cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Frank-Starling Mechansim is Attenuated by a Dilated Cardiomyopathy-Associated Tropomyosin Mutation

Sarcomere length-dependent activation (LDA) of force development in cardiac muscle is the cellular basis of the Frank-Starling mechanism, and is often blunted in heart failure. In patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), LDA may be affected differently depending on the sarcomeric protein mutation underlying the disorder, thus complicating strategies for therapeutic intervention. We investigated the effects of the DCM-associated tropomyosin mutation D230N (TpmD230N) on LDA by measuring force generation and twitch kinetics at short (∼2.0μm) and long (∼2.3μm) sarcomere lengths (SL) of intact and demembranated trabeculae/papillary muscles from hearts of a transgenic murine model (>6 months of age) containing the TpmD230N mutation. Both types of preparations were mounted between a force transducer and linear motor. Intact trabeculae were perfused with oxygenated physiological solution (30°C) and stimulated at 2Hz. Demembranated muscle preparations were bathed in physiological solutions (15°C) containing varying Ca2+ concentrations and allowed to generate steady-state force. As expected, for intact WT trabeculae, the twitch force (Tp) and maximum rate of force development increased and the time to peak tension decreased when muscles were stretched from short to long SL (p<0.02). In contrast, TpmD230N trabeculae did not show significant changes in these parameters between short and long SL. There were no significant length-dependent changes in twitch relaxation kinetics for either WT or TpmD230N trabeculae. In demembranated muscle preparations, pCa50 (the [Ca2+] required to generate half-maximal force) decreased for TpmD230N preparations at both SL compared with WT preparations (with a larger effect at long SL), and the increase in pCa50 with stretch from SL ∼2.0μm to ∼2.3μm was greater for WT compared to TpmD230N preparations (p<0.05). Together, these results demonstrate an attenuated LDA in cardiac muscle of DCM TpmD230N hearts and suggest a role for tropomyosin in modulating LDA. Funding: HL111197.
RADIOTRACER IMAGING OF ANGIOSOME FOOT PERFUSION CORRELATES WITH ANKLE-BRACHIAL INDEX AND DIFFERENTIATES CRITICAL LIMB ISCHEMIA PATIENTS FROM HEALTHY SUBJECTS

Background: Disruptions to the microcirculation may contribute to foot ulceration in patients with diabetes mellitus and critical limb ischemia (CLI). Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT imaging assesses microvascular perfusion in the foot, but has not been evaluated in foot
Intertrochanteric, Basicervical, and Femoral Neck Fracture in the Geriatric Patient

Comprehensive evaluation of intertrochanteric (Fig. 39.1), basicervical, and femoral neck (Fig. 39.2) fractures in the geriatric patient includes patient’s baseline ambulatory status, medical comorbidities, medical clearance, displaced or valgus impacted, and concomitant injuries.
Cognitive Sociology in France

While cognitive sociology is a relatively new area in U.S. sociology, the subfield has a lengthy history in French sociology. Developing a typology based upon the existing literature, we identify three branches of cognitive sociology in France. The first was initiated by Raymond Boudon, one of the scholars most responsible for popularizing the area, who envisioned cognitive sociology as helping delineate the role of beliefs in rational action. Second, another group of researchers seeks to found sociology upon a naturalistic basis, thus drawing upon the disciplines constitutive of cognitive science (e.g., psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and cognitive anthropology). Finally, the third approach to cognitive sociology in France takes inspiration from linguistics as a foundation for sociological investigations. We conclude the paper by discussing the relationship between these three sub-fields and by examining the relationship between French and American cognitive sociologies in order to identify fruitful directions for future research.
Reduction of Smoking Behavior: A Multivariable Treatment Package and the Programming of Response Maintenance

The present investigation attempted to utilize a gradual reduction, multivariable treatment package in the modification of smoking behavior. Eight subjects and their spouses were randomly selected and given baseline training in the recording of daily cigarette rates. A within-subject changing criterion design was used in which subjects decreased their smoking rate by one cigarette every 2 days. The treatment package consisted of a variety of maintenance procedures, including a token economy with food discount coupons, spouse involvement, and self-control manual. Overall results indicated a significant reduction in the number of cigarettes smoked from baseline to posttreatment (p <.01). Of greater importance, however, was the initial demonstration of a functional relationship and maintenance of therapeutic effects over a 6-mo. follow-up period. These findings were discussed in terms of maintenance-enhancing strategies, token economy research, and increasing reliability of self-report data.
A Bayesian model comparison approach to test the specificity of visual integration impairment in schizophrenia or psychosis

Impaired visual integration is well documented in schizophrenia and related to functional outcomes. However, it is unclear if this deficit is specific to schizophrenia, or characteristic of psychosis more broadly. To address this question, this study used a Bayesian model comparison approach to examine the evidence of three grouping models of visual integration performance in 116 individuals with schizophrenia (SZ), schizoaffective disorder (SA), bipolar disorder (BD) with or without a history of prominent psychosis (BDP+ and BDP-, respectively), or no psychiatric diagnosis (healthy controls; HC). We compared: (1) Psychosis Model (psychosis, non-psychosis), where the psychosis group included SZ, SA, and BDP+, and the non-psychosis group included BDP- and HC; (2) Schizophrenia Model (SZ, non-SZ); and (3) DSM Model (SZ, SA, BD, HC). The relationship between visual integration and general cognition was also explored. The Psychosis Model showed the strongest evidence, and visual integration was associated with general cognition in participants with psychosis. The results were consistent with the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) framework, indicating that visual integration impairment is characteristic of psychosis and not specific to SZ or DSM categories, and may share similar disease pathways with observed neurocognitive deficits in psychotic disorders.
Neuroimaging of brain trauma.

Purpose of reviewThe purpose of this review is to provide an update on advanced neuroimaging techniques in traumatic brain injury (TBI). We will focus this review on recent literature published within the last 18 months and the advanced neuroimaging techniques of perfusion imaging and diffusion tens
Quasi-Normal f-Rings

In an f-ring (i.e. a lattice ordered ring which is a subdirect product of totally ordered rings), an l-ideal is a ring ideal with the property that ∣a∣ ≤ ∣b∣ with b ∈ I implies a ∈ I, and an l-ideal I is prime if and only if ab ∈ I implies that a ∈ I or b ∈ I. A commutative f-ring with identity element is said to be quasi-normal if the sum of any two different minimal prime l-ideals is either a maximal l-ideal or the entire fZ-ring. Quasi-normal f-rings were introduced in [8], where a characterization of quasi-normal f-rings is given for commutative semiprime f-rings with identity element.
Classical Probability Theory

This chapter discusses the classical probability theory. Quantum probability theory has two main ingredients, probability theory and quantum mechanics. Classical probability theory is a vast subject in its own right. There are many monographs, textbooks, and journal articles devoted to its theoretical aspects and practical applications. Independence plays a central role in classical probability theory. It is one of the main characteristics that distinguish probability theory from measure theory. The chapter presents two types of limit theorems, the weak law of large numbers and the strong law of large numbers. Although there are variations and refinements of these limit theorems, only a representative example of each of the three types are given.
Spectral clustering of biological sequence data

In this paper, we apply spectral techniques to clustering biological sequence data that has proved more difficult to cluster effectively. For this purpose, we have to (1) extend spectral clustering algorithms to deal with asymmetric affinities. like the alignment scores used in the comparison of biological sequences. and (2) devise a hierarchical algorithm that can handle many clusters with imbalanced sizes robustly. We present an algorithm for clustering asymmetric affinity data, and demonstrate the performance of this algorithm at recovering the higher levels of the Structural Classification of Proteins (SCOP) on a data base of highly conserved subsequences.
Brain Tumors: Diffusion Imaging and Diffusion Tensor Imaging

In this chapter we will discuss the current knowledge and pitfalls on the use of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI)and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in brain tissue characterization, brain tumor grading presurgical planning and the use of these imaging techniques in the treatment follow-up of brain tumors.
Abstract IA20: Autophagy in alveolar soft part sarcomagenesis

Altered metabolism is considered to be one of the new hallmarks of cancer. Autophagy is one major avenue of altered cancer metabolism, enabling cell survival under metabolic stress and promoting chemoresistance. The nuclear localization of MiTF/TFE3 family transcription factors has associated with upregulated transcription of autophagy genes in pancreatic cancer. Alveolar soft part sarcoma is a rare but deadly soft-tissue sarcoma, with a predilection for adolescent and young adult victims. Alveolar soft part sarcoma is noteworthy for its resistance to traditional cytotoxic chemotherapies. It consistently associates with a t(X;17) chromosomal translocation that produces the ASPSCR1-TFE3 target gene, bearing the DNA-binding domain from TFE3 and protein interaction domains from ASPSCR1. We have demonstrated that conditional expression of ASPSCR1-TFE3 is sufficient to drive alveolar soft part sarcomagenesis in the mouse with complete penetrance. Mouse tumors recapitulate human alveolar soft part sarcoma histology and transcriptomes faithfully. While direct targets of ASPSCR1-TFE3 have been studied in a renal cell carcinoma cell line, they have not been studied in alveolar soft part sarcoma. We report not only the first genome-wide localization of the ASPSCR1-TFE3 oncoprotein on chromatin from alveolar soft part sarcoma cell lines and mouse tumors, but also its association with actively transcribed genes. Among these are found many genes related to autophagy, especially those related specifically to the nutrient responsive pathways that drive autophagy. We demonstrate high expression of autophagy-related lysosomes and proteins at baseline conditions in human tumors and cell lines and mouse tumors. We also demonstrate active autophagic flux even in the absence of stress conditions. Inhibition of autophagy has no apparent impact on the survival of alveolar soft part sarcoma cells alone, but profoundly impacts their protein degradation pathways and the availability of amino acids for protein assembly in stress. Inhibition of autophagy strongly synergizes with chemotherapy to kill alveolar soft part sarcoma cells, suggesting it was a source mechanism for resistance. We have therefore demonstrated the direct targets of ASPSCR1-TFE3 in alveolar soft part sarcomas, including a number of autophagy genes that are expressed in these tumors, independently from nutrient deprivation or stress, rendering cells particularly resistant to many therapy-induced stresses. Citation Format: Kevin B. Jones. Autophagy in alveolar soft part sarcomagenesis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Conference on Advances in Sarcomas: From Basic Science to Clinical Translation; May 16-19, 2017; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2018;24(2_Suppl):Abstract nr IA20.
Better Pairing Propofol Volume With Procedural Needs: A Propofol Waste Reduction Quality Improvement Project

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Propofol facilitates deep sedation without requiring intubation and is often used by infusion to maintain sedation. Variability in ordering and preparation strategies resulted in significant propofol volumes wasted at the conclusion of procedures in our clinic. With drug shortages now common, we designed a quality improvement initiative to reduce our propofol waste. METHODS: Data collection during the preintervention phase reflected current practice trends. Two propofol dosing tables (≥50 or RESULTS: A total of 155 patients received a propofol infusion to maintain deep sedation. The preintervention phase included 77 patients, and the intervention phase included 78 patients. Special cause variation was achieved in the intervention phase. Median (interquartile range) propofol waste volume per procedure declined from 45.6 mL (24.3–71 mL) to 14.3 mL (9.6–19.4 mL), representing a 68% waste reduction. CONCLUSIONS: Using an internally derived systematic approach to ordering and preparing a propofol infusion, we reduced variability, reduced propofol waste, and created cost savings for our organization. This approach is tailorable to other infusions and clinical settings.
Fourier Coefficients and Cuspidal Spectrum for Symplectic Groups

J. Arthur (The endoscopic classification of representations: orthogonal and Symplectic groups. Colloquium Publication, vol 61. American Mathematical Society, 2013) classifies the automorphic discrete spectrum of symplectic groups up to global Arthur packets. We continue with our investigation of Fourier coefficients and their implication to the structure of the cuspidal spectrum for symplectic groups (Jiang, Automorphic integral transforms for classical groups I: endoscopy correspondences. In: Automorphic forms and related geometry: assessing the legacy of I.I. Piatetski-Shapiro. Contemp. Math., vol 614, pp 179–242. AMS, 2014; Jiang and Liu, Fourier coefficients for automorphic forms on quasisplit classical groups. In: Advances in the theory of automorphic forms and their L-functions. Contemp. Math., vol 664, pp 187–208. AMS, 2016). As a result, we obtain certain characterization and construction of small cuspidal automorphic representations and gain a better understanding of global Arthur packets and of the structure of local unramified components of the cuspidal spectrum, which has impacts to the generalized Ramanujan problem as posted by P. Sarnak (Notes on the generalized Ramanujan conjectures. In: Harmonic analysis, the trace formula, and Shimura varieties. Clay Math. Proc., vol 4, pp 659–685. Amer. Math. Soc., Providence, RI, 2005).
Test–Retest Reproducibility of 18F-FDG PET/CT Uptake in Cancer Patients Within a Qualified and Calibrated Local Network

608 Objectives: Co-administration of additional therapies, such as external beam radiation, with checkpoint immunotherapy may result in modulation of checkpoint molecule expression. This process is highly dynamic and difficult to capture with traditional biopsy-based analysis; therefore, molecular imaging, particularly positron emission tomography, may enable real-time insight into these expression levels. The human/mouse cross-reactive anti-PD-L1 antibody atezolizumab was utilized to visualize tumor PD-L1 expression changes following various external beam radiotherapy interventions. Methods: A humanized anti-PD-L1 antibody, atezolizumab, was radiolabeled with 89Zr (half-life: 78.4 h) for PET imaging following external beam radiation to PD-L1-expressing (H460) or PD-L1-negative (A549) lung cancer cells or tumor xenografts in mice. Using a biological irradiator, three schedules were utilized: 5 Gy in a single dose; five daily fractions of 2 Gy; or no irradiation. One day after completion of the respective radiotherapy regimens, mice were injected with 89Zr-Df-atezolizumab and serial PET imaging was performed out to 120 h post-injection. Biodistribution and histology studies were conducted to verify the in vivo findings, and tracer accumulation differences between irradiated groups and non-irradiated, as well as positive and negative tumors, were analyzed for statistical significance. Results: In vitro studies verified increased expression of PD-L1 by H460 cells following radiotherapy, particularly with the fractionated regimen, while PD-L1 expression could not be induced on A549 cells with the employed techniques. Imaging with the PD-L1-targeted tracer revealed high signals in the spleen and lymph nodes of all imaged mice (~10-20 %ID/g). Tumor accumulation was highest in the H460-bearing mice receiving 5 fractions of 2 Gy at 24 h post-injection at 4.44 ± 1.52 %ID/g, compared to that observed in the negative A549 fractionated regimen mice at 1.64 ± 0.65 %ID/g (p < 0.02, n=4-6). Both positive and negative non-irradiated tumors revealed similar accumulation of 89Zr-Df-atezolizumab at the end of the study, with uptakes of 1.51 ± 0.61 %ID/g in H460 tumors, and 1.42 ± 0.95 %ID/g in A549. Ex vivo analysis of tissues demonstrated significant PD-L1 expression in lymphoid organs, correlating with the high tracer accumulation in these tissues. In H460 tumors, PD-L1 expression by both tumor and myeloid cells was observed, and PD-L1 staining was minimal in A549 tissues. Conclusions: While the absolute level of 89Zr-Df-atezolizumab accumulation in tumor tissues was low due to the presence of notable sink tissues, significant differences were noted between treated and untreated tissues. PD-L1 imaging may therefore play a unique role for monitoring of treatment efficacy by comparing the dynamics of immune checkpoint expression before, during, and after therapeutic intervention.
Parents' Use of Internal State Language with Toddlers at High and Low Genetic Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Parents of toddlers with an older sibling with autism spectrum disorder (ASD; high risk, HR) and parents of low risk (LR) toddlers with typically-developing older siblings read a wordless picture book to their child at 22 and 28 months. Parents’ and toddlers’ internal state language (ISL) was coded; parents reported on toddlers’ use of ISL. Diagnostic assessments conducted at 36 months identified three groups: ASD, HR-noASD, LR. Parents did not differ in overall ISL, but parents of toddlers with later ASD attempted to elicit ISL from their children less than parents of LR toddlers. Toddlers increased their use of ISL with age, but those with ASD had lower scores and less age-related improvement than children in the other two groups.
Clinical and economic evaluation of subsequent infection following intravenous ciprofloxacin or imipenem therapy in hospitalized patients with severe pneumonia.

A recent multicentre clinical study evaluated the safety and efficacy of iv ciprofloxacin therapy compared with imipenem‐cilastatin in hospitalized patients with severe pneumonia. Monotherapy with iv ciprofloxacin was at least equivalent to imipenem in terms of bacteriological eradication and clinical response. In a single-centre, retrospective, post-therapy evaluation of persistent and subsequent infection, the incidence of Gram-negative infections and associated costs were compared. The main elements of the economic analysis included costs of additional antimicrobial therapy and hospitalization. Thirty-two patients were randomized into the study, of whom 27 were efficacy-valid. The 13 patients randomized into the ciprofloxacin group were not significantly different from the 14 patients in the imipenem group in terms of clinical parameters. Clinical cure occurred in ten of 13 patients (77%) in the ciprofloxacin group and in seven of 14 (50%) in the imipenem group. Bacteriological eradication was achieved in 11 of 13 (85%) ciprofloxacin-treated and eight of 14 (57%) imipenem-treated patients. Five of 13 (38%) patients in the ciprofloxacin group and nine of 14 (64%) in the imipenem group experienced persistent or subsequent infection requiring post-treatment antimicrobials. In these five ciprofloxacin patients, three had cultures with Gram-positive organisms only and two had cultures with both Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms. In the nine imipenem-treated patients requiring post-study antimicrobials, all had Gram-negative bacteria and three also had Gram-positive organisms. The incidence of subsequent Gram-negative infection in the two groups (15% vs 64%) was significantly different (P < 0.05). Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated from seven patients in the imipenem group but only one in the ciprofloxacin group (P < 0.05). Subsequent costs for post-therapy antimicrobials and hospital stay while receiving study and post-study drug therapy were evaluated; the cost per patient cure was US$29,000 for ciprofloxacin and US$76,000 for imipenem. Initial treatment of severe pneumonia with ciprofloxacin resulted in significantly less subsequent Gram-negative infection and was associated with substantially lower curative costs.
Variably protease-sensitive prionopathy: A differential diagnostic consideration for dementia.

Purpose of review Prion diseases are rare neurodegenerative diseases that are caused by abnormal pathogenic agents and can affect both humans and animals. These diseases are categorized as sporadic, inherited, or acquired by infection. Clinical manifestations include psychiatric symptoms, cognitive impairment, and parkinsonism, which are similar to those of other prion diseases and frontotemporal dementia variants. Recent findings More recently, scientists discovered a new sporadic prion disease called variably protease-sensitive prionopathy. Summary The following case discusses a patient presenting with sudden onset and rapid decline in cognitive, neurobehavioral, and motor functioning and his clinical journey including treatment interventions and diagnostic confirmation.
Modeling and assessing VNIIRS using in-scene metrics

The Video National Imagery Interpretability Rating Scale (VNIIRS) is a useful standard for quantifying the interpretability of motion imagery. Automated accurate assessment of VNIIRS would benefit operators by characterizing the potential utility of a video stream. For still, visible-light imagery the general image quality equation (GIQE) provides a standard model to automatically estimate the NIIRS of the image using sensor parameters, namely the ground sample distance (GSD), the relative edge response (RER), and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Typically, these parameters are associated with a specific sensor and the metadata correspond to specific image acquisition. For many tactical video sensors however, these sensor metadata are not available and it is necessary to estimate these parameters from information available in the imagery. We present methods for estimating the RER and SNR through analysis of the scene, i.e. the raw pixel data. By estimating the RER and SNR directly from the video data, we can compute accurate VNIIRS estimates for the video. We demonstrate the method on a set of video data.
Carcinoma in diverticulum of female urethra.

Abstract A case of carcinoma originating in a diverticulum of the urethra in a female patient is presented. A review of 143 cases of carcinoma of the female urethra treated from 1948 to 1984 at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute at Houston disclosed 6 additional patients with diverticular carcinoma. Analysis of their clinical features, treatments-various combinations of primary excision, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy-and survival results indicate that survival is primarily a function of grade. Only 40 cases of carcinoma in urethral diverticula are recorded in the world literature. The majority are adenocarcinomas, and the most frequent presenting symptoms are dysuria, frequency, and urgency. Radiotherapy successfully established long-term control of the disease with low morbidity in all of our patients who had lowgrade tumors.
Frequency Dependence of Amplitude and Phase of Photothermal-Optical-Beam-Deflection Signal

Measurements of the amplitude and phase of the normal component of photothermal-optical-beam-deflection signal over a frequency range of 1–100 kHz are in excellent agreement with theoretical calculations for silicon. The results have important implications for applications of optical-beam-deflection in the mirage-effect configuration to imaging of subsurface microstructure.
On Language, Scientific Metaphor, and Endocrine Disruption: An Interview with Feminist Scientist Ana Soto

In the late 1980s, Professor of Immunology Ana Soto accidentally discovered the presence of synthetic estrogens in her lab equipment. Her lab had designed an experiment to test the effect of estrogen on the proliferation of human breast cancer cells (MCF7). Based on previous findings, Soto and her research partner Carlos Sonnenschein believed that, contrary to popular wisdom, the introduction of estrogen would not directly induce the proliferation of the cells, but would instead interfere with a naturally occurring inhibitor in the blood. But the control setup containing positive and negative controls (used in the past without problem) was now producing odd readings: although no estrogenic compound had been introduced, the cancer cells were still proliferating. Soto and Sonnenschein methodically removed each item in the control setup that might be producing the estrogen-like result. When they discovered that the estrogenic activity leached from the plastic centrifuge tubes used to store components of the cell culture medium, they called the manufacturer to find out what could have changed. The manufacturer let them know that the constituent materials of the tubes had recently been modified in order to reduce the possibility of breakage during centrifugation but declined to reveal what specific changes had been made. So Soto’s lab turned to studying the tubes themselves. After a year of further research, they concluded that the estrogenic activity was due to the additive that had been introduced by the manufacturer—nonylphenol, an antioxidant used in numerous other applications, some of which are meant for human use (e.g., spermicide) and the synthesis of detergents. Soto and Sonnenschein’s assay is called E-SCREEN and has been enormously influential; in fact, most of the environmental estrogens discovered in the 1990s rely on it. Conducted by Gracen Brilmyer at UCLA during the Chemical Entanglements Symposium, this 2017 interview with Soto highlights her experiences of sexism in the sciences and how those experiences have shaped her thinking on language, science, and scholarship
Reliability Analysis of Minnesota’s Unbonded Concrete Overlay Performance:

Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) has studied pavement performance associated with various interventions in the road network. In this study, unbonded overlay, a major concrete pavement...
Indigenous Survivance in Words and Land: Countering Culturecide in Northern California

This article explores repertoires of Indigenous survivance practices in Northern California in the face of historic and ongoing culturecide, meaning cultural genocide, or the intentional destruction of the culture of a specific group of people. The central research question is: how, why, and under what conditions does Indigenous cultural survival happen in public, institutionalized spaces outside of Indigenous control? Specifically, how have white-majority/Indigenous minority agreements in public domains bolstered Indigenous cultural autonomy and strengthening in Northern California? In other words, in what ways can white majority arenas of control, particularly off-reservation spaces like public schools and local government policies, can be included in tribal projects of cultural resilience and restoration?
Tacrolimus monitoring parameters are not associated with acute cellular rejection following lung transplantation.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of tacrolimus drug monitoring parameters on the incidence of acute cellular rejection (ACR) in lung transplant recipients (LTRs). This was a retrospective study of patients who underwent lung transplantation at a single center. LTRs who were given tacrolimus during the first 6 months after transplantation and who underwent at least one bronchoscopy with biopsy were included. Tacrolimus time in therapeutic range (TTR) was calculated using Rosendaal’s method. Time to therapeutic level, coefficient of variance (CoV), and median trough concentrations were also determined. The study included 157 LTRs. ACR ≥ A1 grade was present in 46.5% of patients, and ACR ≥ A2 grade was present in 17.2%. There was no difference between tacrolimus TTR in patients with ACR ≥ A1 compared with those without ACR (47.4 ± 16.1 versus 46.2 ± 18.9%, p = 0.67) or in patients with ACR ≥ A2 grade compared with those with A0 or A1 ACR (46.0 ± 16.3 versus 47.0 ± 17.9%, p = 0.81). When comparing patients with any ACR grade A1 or higher with those without ACR, there was no difference in tacrolimus CoV (42.7 ± 11.0 versus 44.6 ± 12.4, p = 0.30), median tacrolimus trough concentration (9.9 ± 1.3 versus 9.8 ± 1.4 ng/mL, p = 0.66), or days to therapeutic level (9 versus 12 days, p = 0.057). The results suggest that tacrolimus TTR, time in therapeutic range, and variability are not related to the presence of ACR in LTRs.
Hemp Fertilization: Current Knowledge, Gaps and Efforts in Florida: A 2020 Report

Hemp is an annual herbaceous plant that may be grown for fiber, seed, or flowers. Starting in April 2020, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services began accepting applications for cultivation of hemp in Florida, with the potential for building a $20–$30 billion industry in the state. The statewide UF/IFAS Industrial Hemp Pilot Project is researching aspects of agronomic production for hemp cultivation. While a few other state soil testing laboratories provide soil tests and nutrient recommendations based on research and experience, at this time no Florida-specific data on nutrient requirements and fertilization are available. This new 5-page article, written by Rao Mylavarapu, Zachary Brym, Luis Monserrate, and Michael J. Mulvaney and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Soil and Water Sciences, provides a summary of published and personal communications from different states on hemp fertilization.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss689
A Novel Most Significant Cell Methodology in a Battery Pack with Serial Cell Connection

Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are now widely adopted in our life. To fulfil various energy and power requirements in real-world applications, battery cells are connected to form battery packs. The cell-to-cell difference exists in the battery pack after manufactured, and this difference will further deteriorates when the battery cells are exposed and used in various operating conditions. This unavoidable cell-to-cell difference results in early cut-off on the battery pack, which influences the performance of the battery pack and makes accurately estimating the battery pack SOC challenging. This paper proposes a novel real-time algorithm to effectively identify the most significant cells in a serial-connected battery pack in order to accurately estimate the SOC of the battery pack. A battery pack composed of ten serial-connected battery cells is carried out in this paper to evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm. The results show that the most significant cells are successfully identified, and the SOC of the battery pack is estimated accurately based on the identified most significant cell.
Movement Disorders and Hematologic Diseases

Background Movement disorders can be associated with or caused by hematological abnormalities. The objective of this review is to highlight features that will aid in the clinician's recognition and treatment of these disorders. Methods MESH terms relevant to movement disorders and hematologic diseases were searched to identify conditions included in this narrative, educational review. Results Several conditions were identified, and they were organized by hematologic categories to include red blood cell abnormalities, white blood cell abnormalities, disorders of clotting and bleeding, hematologic malignancies, and others. Conclusions This review will increase providers' understanding of disorders that include movement disorders and hematologic abnormalities. Basic hematologic laboratories can aid in assessment of these disorders, to include complete blood count/hemogram and peripheral blood smear. Recognition is key, especially in the setting of underlying malignancy, vitamin deficiency, or other disorder in which treatment is available.
Effect of Chronic Cough on Voice Measures in Patients With Dysphonia.

Summary Introduction Measuring the impact of chronic cough on voice quality can be difficult and challenging in daily practice. Evidence about its potential effects on diagnostic tools used in voice evaluation is lacking. We hypothesized that the presence of chronic cough plays a role in patients' perception of dysphonia severity, leading to a mismatch between the subjective, objective, and perceptual evaluations. Methods A retrospective chart review involving patients with a diagnosis of dysphonia and a complete speech voice evaluation was performed. A total of 311 patients were stratified into two different groups according to the presence of chronic cough. A total of 151 patients were assigned to the dysphonia and chronic cough group, while 160 patients were assigned to the dysphonia only group. During the initial evaluation, patients completed the Voice Handicap Index (VHI)-30, Glottal Function Index (GFI), and Reflux Symptoms Index (RSI). Voice evaluation also included aerodynamic/acoustic measures and the application of the GRBAS scale by a speech-language specialist. A paired t test and a linear regression analysis were used to compare subjective, perceptual, and aerodynamic/acoustic measures in both groups. Results The mean VHI-30 and GFI were elevated in both groups but significantly lower among patients with dysphonia and chronic cough when compared to patients with dysphonia only (P= 0.01). Additionally, a significantly higher RSI was found among patients with dysphonia and chronic cough (P 0.05). Our linear regression model demonstrated a significant effect of the presence of chronic cough on the VHI-30, RSI, and GFI questionnaires (P Conclusion The presence of chronic cough has a significant impact on the different patient-reported outcome measures, including VHI-30, RSI, and GFI. The use of VHI-30 as a predictor for the GRBAS scale reinforces the importance of subjective and perceptual assessment among patients with voice disorders and establishes a new area for exploration.
Exploring Economic Populism, a Neglected, but Growing, Phenomenon

What is the relationship between economic crises and populism? Once almost exclusively the domain of Latin Americanists, the study of populism has emerged as a leading research agenda for scholars who study Europe and the US. However, researchers have hitherto failed to systematically account for the logic of economic populism and the fact that populists emanating from either the left or the right tend to converge on a similar political economic model: protectionism, crony capitalism, and inveterate rent seeking. We provide a framework to make sense of this pattern and explain the systematic, mutually reinforcing association between crises and populism. We also adduce supporting evidence from very different places, Argentina, Chile, Greece, and Italy, and across disparate time periods. We argue that populism almost always threatens both liberal democracy and welfare state capitalism and ushers in economic collapse. We posit that a key reason for this is that, rather than seeing economic interactions as “win-win” situations, populists are obsessed with zero-sum thinking. We also speculate about what might be in store for European politics in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Indianapolis harmspot policing experiment

Abstract Purpose This 100-day experiment explored the impact of a dynamic place-based policing strategy on social harm in Indianapolis. Scholars have recently called for place-based policing to consider the co-occurrence of substance abuse and mental health problems that correlate within crime hot spots. Moreover, severity is not ubiquitous across harmful events and should thus be weighted accordingly. Methods Harmspots and hotspots were operationalized for this experiment and both received proactive police activities. Evaluation analyses includes multivariate point processes and hawkes processes to determine experimental effects. Survey data was collected via telephone surveys, was weighted for demographic representativeness, and analyzed using Poisson regression . Results Results indicate proactive policing in dynamic harmspots can reduce aggregated social harm. No statistical deterrence effect was observed in crime hotspots. Proactive police activity in harmspots was associated with higher arrest rates, though not disproportionate across race and ethnicity, nor was there an effect on incidents of use of force. A two-wave pre/post community survey indicated Indianapolis citizens believe data-driven policing to be useful, though perceptions vary across demographic groups with moderate trust around computer algorithms. Conclusion Place-based policing strategies should consider social harm events as a method to operationalize proactive policing. Observed effects are consistent with those of hotspots policing while enabling cities to broaden the set of harms experienced by varying communities. Harmspot policing may also position municipalities to maximize social service delivery at places beyond policing.
Plague and the Athenian Imagination: Drama, History, and the Cult of Asclepius

Prologue 1. Introduction 2. Death, myth and drama before the Plague 3. Materials I: the language of disease in tragedy 4. Plague, cult and drama: Euripides' Hippolytus 5. Oedipus and the Plague 6. Trachiniae and the Plague 7. Materials II: the cult of Asclepius and the Theater of Dionysus 8. Disease and stasis in Euripidean drama: tragic pharmacology on the south slope of the Acropolis 9. The Athenian Asklepieion and the end of Philoctetes 10. Conclusions and afterthoughts.
Cyclic Di-GMP-Regulated Periplasmic Proteolysis of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa Type Vb Secretion System Substrate

We previously identified a second messenger-regulated signaling system in the environmental bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens , which controls biofilm formation in response to levels of environmental inorganic phosphate. This system contains the transmembrane cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP) receptor LapD and the periplasmic protease LapG. LapD regulates LapG and controls the ability of this protease to process a large cell-surface adhesin protein, LapA. While LapDG orthologs can be identified in diverse bacteria, predictions of LapG substrates are sparse. Notably, the opportunistic pathogen P. aeruginosa harbors LapDG orthologs, but neither the substrate of LapG nor any associated secretion machinery has been identified to date. Here, we identify P. aeruginosa CdrA, a protein known to mediate cell-cell aggregation and biofilm maturation, as a substrate of LapG. We also demonstrate LapDG to be a minimal system sufficient to control CdrA localization in response to changes in the intracellular concentration of c-di-GMP. Our work establishes this biofilm signaling node as a regulator of a type Vb secretion system substrate in a clinically important pathogen. Importance Here, the biological relevance of a conserved, yet orphan signaling system in the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa is revealed. In particular, we identify the adhesin CdrA, the cargo of a two-partner secretion system, as a substrate of a periplasmic protease whose activity is controlled by intracellular c-di-GMP levels and a corresponding transmembrane receptor via an inside-out signaling mechanism. The data indicate a post-translational control mechanism of CdrA via c-di-GMP, in addition to its established transcriptional regulation via the same second messenger.
The macrocyclic tetrapeptide [D-Trp]CJ-15,208 produces short-acting κ opioid receptor antagonism in the CNS after oral administration

Background and Purpose Cyclic peptides are resistant to proteolytic cleavage, therefore potentially exhibiting activity after systemic administration. We hypothesized that the macrocyclic κ opioid receptor (KOR)-selective antagonist [D-Trp]CJ-15,208 would demonstrate antagonist activity after systemic, that is, s.c. and oral (per os, p. o.), administration. Experimental Approach C57BL/6J mice were pretreated with [D-Trp]CJ-15,208 s.c. or p.o. before administration of the KOR-selective agonist U50,488 and the determination of antinociception in the warm-water tail-withdrawal assay. The locomotor activity of mice treated with [D-Trp]CJ-15,208 was determined by rotorod testing. Additional mice demonstrating cocaine conditioned place preference and subsequent extinction were pretreated daily with vehicle or [D-Trp]CJ-15,208 and then exposed to repeated forced swim stress or a single additional session of cocaine place conditioning before redetermining place preference. Key Results Pretreatment with [D-Trp]CJ-15,208 administered s.c. or p.o. dose-dependently antagonized the antinociception induced by i.p. administration of U50,488 in mice tested in the warm-water tail-withdrawal assay for less than 12 and 6 h respectively. [D-Trp]CJ-15,208 also produced limited (<25%), short-duration antinociception mediated through KOR agonism. Orally administered [D-Trp]CJ-15,208 dose-dependently antagonized centrally administered U50,488-induced antinociception, and prevented stress-, but not cocaine-induced, reinstatement of extinguished cocaine-seeking behaviour, consistent with its KOR antagonist activity, without affecting locomotor activity. Conclusions and Implications The macrocyclic tetrapeptide [D-Trp]CJ-15,208 is a short-duration KOR antagonist with weak KOR agonist activity that is active after oral administration and demonstrates blood–brain barrier permeability. These data validate the use of systemically active peptides such as [D-Trp]CJ-15,208 as potentially useful therapeutics.
Epigenetic deregulation of Bcl-2 leads to apoptosis resistance in melanoma (942.2)

Aberrant activity of the histone methyltransferase enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) has been reported to be associated with different types of cancer. One of the major characteristics of cancer i...
A Centripetal Acceleration Statistic for Tracking Maneuvering Targets with Radar

Abstract : Maneuver tracking is complicated because radar cannot directly measure target acceleration. Radar measures a target's range and bearing, and its radial velocity with respect to radar position. Tracking algorithms use radial velocity to associate radar reports to tracks, but not to update track state estimates. In this paper, a new statistic of centripetal acceleration based on the radial velocity measurement is developed. A tracker using this statistic is developed and tested via simulation against three other tracking algorithms. Simulation results show that the new tracker outperforms trackers with switched noise levels and a two mode interacting multiple model.
The Heterogeneity Politics of the Welfare State: Changing Population Heterogeneity and Welfare State Policies in High‐Income OECD Countries, 1980‐2005

Whether and how developments and changes in welfare state policies are related with population heterogeneity has been a subject of contention. This article examines this relationship using data on welfare state provisions and practices, and ethno-racial, religious, and immigration heterogeneity, from 17 high-income Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries between 1980 and 2005. Findings suggest that while religious diversity lacks a systematic association with welfare state policies, the relationship of ethno-racial and especially immigration diversity bifurcates between welfare state decommodification and expenditures. The welfare state expenditure-increasing and welfare-state-provision-decreasing roles of immigration, in particular, provide important insights into why welfare state policies may have been limited in some countries and lately scaled back in others. Related Articles: Gainous, Jason, Stephen C. Craig, and Michael D. Martinez. 2008. “Social Welfare Attitudes and Ambivalence about the Role of Government.” Politics & Policy 36 (6): 972-1004. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2008.00147.x/abstract Byrne, Jennifer. 2011. “National Identity and Attitudes toward Immigrants in a ‘Multicreedal’ America.” Politics & Policy 39 (4): 485-514. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2011.00301.x/abstract Flavin, Patrick, Alexander C. Pacek, and Benjamin Radcliff. 2011. “State Intervention and Subjective Well-being in Advanced Industrial Democracies.” Politics & Policy 29 (2): 251-269. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2011.00290.x/abstract Related Media: Databases: by Wagle, Udaya. 2013. “Databases.” http://homepages.wmich.edu/~uwagle/ CIA World Factbook Online. https://www.cia.gov/
Thermal cycling reliability of lead free solder joints on multi-terminal passive components

The ever growing demand for high performance in integrated circuit packaging is driving the requirement for use of multi-terminal passive components like interdigitated capacitors (IDCs), which inherently enable lower equivalent series inductance (ESR) as compared to its multilayer ceramic chip capacitors (MLCC) and low inductance chip capacitor (LICC) counterparts. To complement use of high functionality IDCs for maximum chip to package electrical performance, this study focuses on IDC solder joint reliability, where a combination of factors are investigated for improved package design considerations.