cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Positive selection on the nonhomologous end-joining factor Cernunnos-XLF in the human lineage

Cernunnos-XLF is a nonhomologous end-joining factor that is mutated in patients with a rare immunodeficiency with microcephaly. Several other microcephaly-associated genes such as ASPM and microcephalin experienced recent adaptive evolution apparently linked to brain size expansion in humans. In this study we investigated whether Cernunnos-XLF experienced similar positive selection during human evolution. We obtained or reconstructed full-length coding sequences of chimpanzee, rhesus macaque, canine, and bovine Cernunnos-XLF orthologs from sequence databases and sequence trace archives. Comparison of coding sequences revealed an excess of nonsynonymous substitutions consistent with positive selection on Cernunnos-XLF in the human lineage. The hotspots of adaptive evolution are concentrated around a specific structural domain, whose analogue in the structurally similar XRCC4 protein is involved in binding of another nonhomologous end-joining factor, DNA ligase IV. Cernunnos-XLF is a microcephaly-associated locus newly identified to be under adaptive evolution in humans, and possibly played a role in human brain expansion. We speculate that Cernunnos-XLF may have contributed to the increased number of brain cells in humans by efficient double strand break repair, which helps to prevent frequent apoptosis of neuronal progenitors and aids mitotic cell cycle progression. This article was reviewed by Chris Ponting and Richard Emes (nominated by Chris Ponting), Kateryna Makova, Gaspar Jekely and Eugene V. Koonin.
Neurospora Mutant Deficient in Tryptophanyl-Transfer Ribonucleic Acid Synthetase Activity

A tryptophan auxotroph of Neurospora crassa, trp-5, has been characterized as a mutant with a deficient tryptophanyl-transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA) synthetase (EC 6.1.1.2) activity. When assayed by tryptophanyl-tRNA formation, extracts of the mutant have less than 5% of the wild-type specific activity. The adenosine triphosphate-pyrophosphate exchange activity is at about half the normal level. In the mutant derepressed levels of anthranilate synthetase and tryptophan synthetase were associated with free tryptophan pools equal to or higher than those found in the wild type. We conclude that a product of the normal tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase, probably tryptophanyl-tRNA, rather than free tryptophan, participates in the repression of the tryptophan biosynthetic enzymes.
Spectrum Sensing Design Framework Based on Cross-Layer Optimization of Detection Efficiency

Cross-layer optimization of the spectrum sensing (SS) sub-system in a Cognitive Radio (CR) is essential for achieving the best spectrum utilization because the three SS layers - sensing radio, sensing PHY and sensing MAC - jointly determine the overall performance of the SS sub-system. In this paper we introduce a function called detection efficiency that measures how much of the idle primary user spectra is actually utilized by the CR users as a function of regulatory constraints, network specifications and the parameters of the sensing radio, MAC and PHY. By optimizing these parameters to maximize detection efficiency of the SS system, the designer can compare and select the best SS design for a given wireless network requirement. By applying this design method to evaluate several design options for the SS layers, we show that cross-layer optimization can in some cases improve the detection efficiency (and therefore spectrum utilization) from 35% to as much as 99%.
Suzuki aryl cross-coupling chemistry using derivatives of 1,1,2,2,9,9,10,10-octafluoro[2.2]paracyclophane

Abstract An exploration into the scope of Suzuki aryl cross-coupling chemistry using derivatives of 1,1,2,2,9,9,10,10-octafluoro[2.2]paracyclophane is reported. The coupling of 4-iodo-1,1,2,2,9,9,10,10-octafluoro[2.2]paracyclophane with various aryl boronic acids and boronic acid pinacol esters was successful, with the exception of very sterically demanding systems, such as mesityl. The synthesis of the previously unreported 1,1,2,2,9,9,10,10-octafluoro[2.2]paracyclophanyl-4-boronic acid is described, together with various Suzuki aryl cross-coupling reactions of this new system. Using standard Suzuki methodology, it was possible to prepare dicyclophanes bearing two octafluoro[2.2]paracyclophane units separated by both one and two benzene rings.
On the variability of manual spike sorting

The analysis of action potentials, or "spikes," is central to systems neuroscience research. Spikes are typically identified from raw waveforms manually for off-line analysis or automatically by human-configured algorithms for on-line applications. The variability of manual spike "sorting" is studied and its implications for neural prostheses discussed. Waveforms were recorded using a micro-electrode array and were used to construct a statistically similar synthetic dataset. Results showed wide variability in the number of neurons and spikes detected in real data. Additionally, average error rates of 23% false positive and 30% false negative were found for synthetic data.
Diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry for Eastern equine encephalitis virus and West Nile virus in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded brain tissue of horses

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in situ hybridization (ISH) can be used either to detect or to differentiate between Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) and West Nile virus (WNV) within formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) brain tissue of horses. To compare the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of ISH and IHC, FFPE brain tissue from 20 EEEV-positive horses and 16 WNV-positive horses were tested with both EEEV and WNV oligoprobes and EEEV- and WNV-specific antibodies. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for detection of EEEV and WNV was used as the gold standard to confirm infection. All horses that tested positive for EEEV by RT-PCR also tested positive by IHC and ISH, except for 1 case that was false-negative by ISH. In contrast, all horses that tested positive for WNV by RT-PCR tested negative by IHC and only 2 horses tested positive by ISH. No false-positives were detected with either method for both viruses. Both IHC and ISH are highly specific and sensitive diagnostic methods to detect EEEV in equine FFPE brain tissues, although neither appear effective for the diagnosis of WNV in equine neurologic cases.
CMOS switched-current biquadratic filters

It is shown how the technique of switched currents (SI) can be used to realize the universal biquadratic transfer function. SI filters require only a standard digital CMOS process, and the power-supply voltage requirement is very low. SI circuits also can be potentially operated at much higher frequencies than switched-capacitor (SC) filters due to the low-impedance nodes of the current mirrors. A simple method to design SI biquadratic filters with maximum dynamic range that leverages the well-established design methodology of SC biquadratic filters has been developed. The methods are demonstrated by designing integrated biquadratic versions of the low-pass, high-pass, and bandpass biquadratic SI filters in a 2- mu m n-well CMOS technology. >
Combined Sewage Overflow Enhances Oviposition of Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae) in Urban Areas

Ecosystem changes caused by anthropogenic activities have modified the environment in ways that at times promote the emergence of vector-borne diseases. Here, we study the effects of combined sewage overflows (CSOs) from urban streams in Atlanta, GA, on oviposition site selection by Culex quinquefasciatus under seminatural field conditions. Counting egg rafts was a reliable indicator of oviposition preferences, and CSO water quality, especially when enriched, was a more attractive oviposition substrate than nonenriched water. Therefore, environmentally sound management of municipal waste water systems has the potential to diminish the risk of Culex-borne diseases in urban areas.
Polydactyly and ectopic ZPA formation in Alx-4 mutant mice.

Correct development of the limb is dependent on coordination between three distinct signaling centers. Recently, fibroblast growth factor-4 has been identified as a crucial determinant of AER function, which directs limb bud outgrowth, and Sonic hedgehog has been identified as a signaling molecule that mediates ZPA function, which specifies anterior-posterior patterning in the developing limb bud. In addition, Shh and FGF-4 reciprocally reinforce each other9s expression via a positive feedback loop, providing a molecular basis for the coordination of limb bud outgrowth and anterior-posterior patterning. The mechanisms by which these signaling centers come to occupy their normal positions in the posterior limb bud during development are not understood. Here we identify and characterize Alx-4, a gene that encodes a paired-type homeodomain protein. Alx-4 is expressed in several populations of mesenchymal cells, including mesenchymal cells in the anterior limb bud, and mice homozygous for targeted disruption of the Alx-4 gene have multiple abnormalities, including preaxial polydactyly. The polydactyly is associated with the formation of an ectopic anterior ZPA, as indicated by anterior expression of Sonic hedgehog, HoxD13 and fibroblast growth factor-4. The expression of other candidate regulators of anterior-posterior positional information in the limb bud, including HoxB8 and Gli3, is not altered in Alx-4 mutant embryos. By chromosomal mapping experiments, Alx-4 is tightly linked to Strong9s luxoid, a polydactylous mouse mutant. The results identify Alx-4 as a determinant of anterior-posterior positional identity in the limb and a component of a regulatory program that restricts ZPA formation to the posterior limb bud mesenchyme.
Hybrid Recommendation in Heterogeneous Networks

The social web is characterized by a wide variety of connections between individuals and entities. A challenge for recommendation is to represent and synthesize all useful aspects of a user’s profile. Typically, researchers focus on a limited set of relations (for example, person to person ties for user recommendation or annotations in social tagging recommendation).
The Effective Use of Non-Tutorial Computer Methods in Chemistry Education

To begin with, it can be stated that the computer is having an impact on both the “pure” or research aspect of chemistry, and on the instructional component. Specifically, it can be said that the computer is influencing: 1. How chemists plan, design, and perform experiments 2. How chemists process and interpret experimental data 3. How chemistry instructors organize and teach chemistry courses 4. How chemistry instructors evaluate and grade students In other words, the computer is both a portion of the subject matter of the field of chemistry (as reflected in (1) and (2) above) and a form of instructional medium (see (3) and (4) above) for the chemical educator. It is therefore quite important to draw the distinction between “teaching about the computer” VS. “teaching with the aid of the computer”.
Why Do Bankrupt Companies Receive Unmodified Opinions

The issuance of clean opinions to failing firms has been interpreted by both the financial press and Congress as evidence of serious problems in the auditing profession. Critics of the audit profession believe that audit failures are caused by a lack of overall audit quality and/or problems related to independence. The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, we provide additional insights into the opinion formulation process by presenting a model that is both simpler than that used in prior research and more consistent with what auditors say they actually do. Based on a sample of 311 bankrupt firms, our results indicate that our simple indicator model significantly outperforms prior models in distinguishing between modified and unmodified reports issued to bankrupt companies. Second, we evaluate the extent to which the data for these bankrupt firms are reasonably predictive of failure. Contrary to public perception, we find that auditors consistently modify the reports of those companies that are most distressed and issue unmodified reports to those companies that are least distressed. In fact, the auditors modified significantly more audit reports than they would have by using a well-accepted bankruptcy prediction model. The vast majority of the firms in our sample, however, simply do not exhibit the characteristics we would expect of severely distressed firms.
Effectual Processes in Nonprofit Start-Ups and Social Entrepreneurship An Illustrated Discussion of a Novel Decision-Making Approach

While effectual decision making has been studied in the private sector entrepreneurship literature as a way to explain the entrepreneurial start-up process, it also has potential application in the...
Two-Electron Gate in Triazine Resistant and Susceptible Amaranthus hybridus

We have measured the fluorescence decay kinetics following an actinic flash from the triazine-susceptible and the resistant A. hybridus in a wide pH range from 5.8 to 7.8. We also measured the apparent equilibrium constant, Kapp, for sharing an electron between QA and QB after an actinic flash in the same pH range. Kapp depends on pH much stronger in the susceptible than in the resistant; Kapp in both biotypes are well characterized by the three pKs. We propose a kinetic and thermodynamical model of the two electron gate for both biotypes, and are able to separate the electron transfer reaction after an actinic flash into the two reactions: the electron transfer between QA −QB and QAQB −, and the binding and release of QB. We also investigated the inhibition of an electron from QA − to QB by different kinds of inhibitors; I50 of the resistant biotype over that of the susceptible varies in a wide range, depending on the inhibitor examined.
Observed and anticipated impacts of drought on forest insects and diseases in the United States

Future anthropogenic-induced changes to the earth’s climate will likely include increases in temperature and changes in precipitation that will increase the frequency and severity of droughts. Insects and fungal diseases are important disturbances in forests, yet understanding of the role of drought in outbreaks of these agents is limited. Current knowledge concerning the effects of drought on herbivorous insect and pathogen outbreaks in U.S. forests is reviewed, and compared between the relatively mesic and structurally diverse forests of the eastern U.S. and the more xeric forests of the western U.S. Theory and limited evidence suggests a non-linear relationship between drought intensity and outbreaks of aggressive bark beetle species (i.e., those capable of causing extensive levels of tree mortality), where moderate droughts reduce bark beetle population performance and subsequent tree mortality, whereas intense droughts, which frequently occur in the western U.S., increase bark beetle performance and tree mortality. There is little evidence for a role of drought in outbreaks of the southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis), the only bark beetle species that causes large amounts of tree mortality in the eastern U.S. Defoliators do not show consistent responses to drought. The response of sapfeeders to drought appears non-linear, with the greatest performance and impacts at intermediate drought intensity or when drought is alleviated by wetter periods. Interactions between tree pathogens and drought are poorly understood, but available evidence suggests reduced pathogen performance and host impacts in response to drought for primary pathogens and pathogens whose lifecycle depends directly on moisture (humidity). In these cases, rates of reproduction, spread, and infection tend to be greater when conditions are moist. In contrast, secondary fungal pathogens (i.e., those that depend on stressed hosts for colonization) are anticipated to respond to drought with greater performance and host impacts. In the western U.S., drought increases stress on trees severely infected by mistletoes thereby predisposing mistletoe-infected trees to attack by insects, particularly bark beetles and wood borers. Research needed to advance understanding of drought impacts on forest insects and diseases, and the role of forest management in mitigation of infestations during drought are discussed.
Rhodopsin Trafficking and Mistrafficking: Signals, Molecular Components, and Mechanisms

Rhodopsin is a seven-transmembrane G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) and is the main component of the photoreceptor outer segment (OS), a ciliary compartment essential for vision. Because the OSs are incapable of protein synthesis, rhodopsin must first be synthesized in the inner segments (ISs) and subsequently trafficked across the connecting cilia to the OSs where it participates in the phototransduction cascade. Rapid turnover of the OS necessitates a high rate of synthesis and efficient trafficking of rhodopsin to the cilia. This cilia-targeting mechanism is shared among other ciliary-localized GPCRs. In this review, we will discuss the process of rhodopsin trafficking from the IS to the OS beginning with the trafficking signals present on the protein. Starting from the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus within the IS, we will cover the molecular components assisting the biogenesis and the proper sorting. We will also review the confirmed binding and interacting partners that help target rhodopsin toward the connecting cilium as well as the cilia-localized components which direct proteins into the proper compartments of the OS. While rhodopsin is the most critical and abundant component of the photoreceptor OS, mutations in the rhodopsin gene commonly lead to its mislocalization within the photoreceptors. In addition to covering the trafficking patterns of rhodopsin, we will also review some of the most common rhodopsin mutants which cause mistrafficking and subsequent death of photoreceptors. Toward the goal of understanding the pathogenesis, three major mechanisms of aberrant trafficking as well as putative mechanisms of photoreceptor degeneration will be discussed.
Survival of the smallest: threat perceptions among religious minorities in Latvia and Lithuania

ABSTRACTWithin the international system, small states are expected to act a certain way vis-a-vis threats, regardless of whether the threats are objective or subjective. Does the same hold true for small non-state actors within a state? Can we expect size to be so significant as to determine how small non-states actors act? This article engages these questions by looking at four religious minority communities in Latvia and Lithuania: Hare Krishnas, Jews, Mormons, and Muslims. All four groups are demographically small and, since the collapse of the Soviet Union, all four have viewed their values and identities as threatened (though, to differing extents) by the governments, local populations, and societal organizations. Through a series of interviews, this article looks at these relations through the eyes of representatives from these four religious communities. Though all four communities see insecurity as a factor in their relations with others, the evidence suggests that size is less of a causal variabl...
Selection Transforms the Landscape of Genetic Variation Interacting with Hsp90

The protein-folding chaperone Hsp90 has been proposed to buffer the phenotypic effects of mutations. The potential for Hsp90 and other putative buffers to increase robustness to mutation has had major impact on disease models, quantitative genetics, and evolutionary theory. But Hsp90 sometimes contradicts expectations for a buffer by potentiating rapid phenotypic changes that would otherwise not occur. Here, we quantify Hsp90’s ability to buffer or potentiate (i.e., diminish or enhance) the effects of genetic variation on single-cell morphological features in budding yeast. We corroborate reports that Hsp90 tends to buffer the effects of standing genetic variation in natural populations. However, we demonstrate that Hsp90 tends to have the opposite effect on genetic variation that has experienced reduced selection pressure. Specifically, Hsp90 tends to enhance, rather than diminish, the effects of spontaneous mutations and recombinations. This result implies that Hsp90 does not make phenotypes more robust to the effects of genetic perturbation. Instead, natural selection preferentially allows buffered alleles to persist and thereby creates the false impression that Hsp90 confers greater robustness.
On Remote Estimation with communication scheduling and power allocation

In this paper, we consider a sensor scheduling and remote estimation problem over an additive noise channel. At each time, the sensor observes the state of a one-dimensional stochastic process, and then decides whether to transmit its observation to the remote estimator or not. The sensor is restricted to transmit its observations for no more than a fixed number of times. If the sensor decides to transmit its observation, it sends the observation to the encoder, who then sends an encoded message over the communication channel. The remote estimator generates real time estimates on the source based on the information received from the encoder. Different from problems considered in prior work, which assumed that the encoder has a constraint on the stagewise encoding power, we consider in this paper a more general setting where the encoder has a constraint on the total power over the time horizon. Under some technical assumptions, we obtain team optimal decision strategies. Moreover, we uncover a rather surprising result that under optimal strategies the encoding power allocated to each stage is the same.
Freedom to Hack

The proliferation of Internet-connected smart devices (the “Internet of Things”) has become a major threat to privacy, user security, Internet security, and even national security. These threats are manifestations of externalities primarily resulting from a market failure in the Internet of Things industry, in which vendors do not have an incentive to implement reasonable security in the software embedded in devices they produce, thus creating cheap and unsecure devices. This Article argues that law and policy have a central role to play in making this digital ecosystem more secure – not only through direct regulation of this industry, but primarily through allowing individual security researchers to hack for security – or “ethical hacking.” At present, laws that prohibit hacking, such as the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, are adopting a strict liability approach to hacking, which criminalizes almost any form of hacking, regardless of motivation or potential benefits. This Article rejects this outdated approach in the wake of ubiquitous cyber-attacks, imperfect software, and the emerging Internet of Things ecosystem. This Article argues that law and regulatory agencies should accommodate hacking for security purposes to allow security researchers to discover possible vulnerabilities while shielding them from copyright infringement or criminal liabilities. While security research into software and hardware is desirable, the law by and large restricts such research. This results in a reality of highly unsecure Internet-of-Things devices and could potentially lead to serious harms to security and privacy. Such a legal accommodation should be supported by other legal adaptations, mainly involving regulatory oversight and enforcement, consistent rules for vulnerability disclosure, and clear distinctions between ethical and malicious hackers.
A first principles, multipole-based cable braid electromagnetic penetration model

We report in this paper a first principles, multipole-based cable braid electromagnetic penetration model. We apply this formulation to the case of a one-dimensional array of wires, which can be modeled analytically via a multipole-conformal mapping expansion for the wire charges and extension by means of Laplace solutions in bipolar coordinates. We analyze both electric and magnetic penetrations and compare results from the first principles cable braid electromagnetic penetration model to those obtained using the multipole-conformal mapping expansion method. We find results in very good agreement when using up to the octopole moment (for the first principles model), covering a dynamic range of radius-to-half-spacing ratio up to 0.6. These results give us the confidence that our first principles model works within the geometric characteristics of many commercial cables.
Isotopic Tracer Studies of Chain Propagation and Termination During Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis Over Ru/TiO2

Abstract Transient response isotopic tracer experiments have been used to study chain growth during Fischer-Tropsch synthesis over a Ru/TiO 2 catalyst. This involves observation of the incorporation of 13 C into reaction products after an abrupt switch from 12 CO/D 2 to 13 CO/D 2 in the feed. Values for the rate constants for initiation, propagation and termination are determined by fitting theoretically generated curves to the observed transient response. The rate coefficient for chain initiation is found to be independent of temperature, whereas the rate coefficients for propagation and termination increase with temperature. The activation energy for chain termination is significantly higher than that for chain propagation, explaining the observed decrease in chain growth probability, α, with increasing temperature. Coverages by reaction intermediates are also estimated. The dominant species are monomeric building units which occupy 0.2–0.6 ML. Alkyl species that are the direct hydrocarbon product precursors occupy
My friend likes this brand: Do ads with social context attract more attention on social networking sites?

Abstract This study examined differences between native advertisements with and without friend referrals on social networking sites. Specifically, we examined whether native ads that included friend referrals attracted more attention than native advertisements that did not include friend referrals. Further, the study examined whether participants with higher privacy concerns reacted differently to friend referrals than did individuals with lower privacy concerns. Results suggested that participants had longer attention duration for ads without friend referrals, especially among individuals with high privacy concerns. This suggests a popular form of advertising on social media, those thought to be effective due to the social context of a friend referral, often underperforms when compared to ads that don't include friend referrals.
Principles and Guidelines for Improving Risk Communication

In response to rising public concerns about health and environmental risks, government agencies have increasingly sought improved means for communicating risk information to individual citizens and public groups. Part of this increased interest in risk communication stems from current difficulties and frustrations (Ruckelshaus, 1983, 1987; Sandman, 1986; Thomas, 1987; Press, 1987; Covello and Allen, 1988; Slovic, 1987; Davies et al., 1987). Government officials are often frustrated by what they perceive to be inaccurate public perceptions of risk and unrealistic demands by the public for risk reduction. Citizens are often equally frustrated by the government’s seeming disinterest in their concerns, unwillingness to take action, and reluctance or unwillingness to allow them to participate in decisions that intimately affect their lives.
Herb-drug interactions: interactions between ginseng and prescription medications.

Patients over age 50 typically present with one chronic disease per decade. Each chronic disease usually requires long-term drug therapy, meaning most older patients require several drugs to control their conditions and/or maintain their health. Simultaneously, the use of complementary and alternative medications (CAM) has increased in the United States over the last 20 years, reaching 36% in 2002; herbal medicine use accounts for approximately 22% of all CAM use. Older adults often add herbal medicines to medications prescribed by their physicians, yet do not always inform the physician. The drug metabolizing enzyme systems process all compounds foreign to the body including prescription drugs and herbal medications. Therefore use of both medicinals simultaneously has a potential for interactions of an adverse nature. This review, which will discuss kava, is one in a series covering the documented interactions between herbal medicines with proven efficacy and prescription drugs.
Image computations on fine grain electro-optical arrays

In this paper, we consider fine grain electro-optical arrays for image computations. The unit time interconnection medium made possible with the use of free-space optics results in efficient solutions to communication-intensive image computations. We present optimal algorithms for several problems on digitized images using a proposed electro-optical mesh. These include O(log N) time solutions for identifying and labeling figures, computing convexity properties, determining distances, etc. We also derive the minimum hardware requirement of any electro-optical architecture for solving problems such as image convolution.
Power defaults (preliminary report)

We present a spectrum of default logics, using powerdomains to encode default constraints. The resulting nonmonotonic entailment relations all satisfy the law of reasoning by cases. This result is a consequence of two general theorems valid for any Scott domain: the Dichotomy Theorem and the Extension Splitting Theorem. We briefly indicate that for propositional logic, the complexity of entailment is complete for co-NP(3).
Geographic information science III: GIScience, fast and slow – Why faster geographic information is not always smarter:

The growing maturity and deployment of low-cost georeferenced sensors, navigation systems, fast wireless communication, cyberinfrastructure and the Internet of Things (IoT) is accelerating the spee...
An Analysis of Botnet Models

Botnets are a form of cyber threat responsible for massive Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, delivery of malicious payloads like ransomware, and dissemination of spam which might be used for phishing. Botnets are closely associated with the Internet of Things (IoT), particularly IoT devices, which when compromised can become part of a botnet. The incredible increase in IoT devices and the close relationship of botnets to other attacks cause botnets to be a significant source of cyber threat. Because botnets are complex and evolving, their detection and mitigation has remained a challenge. To address that challenge, models have been constructed for simulation and analysis. This paper will examine existing botnet models and their role in improving mitigation.
Cystoscopy at the Time of Hysterectomy for Benign Indications and Delayed Lower Genitourinary Tract Injury.

OBJECTIVE:To compare the rate of delayed 30-day lower genitourinary tract injury in women who underwent cystoscopy at the time of hysterectomy for benign indications to those who did not.METHODS:This was a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent hysterectomy without a concomitant proced
Perspectives of Homeschoolers Motivated by Religious and Moral Reasons

This study sought to highlight the association between motivation to homeschool and public school enrollment. Homeschooling parents (n = 1052) across the United States responded to questions from a...
Reconfigurable and Dense Analog Circuit Design Using Two Terminal Resistive Memory

Metal-oxide based bipolar Resistive RAM (RRAM) is one of the most promising candidates for the future non-volatile data storage. Due to unique properties e.g., small footprint, ability to modulate resistance states in wide ranges dynamically, hysteresis and CMOS compatibility, RRAM can be a fruitful candidate for analog circuit design. However, the recent literature only scratches the surface of this interesting prospect. In this paper, a single RRAM behavior is studied under temperature, voltage and process variations from an analog design standpoint. A comparative study is performed between two analog circuits namely, Common Source (CS) amplifier and differential amplifier with traditional passive resistors and with passive resistors replaced by RRAM along with two other design examples, namely constant $g_m$ g m biasing circuit and active low-pass filter, where RRAM can be integrated into analog circuits. Our study shows that blind swapping of passive resistors with RRAM in analog circuits can actually degrade the performance metrics. We propose techniques such as usage of RRAM Low Resistance State (LRS) to recover the loss. We also note that hyperbolic I-V characteristics of RRAM can inherently improve the linearity of RRAM based analog designs. Simulation results indicate that RRAM based amplifiers can achieve 2X area reduction, about 1.5X higher bandwidth with only $\approx 9\%$ ≈ 9 % reduction in gain. The resistance modulation property of RRAM is applied to realize a source degenerated amplifier with reconfigurable linearity, to a constant transconductance bias circuit to avoid resistance trimming and to design a programmable active low pass filter.
Risk screen of lionfishes, Pterois , Dendrochirus , and Parapterois , for southeastern United States coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean

The trade in marine ornamental fishes includes over 1800 species and is regarded as an introduction source for non-native fishes. Given this large pool of potential invaders, a targeted approach that evaluates risk for groups of fishes with demonstrated invasion history is both practical and feasible. In this way, proactive risk management frameworks can be used to identify risky species prior to introduction. Though the establishment of introduced marine ornamental species is uncommon, the invasion of Pterois volitans and P. miles in the western Atlantic Ocean has demonstrated the risks associated with the marine ornamental industry. These species, along with several other lionfishes, are regularly imported into the United States. We used the Aquatic Species Invasiveness Screening Kit to evaluate the risk of invasion for 14 species of traded lionfishes in the genera Pterois, Dendrochirus, and Parapterois for southeastern United States coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean. The lionfish invasion is widely considered to be one of the worst marine invasions to date. Despite this, risk associated with the trade of lionfishes was estimated to be low, with notable exceptions. We identify Pterois russelii, Pterois lunulata, and Dendrochirus brachypterus as species with potentially elevated invasion risk. State and federal management agencies within the western Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean should consider a detailed evaluation of these species to inform management action. This study is the one of the largest risk screening application of marine fishes to date and demonstrates the utility of prioritizing risk assessment of taxa found in pathways with related or otherwise similar species with previous invasion history.
Branch retinal artery occlusion secondary to Bartonella henselae infection in a 13 year-old.

Abstract Purpose To summarize the case of a 13 year-old boy diagnosed with a BRAO secondary to B. henselae infection. Observations The patient presented with a sudden, unilateral, and painless scotoma. Fundoscopic findings and multimodal imaging were consistent with a BRAO with associated areas of intraretinal whitening along the involved artery. Upon further questioning, the patient reported having 15 cats at home. Antibodies were positive for B. henselae. The patient was treated with oral doxycycline 100 mg twice daily for 2 months with complete resolution of the retinal findings and the scotoma. Conclusions and importance B. henselae should be considered as a potential cause of retinitis and BRAO, even in pediatric-aged patients.
The Biochemistry of Cytoplasmic Incompatibility Caused by Endosymbiotic Bacteria

Many species of arthropods carry maternally inherited bacterial endosymbionts that can influence host sexual reproduction to benefit the bacterium. The most well-known of such reproductive parasites is Wolbachia pipientis. Wolbachia are obligate intracellular α-proteobacteria found in nearly half of all arthropod species. This success has been attributed in part to their ability to manipulate host reproduction to favor infected females. Cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), a phenomenon wherein Wolbachia infection renders males sterile when they mate with uninfected females, but not infected females (the rescue mating), appears to be the most common. CI provides a reproductive advantage to infected females in the presence of a threshold level of infected males. The molecular mechanisms of CI and other reproductive manipulations, such as male killing, parthenogenesis, and feminization, have remained mysterious for many decades. It had been proposed by Werren more than two decades ago that CI is caused by a Wolbachia-mediated sperm modification and that rescue is achieved by a Wolbachia-encoded rescue factor in the infected egg. In the past few years, new research has highlighted a set of syntenic Wolbachia gene pairs encoding CI-inducing factors (Cifs) as the key players for the induction of CI and its rescue. Within each Cif pair, the protein encoded by the upstream gene is denoted A and the downstream gene B. To date, two types of Cifs have been characterized based on the enzymatic activity identified in the B protein of each protein pair; one type encodes a deubiquitylase (thus named CI-inducing deubiquitylase or cid), and a second type encodes a nuclease (named CI-inducing nuclease or cin). The CidA and CinA proteins bind tightly and specifically to their respective CidB and CinB partners. In transgenic Drosophila melanogaster, the expression of either the Cid or Cin protein pair in the male germline induces CI and the expression of the cognate A protein in females is sufficient for rescue. With the identity of the Wolbachia CI induction and rescue factors now known, research in the field has turned to directed studies on the molecular mechanisms of CI, which we review here.
Surgical Treatment of Coronary Artery Disease

Development of coronary angiogram by Sones at the Cleveland Clinic during the early 1960s made possible precise ­identification of anatomical coronary artery disease and laid foundation for modern coronary artery surgery [1]. In 1967 Favaloro at the Cleveland Clinic began performing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with reversed vein grafts [2]. In 1968 Green et al. [3] at New York University used a dissecting microscope to perform anastomosis of the internal mammary artery (IMA) to the left anterior descending artery (LAD). Largely overlooked by the western world is the first CABG, in which an IMA was anastomozed to the LAD, was performed by Russian surgeon Kolessov [4] prior to 1967.
Difficult conversations: Navigating intimate partner violence with standardized patients.

Abstract Background One in three women in the US experience intimate partner violence (IPV) in their lifetime. There are minimal opportunities for medical students to learn about responding to IPV. Methods Students participated in a learning intervention about recognizing and addressing IPV, followed by a standardized patient session. Students filled out a seven-question survey before and after the session, which assessed comfort addressing IPV, discussing resources, and practicing trauma-informed care. Responses were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. Results Sixteen medical students participated, response rate of 100%. The median score for comfort recognizing signs of IPV increased from 2 to 3 (p Conclusion After the session, student preparedness and comfort addressing IPV increased. The learning intervention addressed information not in standard medical curricula. This module can be easily adapted to any medical school curricula.
Management of 3 Cases of Pheochromocytoma During the COVID-19 Pandemic in New York City: Lessons Learned

The COVID-19 crisis placed a pause on surgical management of nonemergency cases of pheochromocytoma, and it was essential for endocrinologists to provide both resourceful and safe care. At the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City during the peak of the pandemic, we encountered 3 patients with pheochromocytoma and mild symptoms that were medically managed for a prolonged period of time (7-18 weeks) prior to adrenalectomy. Patients were monitored biweekly via telemedicine, and antihypertensive medications were adjusted according to signs, symptoms, and adrenergic profiles. These cases demonstrate that prolonged medical management prior to surgery is feasible and effective in pheochromocytoma patients with mild symptoms and well-controlled blood pressures.
Identification of work-related injury emergency department visits using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) codes

Introduction Emergency department (ED) visit discharge data are a less explored population-based data source used to identify work-related injuries. When using discharge data, work-relatedness is often determined by the expected payer of workers’ compensation (WC). In October 2015, healthcare discharge data coding systems transitioned to the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM). ICD-10-CM’s structure offers potential new work-related codes to enhance work-related injury surveillance. This study identified work-related ED visits using relevant ICD-10-CM work-related injury codes. Cases identified using this method were compared with those identified using the WC expected payer approach. Methods State ED visit discharge data (2016–2019) were analysed using the CDC’s discharge data surveillance definition. Injuries were identified using a diagnosis code or an external cause-of-injury code in any field. Injuries were assessed by mechanism and expected payer. Literature searches and manual review of ICD-10-CM codes were conducted to identify possible work-related injury codes. Descriptive statistics were performed and assessed by expected payer. Results WC was billed for 87 361 injury ED visits from 2016 to 2019. Falls were the most frequent injury mechanism. The 246 ICD-10-CM work-related codes identified 36% more work-related ED injury visits than using WC as the expected payer alone. Conclusion This study identified potential ICD-10-CM codes to expand occupational injury surveillance using discharge data beyond the traditional WC expected payer approach. Further studies are needed to validate the work-related injury codes and support the development of a work-related injury surveillance case definition.
FastTomo: A SerialEM Script for Collecting Electron Tomography Data

Abstract FastTomo is a SerialEM script for collecting tilted specimen images in transmission electron microscopes to be further used in tomographic reconstruction. It achieves a speedup over conventional tracking methods by minimizing the usage of off-target tracking shots, and instead applies proportional control to the specimen images. Movement in the Z coordinate is estimated prior to each tilt series in a separate calibration routine. Overall, this method is fast and reliable when the field of view is at least 1 um, and can tolerate minor errors in setting eucentric height. The implemented tilt series schemes include the unidirectional, bidirectional, and dose-symmetric schemes.
Cancer Incidence Projections in the United States Between 2015 and 2050.

Introduction The number of adults entering the age groups at greatest risk for being diagnosed with cancer is increasing. Projecting cancer incidence can help the cancer control community plan and evaluate prevention strategies aimed at reducing the growing number of cancer cases. Methods We used data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program and the US Census Bureau to estimate average, annual, age-standardized cancer incidence rates and case counts (for all sites combined and top 22 invasive cancers) in the US for 2015 and to project cancer rates and counts to 2050. We used age, period, and cohort models to inform projections. Results Between 2015 and 2050, we predict the overall age-standardized incidence rate (proxy for population risk for being diagnosed with cancer) to stabilize in women (1%) and decrease in men (-9%). Cancers with the largest change in risk include a 34% reduction for lung and bronchus and a 32% increase for corpus uterine (32%). Because of the growth and aging of the US population, we predict that the annual number of cancer cases will increase 49%, from 1,534,500 in 2015 to 2,286,300 in 2050, with the largest percentage increase among adults aged ≥75 years. Cancers with the largest projected absolute increase include female breast, colon and rectum, and prostate. Discussion By 2050, we predict the total number of incident cases to increase by almost 50% as a result of the growth and aging of the US population. A greater emphasis on cancer risk reduction is needed to counter these trends.
Effects of Anthropogenic and Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds on Los Angeles Air Quality

Assessing the role of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in production of ozone and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) is especially important in light of ongoing policy goals. Here, we estimated the ozone formation potential (OFP) and SOA formation potential (SOAP) of anthropogenic and biogenic VOC emissions to evaluate (1) anthropogenic VOCs and associated sectors that dominate OFP and SOAP and (2) the potential impacts of enhanced biogenic VOCs from urban greening programs on air quality in Los Angeles county. In the present-day scenario, ethylene had the largest OFP followed by m & p-xylene, toluene, propylene, and formaldehyde. The top five contributors to SOAP were toluene, mineral spirits, benzene, heptadecane, and hexadecane. Mobile and solvent sources were the dominant VOC sources for both OFP and SOAP. The potential increases in biogenic VOC emissions due to future urban greening had significant effects on urban air quality that offset the benefits of reducing anthropogenic VOC emissions. This study demonstrates that urban greening programs in Los Angeles county, and likely other cities as well, need to account for both anthropogenic and biogenic VOC contributions to secondary pollution, and greening cities should consider using vegetation types with low VOC emissions to avoid further degradation to urban air quality.
Control Design of a 99% Efficiency Transformerless EV Charger Providing Standardized Grid Services

A non-isolated fast charger is proposed for electric vehicle (EV) battery system. The leakage current can be reduced by the novel charging system without bulky transformer. A zero sequence voltage control method is developed to stabilize the common mode voltage thus reduce the leakage current. The proposed fast charger includes two energy conversion stages: DC/DC converter for battery side control; DC/AC converter for grid interface and common mode voltage control. The parameters of the system with LCL filter are analyzed and optimized for a better performance of grid interface. Grid service functions are designed for the fast charger to provide grid voltage/frequency compensations. High power (22kW) and high efficiency 99% are achieved with low leakage current 20mA. The experiments are implemented to verify the proposed fast charger system.
Alcohol Advertising: Content and Controversy

The paper presents an analysis of controversial elements of alcoholic beverage advertising content from magazines and television in the United States. The areas of content analysed are derived from several common models of mass persuasion often assumed relevant to the debates over alcoholic beverage advertising. The author concludes with a brief discussion of some of the assumptions embedded in criticisms of the content of alcohol advertising.