, we establish the identifiability of the properties of the annotation process and the classification function, in light of the considered constraints on the data-generating process. We also propose an inference algorithm to learn the parameters of the model, with successful experimental results on both simulated and real data. We also propose a novel real-world dataset forLePU, as a benchmark dataset for future studies.
Inhibition of LSD1 in MDS progenitors restores differentiation of CD141 Hi conventional dendritic cells.

The use of immunotherapy to treat patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) shows promise but is limited by our incomplete understanding of the immunologic milieu. In solid tumors, CD141Hi conventional dendritic cells (CD141Hi cDCs) are necessary for antitumor immunosurveillance and the response to immunotherapy. Here, we found that CD141Hi cDCs are reduced in MDS bone marrow and based on the premise established in solid tumors, we hypothesized that reduced numbers of CD141Hi cDCs are associated with inferior overall survival in MDS patients. We found that MDS patients with reduced numbers of CD141Hi cDCs, but not other DC populations, showed reduced overall survival. To examine the basis for reduction in CD141Hi cDCs, we found fewer numbers of progenitors committed to DC differentiation in the MDS bone marrow and these progenitors expressed lower levels of interferon regulatory factor-8 (IRF8), a master regulator of CD141Hi cDC differentiation. To rescue impaired CD141Hi cDC differentiation, we used pharmacologic inhibition of lysine-specific demethylase 1A (LSD1) to promote CD141Hi cDC differentiation by MDS progenitors. These data reveal a previously unrecognized element of the MDS immunologic milieu. Epigenetic regulation of CD141Hi cDC differentiation offers an intriguing opportunity for intervention and a potential adjunct to immunotherapy for patients with MDS.
Low solid loading, low viscosity, high uniform shrinkage ceramic resin for stereolithography based additive manufacturing

Abstract In this work, a three-dimensional (3D) ceramic scaffold of barium titanate (BaTiO3) is realized by stereolithographic (SLA) of BaTiO3 powder and photopolymer with a high resolution and followed by a controlled thermal treatment. The photosensitive polymer in the resin mixture plays a vital role in dispersing ceramic powders and supporting complex structures cured by ultraviolet (UV) laser. The fabricated BaTiO3 and photopolymer composite part shows homogeneous dispersion of BaTiO3 microparticles. With a controlled thermal treatment, the photopolymer was carefully removed from the composite during the debinding process. Further sintering of the debinded ceramic parts at 1100 ℃, 1200 ℃, and 1300 °C shows a huge-volume shrinkage of up to 98.25% at a low concentration of ceramic powders (10 wt%). The sintered BaTiO3 ceramic parts are structurally intact with SEM images showing uniform microstructures with a relative density of 73.48%. The ultra-high shrinkage rate in this process provides a way to create complex 3D ceramic scaffolds with higher resolution than the SLA printing resolution. With the success of sintering ultralow solid loading ceramic-polymer composites, low-cost SLA 3D printers could be used to manufacture various ceramic parts with an improved resolution. This process allows widely application of 3D printed ceramics parts in the area of biomedical, aerospace, automotive, and energy fields.
A Disciple of Malcolm X: Clarence 13X Smith’s Embodied Black God Rhetoric

This essay links Clarence 13X Smith and the Five Percent Nation of the Gods and Earths to Malcolm X’s rhetoric about the Black Man as God. Smith, one of Malcolm’s earliest students and chief lieutenants, demonstrates the use of Malcolm’s “Black Man is God” trope as an embodied rhetoric, highlighting its relationship to the African American freedom struggle. This essay illuminates the logic embedded in the language of the Black Muslim tradition.
Catalytic influence of light element incorporation in the lattice of palladium

Abstract The alloying of metals with foreign elements is a common approach for manipulating catalytic properties of active sites. For palladium-based catalysts, incorporation of light elements receives far less attention than Pd-metal alloys even though incorporated light element are catalytically significant. Due to their small size, light elements (H, B, C, and O) can occupy octahedral sites in Pd to form an interstitial phase, while palladium adjusts its lattice to accommodate the incorporation of larger light elements (S and P) to form distinct phases. The incorporated light element modifies the electronic structure of palladium, influencing the binding energy of substrates and reactive intermediates. Pd hydride and oxide often form in situ during hydrogenation or oxidation reactions, respectively, representing the (more, less) active phase of the catalyst. The reactive interstitial hydrogen dissolved in Pd tends to hydrogenate reactants completely and unselectively. Pd oxide can be the active phase for oxidation reactions, and the incorporated oxygen or oxygen vacancies may participate in the reaction directly. Incorporated light elements change geometric aspects of Pd ensembles, serving the role of site blocking, ensemble isolation, or serve as an additional active site, endowing Pd with bifunctional character. We review the synthetic approaches for incorporating light elements into the palladium lattice. We summarize the catalytic influence of light element incorporation into the palladium lattice with respect to electronic and geometric modification, in situ incorporated hydrogen and oxygen, and discuss the influence of light element incorporation into Pd on specific reactions (i.e., selective hydrogenation, oxidation, electrocatalysis, and C C cross coupling).
Six-step etoposide desensitization protocol: A pediatric, adolescent, and young adult case series

Etoposide administration can be complicated by hypersensitivity reactions. Desensitization may provide a strategy to prevent hypersensitivity recurrence. One challenge with desensitization is regimen complexity. This case series describes 12 pediatric, adolescent, and young adult patients who received a simplified six-step etoposide desensitization protocol. This protocol contains 50% fewer titration steps compared with previously described protocols and eliminates infusion rate changes during titration. Simplified titration may minimize risk of error during administration and improve safety. This protocol was tolerated by 92% of patients. Given increasing frequency and duration of drug shortages, a simplified desensitization protocol provides a valuable treatment option.
SARS-CoV-2 antibody detection in skilled nursing facility residents.

Objective To describe the frequency and timing of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibody detection in a convenience sample of skilled nursing facility (SNF) residents with and without confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Design Retrospective analysis of SNF electronic health records. Setting Qualitative SARS-CoV-2 antibody test results were available from 81 SNFs in 16 states. Participants 669 SNF residents who underwent both polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and antibody testing for SARS-CoV-2. Measurements Presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies following the first positive PCR test for confirmed cases, or first PCR test for non-cases. Results Among 397 residents with PCR-confirmed infection, antibodies were detected in 4 of 7 (57.1%) tested within 7-14 days of their first positive PCR test; in 44 of 47 (93.6%) tested within 15-30 days; in 182 of 219 (83.1%) tested within 31-60 days; and in 110 of 124 (88.7%) tested after 60 days. Among 272 PCR negative residents, antibodies were detected in 2 of 9 (22.2%) tested within 7-14 days of their first PCR test; in 41 of 81 (50.6%) tested within 15-30 days; in 65 of 148 (43.9%) tested within 31-60 days; and in 9 of 34 (26.5%) tested after 60 days. No significant differences in baseline resident characteristics or symptoms were observed between those with vs. without antibodies. Conclusions These findings suggest that vulnerable older adults can mount an antibody response to SARS-CoV-2, and that antibodies are most likely to be detected within 15-30 days of diagnosis. That antibodies were detected in a large proportion of residents with no confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection highlights the complexity of identifying who is infected in real time. Frequent surveillance and diagnostic testing based on low thresholds of clinical suspicion for symptoms and/or exposure will remain critical to inform strategies designed to mitigate outbreaks in SNFs while community SARS-CoV-2 prevalence remains high. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Ultrasound for Abdomen and FAST: Evaluation and Diagnosis

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is frequently used in the emergency department (ED) to aid with the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases. In this chapter, we review the utility and accuracy of POCUS to evaluate both traumatic and non-traumatic abdominal pain; we supplement this review of the literature with technical instructions outlining how to perform the scans at the patient’s bedside. Finally, we provide ultrasound images to aid the reader in conceptualizing the performance of these scans and the normal and pathological variants of the anatomy described. This chapter gives an ED physicians’ perspective on the use of POCUS for the evaluation of common and possibly life-threatening causes of abdominal pain.