cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The thunder of history: The origins and development of the new fiscal sociology

The spirit of a people, its cultural level, its social structure, the deeds its policy may prepare – all this and more is written in its fiscal history, stripped of all phrases. He who knows how to listen to its message here discerns the thunder of world history more clearly than anywhere else. – Joseph Schumpeter [1918] 1991 Everyone knows that taxation is important. Political scientists know that tax cuts are a major partisan battleground in the United States today, and that the rise of neoliberal ideology has propelled taxation onto the international policy agenda. Legal scholars know that the tax code has become the preferred vehicle for promoting an enormous variety of domestic policies – from social provisions to industrial policies to educational subsidies. Historians know that taxation has been a pivotal source of conflict and change from the American Revolution to the Reagan revolution, and that taxes have been central to the formation of civic identity across place and time. Sociologists know that nearly every issue with which they are concerned – the obligations of the individual to society; the powers and legitimacy of the state; the allocation of public and private resources; the rise of bureaucratic administration; the reproduction of class, race, and gender inequalities – runs through the issue of taxation. There are good reasons why many scholars have recognized the importance of taxation. Taxes formalize our obligations to each other. They define the inequalities we accept and those that we collectively seek to redress.
Bis-trifluoromethyl Effect: Doubled Transitions in the Rotational Spectra of Hexafluoroisobutene, (CF3)2C═CH2

Rotational spectra for hexafluoroisobutene, and its 13C isotopologues, have been recorded between 8 and 16 GHz using a chirped pulse, Fourier transform microwave spectrometer. Notably, all spectra observed are doubled with separations between the doublets being between 1 and 60 MHz. We propose that the bis-trifluoromethyl groups of the target molecule are staggered in the equilibrium configuration, and that a novel, out-of-phase rotation through a F-CCC-F planar configuration with low barrier (<100 cm–1), leads to the observed doubled rotational spectra.
Peliosis of the Spleen

Peliosis of the spleen is a rare condition that accompanies peliosis hepatis. Two cases are presented, and a detailed morphologic description is given. The lesions are confined to the red pulp and appear to arise by progressive distention of splenic sinuses, with eventual thrombosis and organization. Peliotic involvement of the spleen is probably more common than realized and can have serious clinical implications.
Particles Found in Lung and Brain Following Subureteral Injection of Polytetrafluoroethylene Paste are not Teflon Particles

AbstractWe injected 0.3ml. of polytetrafluoroethylene paste (Polytef) behind the left submucosal ureter in 4 mini-pigs and 4 dogs, and 2 dogs and 2 mini-pigs underwent sham operation and acted as controls. Two mini-pigs were injected with 0.5ml. polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) suspended in 50ml. of normal saline into a peripheral vein and 2 dogs were injected with 0.5ml. polytetrafluoroethylene into a bladder vein. In addition, 4 dogs were injected with 0.1ml. polytetrafluoroethylene paste suspended in 20ml. saline into the right carotid artery. The lungs and brain from half of the animals who had subureteral and intravascular injection of polytetrafluoroethylene paste as well as sham operated animals were dissolved in sodium hypochlorite solution. The resulting organ suspensions were then centrifuged and the smear preparations of the precipitate were examined by polarized light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and x-ray microanalysis. Polytetrafluoroethylene paste suspended in saline acted as po...
The current status of hip replacement.

SUMMARY Total hip arthroplasty, since the release of methylmethacrylate, is being performed in this country at the rate of about 15,000 per year. For the older patient, virtual absence of pain, improved function, and a short-term rehabilitative effort, make total hip arthroplasty the procedure of choice in the treatment of severe noninfected hip disease. For other patients, successful salvage of previously failed hip surgeries is now possible. Finally, there are those younger patients for whom no other form of therapy is possible to provide pain-free function. Although not a panacea for all hip disease, the total hip arthroplasty has provided pain-free existence with improved function and a return to a useful life for patients with previously inoperable hip disease, no matter what the etiology.
Artificial urinary sphincter revision for urethral atrophy: Comparing single cuff downsizing and tandem cuff placement.

ABSTRACT Objective To compare outcomes for single urethral cuff downsizing versus tandem cuff placement during artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) revision for urethral atrophy. Materials and Methods We identified 1778 AUS surgeries performed at our institution from 1990-2014. Of these, 406 were first AUS revisions, including 69 revisions for urethral atrophy. Multiple clinical and surgical variables were evaluated for potential association with device outcomes following revision, including surgical revision strategy (downsizing a single urethral cuff versus placing tandem urethral cuffs). Results Of the 69 revision surgeries for urethral atrophy at our institution, 56 (82%) were tandem cuff placements, 12 (18%) were single cuff downsizings and one was relocation of a single cuff. When comparing tandem cuff placements and single cuff downsizings, the cohorts were similar with regard to age (p=0.98), body-mass index (p=0.95), prior pelvic radiation exposure (p=0.73) and length of follow-up (p=0.12). Notably, there was no difference in 3-year overall device survival compared between single cuff and tandem cuff revisions (60% versus 76%, p=0.94). Likewise, no significant difference was identified for tandem cuff placement (ref. single cuff) when evaluating the risk of any tertiary surgery (HR 0.95, 95% CI 0.32-4.12, p=0.94) or urethral erosion/device infection following revision (HR 0.79, 95% CI 0.20-5.22, p=0.77). Conclusions There was no significant difference in overall device survival in patients undergoing single cuff downsizing or tandem cuff placement during AUS revision for urethral atrophy.
Enabling High-Precision Visible Light Localization in Today's Buildings

For over one decade, research in visible light positioning has focused on using modulated LEDs as location landmarks. But the need for specialized LED fixtures, and the associated retrofitting cost, has been hindering the adoption of VLP. In this paper, we forgo this approach and design iLAMP to enable reliable, high-precision VLP using conventional LEDs and fluorescent lamps inside today's buildings. Our key observation is that these lamps intrinsically possess hidden visual features, which are imperceptible to human eyes, but can be extracted by capturing and processing the lamps' images using a computational imaging framework. Simply using commodity smartphones' front cameras, our approach can identify lamps within a building with close to 100% accuracy. Furthermore, we develop a geometrical model which combines the camera image with gyroscope/accelerometer output, to estimate a smartphone's 3D location and heading direction relative to each lamp landmark. Our field tests demonstrate a mean localization (heading) precision of 3 cm (2.6 degree) and 90-percentile 3.5 cm (2.8 degree), even if a single lamp falls in the camera's field of view.
Abstract 2357: CDK4/6 inhibition in early stage triple negative breast cancer

Palbociclib (PD), a CDK4/6 inhibitor, has recently been approved for use in advanced ER positive breast cancer, demonstrating significant benefit in combination with endocrine therapies. Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is an inobligate precursor to invasive ductal carcinoma with anywhere from 14-53% of cases progressing. Progression is unpredictable and driven by poorly understood mechanisms. In this study, we assess the efficacy of PD in the context of this early stage disease using a triple negative DCIS model(MCF10DCIS), not only in inhibiting cell cycle but also in hindering the progression from in situ to invasive lesion. We demonstrate similar efficacy of PD in 2D on MCF10DCIS and immortal mammary epithelial cells (MCF10As) in preventing proliferation, inhibiting phosphorylation of RB and stopping cell cycle progression. Yet in 3D, MCF10DCIS cells form smaller, more organized spheres in the presence of drug while MCF10As appear unaffected, highlighting potential disease selectivity in vivo. Interestingly, when a cDNA array is performed on MCF10DCIS cells grown in 3D +/- PD, the most regulated genes are not well characterized cell cycle genes as one might predict based on previously published data and 2D response to treatment, suggesting alternative CDK4/6 targets may be responsible for the phenotype observed in 3D. We also demonstrate in a nude mouse xenograft model of MCF10DCIS that PD is able to significantly reduce overall tumor burden while simultaneously delaying the progression of lesions to invasive disease. Though the growth of PD treated MCF10DCIS lesions is delayed we demonstrate that proliferation is unaffected in vivo by the presence of the drug, based on equivalent Ki67 signal within the lesions. This reiterates the possibility that in 3D and in vivo contexts PD targets mechanisms outside of cell cycle regulation in order to slow tumor growth and delay invasive transition. We believe that investigation into alternative targets of CDK4/6 altered by PD in 3D and in vivo may provide insights on important mechanisms of DCIS progression in DCIS models and human patients. Citation Format: William B. Kietzman, Virginie Ory, Fransisco Saenz, Ghada Sharif, Anton Wellstein, Anna T. Riegel. CDK4/6 inhibition in early stage triple negative breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2357. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-2357
Developing a head-mounted tactile prototype to support situational awareness

Abstract In this paper, we describe the design and evaluation of a head-mounted tactile prototype and multi-parameter coding scheme to support situational awareness among users. The head has been selected as the location for the interaction because it has been relatively under-researched compared to the torso or hands, and offers potential for hands-free attention direction and integration with new head and eyewear technology. Two studies have been conducted. The first examined the user's ability to discern three-parameter tactile signals presented at sites on the head. Findings highlighted that while multi-parameter cues could be interpreted with low error, challenges were faced when interpreting specific combinations of waveform and interval type, and when performing identification of interval pattern and stimulation location while visually-distracted. A second study investigated how use of the three-parameter tactile coding scheme impacted participants’ situational awareness under several exertion conditions. Significant interaction was found between the exertion conditions and subjective cognitive workload. The relationship between situational awareness phases of participant SAGAT assessment scores were consistent between conditions, with perception and prediction phases outpacing comprehension. This suggests, pending further study of the suitability of situational awareness evaluation methods for tactile perception, that quickly trained participants may struggle to understand multi-parameter coding intended to convey changing events. Interpretations of coding schemes were found to vary, highlighting the importance of carefully selecting and mapping signals for presentation. Insights from our study can support interface designers aiming to heighten levels of spatial and situational awareness among their users through use of the tactile channel.
Isolation and Culture of Preadipocytes from Rodent White Adipose Tissue

Much of the research devoted to understanding adipose tissue development is currently performed in vitro. Several cell culture models, including preadipocyte cell lines and primary culture of adipose-derived stromal vascular precursor cells, are commonly used to study molecular and cellular events and regulatory influences on preadipocyte proliferation and differentiation. Primary preadipocyte culture systems have several distinct advantages over preadipose cell lines. Because they have not been passaged continuously in culture, primary cultures of adipose derived stromal-vascular (SV) cells more closely reflect the in vivo characteristics of the tissue from which they are derived. In addition, primary cells can be obtained from various adipose tissue depots and from animals at different stages of development, from early postnatal life through advanced age. Cells can also be obtained from genetic rodent models of obesity or from rats and/or mice subjected to nutritional or hormonal manipulation. In each case, specific adipose tissue depots are dissected and the SV cells obtained after collagenase digestion. To examine the effect of tissue source or in vivo or in vitro treatment on preadipocyte proliferation, SV cells are labeled by thymidine incorporation during the exponential growth phase and maintained in culture until sufficiently lipid-filled to allow separation by density. Regulatory influences on various stages of preadipocyte differentiation can be examined in rat SV cultures in a controlled environment featuring chemically defined serum-free medium; whereas, more temperamental mouse SV cultures require the presence of serum for optimal differentiation. Alternatively, preadipocytes differentiated in vitro may be used for examining adipocyte metabolic or secretory responses.
Modeling, Fabrication, and Development of Miniature Ion Sensors

Advances in microelectronic fabrication technology provide a unique approach to the development of chemical and physical sensors. Micro and miniature size sensors can now be produced using these fabrication techniques. Microsensors possess many desirable features which are both fundamentally and practically important. The pioneering work of Fleischmann et al. [1–4] as well as those by Wrightman and his associates [5–10] and by Wrighton et al. [11–14] on microelectrodes provide significant impetus to the development of microsensors.
Call Centers in Financial Services: Strategies, Technologies, and Operations

The importance of call centers in the economy has grown dramatically since 1878, when the Bell Telephone Company began using operators to connect calls. The National American Call Center Summit (NACCS) estimates that the percentage of the U.S. working population currently employed in call centers is around 3%. In other words, in the United States, more people work in call centers than in, for example, agriculture. The annual spending on call centers is currently estimated to be somewhere between $120 and $150 billion (Anupindi and Smythe 1997). Operations budgets for all call centers in the U.S. are estimated to grow from $7 billion in 1998 to $18 billion in 2002, i.e., at a projected annual growth rate of 21% (NACCS).
Factors associated with drop-in center utilization among unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness

Abstract Purpose Drop-in centers for homeless youth take a low barrier approach to addressing both their basic needs (e.g., food, hygiene, clothing) and higher level needs (e.g., substance use treatment, mental health care, HIV/STD-related programs). Prior studies indicate that youth who use drop-in centers show improvements in health-related behaviors over time. The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with drop-in center attendance in this population. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey with a probability sample of 226 youth who were unaccompanied (not living with a parent or guardian) and experiencing homelessness (mean age = 21.58 years; 27% female, 43% non-Hispanic White) to examine associations between predisposing, enabling and need factors with any drop-in center attendance and frequency of attendance in the past 30 days. Results Youth were more likely to have used a drop-in center if they reported hygiene-related needs (i.e., showers, clean clothes) and more positive perceptions of the drop-in center environment. Of youth who reported any drop-in center use, attendance was more frequent among those who also used shelter services, perceived that more of their friends used a drop-in center, knew staff who they could count on for support, and had a more avoidant attachment style within close relationships. Conclusions The factors associated with any use of drop-in center services are distinct from those that may encourage homeless youth to use these services more frequently. Identifying these different set of factors can inform future outreach and intervention efforts to increase drop-in center utilization in this vulnerable population.
Building the S&T Digital Library at the Naval Research Laboratory: A Report

Abstract The Ruth H. Hooker Research Library has been delivering digital information to researchers' desktops at Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) sites across the country for over ten years. This article describes the current and planned efforts at unifying the various journals, databases, reference tools, and linking schemes into a comprehensive and integrated Web-based scientific and technical digital library for the benefit of the NRL and the broader naval research community. Serials Review 2003; 29:76–82.
PROBABILISTIC ANALYSES OF LANDSLIDE TSUNAMI HAZARDS

Probabilistic analyses of underwater landslides can yield probability distributions of landslide tsunami amplitudes. About 35% of all earthquakes may generate landslide tsunamis with a maximum tsunami amplitude that surpasses vertical coseismic displacement. A finite probability exists for underwater landslides to generate tsunamis with amplitudes in excess of 10 meters, as in the 1998 Papua New Guinea event. Indicators of prospective tsunamigenic landslides, such as sediment shear strength, improve our ability to predict future events and to assess their impact on coastal populations and infrastructure. Probabilistic analyses may play an important role in tsunami risk assessment from landslide tsunamis.
Robust interferon signature and suppressed tissue repair gene expression in synovial tissue from patients with postinfectious, Borrelia burgdorferi-induced Lyme arthritis.

In most patients with Lyme arthritis (LA), antibiotic therapy results in Borrelia burgdorferi pathogen elimination, tissue repair, and return to homeostasis. However, despite spirochetal killing, some patients develop proliferative synovitis, characterised by synovial hyperplasia, inflammation, vascular damage, and fibrosis that persists for months to several years after antibiotic treatment, called postinfectious LA. In this study, we characterised the transcriptomes of postinfectious LA patients' synovial tissue, the target tissue of the immune response. High-throughput RNA sequencing to a depth of ~30 million reads per sample was used to profile gene expression in synovial tissue from 14 patients with postinfectious LA, compared with eight patients with other types of chronic inflammatory arthritis and five with minimally inflammatory osteoarthritis (OA). Synovium from postinfectious LA and other inflammatory arthritides shared gene signatures associated with antigen presentation, innate immune responses, and cell-mediated immune activation, whereas these responses were diminished in OA synovium. Unique to postinfectious LA was a particularly robust interferon-gamma (IFNγ) signature. Moreover, this heightened IFNγ signature inversely correlated with expression of genes involved in repair of damaged tissue, including genes associated with stromal cell proliferation and differentiation, neovascularisation, and extracellular matrix synthesis, which were markedly suppressed in postinfectious LA. Transcriptional observations were confirmed by cytokine profiling, histologic analyses, and clinical correlations. We propose that in patients with postinfectious LA, overexpression of IFNγ in synovium prevents appropriate repair of tissue damaged by B. burgdorferi infection, blocking return to tissue homeostasis long after completion of antibiotic therapy and resolution of active infection.
Sustained release hormonal preparations

Abstract Biological activity of 6-methyl-17 α -acetoxypregna-4,6-diene-3,20-dione was compared using three different routes of administration: subcutaneous injection, gavage and dimethylpolysiloxane implant. The implant provided the most efficacious way to administer this steroid: from 6 to 25 times less was needed to produce comparable biological effects.
Narrative Topoi in the Digital Age

Decades of thoughtful law and humanities scholarship have made the case for using humanistic texts and methods in the legal classroom. We build on that scholarship by identifying and describing three “narrative topoi” of the twenty-first century – podcasts, twitter and fake news. We use the term “topos” (from the Greek meaning “place”) and its plural, “topoi,” to mean “a literary commonplace” and “general setting for discussion” in the context of literary forms. Like an identifiable genre, narrative topoi are familiar story paths for audiences to travel. These narrative topoi live in contemporary popular culture and are products of digital technology’s capacity to share and shape communication in new ways that draw on older narrative conventions and forms. In a law school, drawing on new narrative topoi can reorient legal analysis through inquiry into twenty-first-century problems of language, narrative form, authenticity, and audiences. Legal educators may also highlight historical continuity between cultural and legal history and today’s forms and experiences, foregrounding issues central to legal skills, such as analogic reasoning, advocacy, counseling, and factual analysis. We address all of these points while exploring particular examples of these narrative topoi of our digital age.
Volume 4 Commentary: Insights for Co-constructing Transformative Family-School Partnerships that Increase Cultural Responsiveness, Justice, and Care

In this concluding chapter, the author discusses key insights gleaned from the previous chapters to identify authors’ shared themes and some distinct contentions. These insights call for educators to reject deficit-based ideologies about students and families, understand schools as contested cultural sites, unmask schooling’s racist and colonial legacies, validate familial and communal knowledge via culturally relevant instruction, and conduct innovative, collaborative, and critical family-centered research. The author then pinpoints implications for enacting transformative family-school partnership practices. Along the way, she suggests how to conduct research on and with families to better understand the most equitable and effective ways of collaborating with them to enhance students’ learning and overall well-being. She further links such transformation to countering divisive and exclusive cultural politics, sharing power, promoting the structural inclusion of diverse families, and honoring families’ agency, resistance, and leadership.
Computable Ramsey's theorem for pairs needs infinitely many $$\Pi ^0_2$$ź20 sets

In Ramsey's Theorem and Recursion Theory, Theorem 4.2, Jockusch proved that for any computable k-coloring of pairs of integers, there is an infinite $$\Pi ^0_2$$ź20 homogeneous set. The proof used a countable collection of $$\Pi ^0_2$$ź20 sets as potential infinite homogeneous sets. In a remark preceding the proof, Jockusch stated without proof that it can be shown that there is no computable way to prove this result with a finite number of $$\Pi ^0_2$$ź20 sets. We provide a proof of this claim, showing that there is no computable way to take an index for an arbitrary computable coloring and produce a finite number of indices of $$\Pi ^0_2$$ź20 sets with the property that one of those sets will be homogeneous for that coloring. While proving this result, we introduce n-trains as objects with useful combinatorial properties which can be used as approximations to infinite $$\Pi ^0_2$$ź20 sets.
Direct Approach for Auriculotemporal Nerve Decompression, Amirlak Modification

Migraine patients with pain in the temple area require close attention to all temporal trigger sites. In addition to the zygomaticotemporal branch of the trigeminal nerve, a common trigger point in the temple is compression of the auriculotemporal nerve (ATN). In this modification of the Guyuron approach to temporal decompression, a safe direct approach for the release of the auriculotemporal nerve is described and can be employed for patients who have pain in the high temple.
Parental Emotion Regulation Strategies and Parenting Quality Predict Child Internalizing Symptoms in Families Experiencing Homelessness

Adaptive emotion regulation (ER) in parents has been linked to better parenting quality and social-emotional adjustment in children from middle-income families. In particular, early childhood may represent a sensitive period in which parenting behaviors and functioning have large effects on child social-emotional adjustment. However, little is known about how parent ER and parenting are related to child adjustment in high-risk families. In the context of adversity, parents may struggle to maintain positive parenting behaviors and adaptive self-regulation strategies which could jeopardize their children's adjustment. The current study investigated parents' own cognitive ER strategies and observed parenting quality in relation to young children's internalizing and externalizing problems among families experiencing homelessness. Participants included 108 primary caregivers and their four- to six-year-old children residing in emergency shelters. Using multiple methods, parenting and parent ER were assessed during a shelter stay and teachers subsequently provided ratings of children's internalizing and externalizing difficulties in the classroom. Parenting quality was expected to predict fewer classroom internalizing and externalizing behaviors as well as moderate the association between parent ER strategies and child outcomes. Results suggest that parenting quality buffered the effects of parent maladaptive ER strategies on child internalizing symptoms. The mediating role of parenting quality on that association was also investigated to build on prior empirical work in low-risk samples. Parenting quality did not show expected mediating effects. Findings suggest that parents experiencing homelessness who use fewer maladaptive cognitive ER strategies and more positive parenting behaviors may protect their children against internalizing problems.
Elucidation of Cellular Responses in Non-human Primates With Chronic Schistosomiasis Followed by Praziquantel Treatment

For decades, mass drug treatment with praziquantel (PZQ) has been utilized to treat schistosomiasis, yet reinfection and the risk of drug resistance are among the various factors precluding successful elimination of schistosomiasis. Tractable models that replicate "real world" field conditions are crucial to effectively evaluate putative schistosomiasis vaccines. Herein, we describe the cellular immune responses and cytokine expression profiles under field conditions that include prior infection with schistosomes followed by treatment with PZQ. Baboons were exposed to Schistosoma mansoni cercariae through trickle infection over 5 weeks, allowed for chronic disease to develop, and then treated with PZQ. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were monitored for cellular immune response(s) at each disease stage and PZQ therapy. After initial infection and during chronic disease, there was an increase in non-classical monocytes, NK and NKT cells while the CD4:CD8 T cell ratio inverted from a 2:1 to 1:2.5. The cytokine expressions of PBMCs after trickle infections were polarized more toward a Th2 response with a gradual increase in Th1 cytokine expression at chronic disease stage. Following PZQ treatment, with the exception of an increase in B cells, immune cell populations reverted back toward naive levels; however, expression of almost all Th1, Th2, and Th17 cytokines was significantly increased. This preliminary study is the first to follow the cellular immune response and cytokine expression profiles in a non-human primate model simulating field conditions of schistosomiasis and PZQ therapy, providing a promising reference in predicting the immune response to future vaccines for schistosomiasis.
Effects of metazachlor and its major metabolite metazachlor OA on early life stages of marbled crayfish

The effects of the herbicide metazachlor and its major metabolite metazachlor OA at two concentrations, including environmentally relevant concentrations of metazachlor (0.0115 µmol/l and 0.0790 µmol/l) and metazachlor OA (0.0117 µmol/l and 0.0805 µmol/l), respectively, were evaluated on early ontogeny, growth, behaviour, oxidative stress, antioxidant enzyme levels, histology, and mortality of marbled crayfish Procambarus virginalis. Both tested concentrations of metazachlor and metazachlor OA were associated with significantly lower growth and delayed ontogenetic development compared to controls. Exposure of metazachlor at 0.0115 µmol/l and metazachlor OA at 0.0117 µmol/l and 0.0805 µmol/l resulted in significantly lower activity of total superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione s-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR), and reduced glutathione (GSH) compared with control and resulted in gill anomalies ranging from wall thinning to focal disintegration of branchial structure. Metazachlor at the environmentally relevant concentration of 0.0790 µmol/l was associated with significant alterations of crayfish distance moved and walking speed. The potential risk associated with metazachlor use in agriculture related to effects on non-target aquatic organisms.
Australian Football in America During COVID-19

Despite its relative obscureness in the United States, Australian football has graced American airwaves since the 1990s The outbreak of COVID-19 in the spring of 2020 paved the way for the Australian Football League to be one of the only professional sports leagues broadcasting games live on American television Although the Australian Football League would later suspend the season, for at least one weekend, Australian football was the most popular sport in the United States This short essay pulls from news articles, social media posts, and existing literature to explore this unique time in the American sports landscape by investigating the response to Australian football from fans, the response from media outlets, and the future directions of Australian football in the United States The increase in exposure could help the Australian Football League become the next big spectator sport in the United States as well as help grow the game at a local, grassroots level
Abstract 1121: Baseline oral microbiota profiles associated with all-cancer incidence in a cohort of non-smoking Mexican American women

Background: We previously demonstrated an association of age and acculturation with oral microbiota among non-smoking women enrolled in a Texas cohort of first and second generation immigrants of Mexican origin. Given the increasing evidence that the oral microbiome is involved in obesity, diabetes and cancer risk, as well as the lack of data in Mexican Americans, we prospectively investigated baseline oral microbiota profiles in relation to all-cancer incidence. Methods: We characterized the 16Sv4 rDNA microbiome in oral mouthwash samples collected at baseline from a representative subset of 369 non-smoking women, aged 20-78 years, enrolled in the MD Anderson Mano a Mano Mexican American (MA) cohort study. Using Dirichlet multinomial mixtures (DMM) modeling, we previously identified three microbial communities or clusters in our sample uniquely characterized by Streptococcus, Fusobacterium and Prevotella. We evaluated within (alpha) and between sample (beta) diversity by incident cancer status and applied Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) Effect Size analysis (LEfSe) to assess differentially abundant taxa. Results: Over 8.9 median years of follow-up, 31 incident cancer cases were identified and verified with the Texas Cancer Registry. In addition to advanced age and higher acculturation, a prior history of cardiovascular disease and multiple cardiometabolic risk factors (obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension) were associated with higher all-cancer incidence in this subset of non-smoking women. With the exception of country of birth and following adjustment for age, none of these were strongly associated with the oral microbiome. Higher overall diversity of the oral microbiota, as assessed by Shannon diversity index, was observed among women diagnosed with cancer over follow-up, as compared to those who were not (age-adjusted Pdiff=0.0003). We observed potentially distinct biological communities, as measured by weighted UniFrac distance (Pdiff =0.001), and several differentially abundant taxa by incident cancer status. Fusobacterium, Campylobacter, Prevotella, Dialister and Atopobium were higher among women who developed cancer, while Streptococcus was enriched among women who did not develop cancer (LDA>=3, P Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first look at oral microbiota and cancer risk in Mexican American women. Our findings support the potential of the more readily accessible oral microbiota as a promising biomarker of cancer risk in non-smoking women. Citation Format: Xiaotao Zhang, Kristi L. Hoffman, Qiong Dong, Kplola Y. Elhor Gbito, Shine Chang, Joseph Petrosino, Carrie R. Daniel-MacDougall. Baseline oral microbiota profiles associated with all-cancer incidence in a cohort of non-smoking Mexican American women [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 1121.
Itacitinib (INCB039110), a JAK1 inhibitor, Reduces Cytokines Associated with Cytokine Release Syndrome Induced by CAR T-Cell Therapy

Purpose: T cells engineered to express a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) are a promising cancer immunotherapy. Such targeted therapies have shown long-term relapse-free survival in patients with B-cell leukemia and lymphoma. However, cytokine release syndrome (CRS) represents a serious, potentially life-threatening side effect often associated with CAR T-cell therapy. CRS manifests as a rapid (hyper)immune reaction driven by excessive inflammatory cytokine release, including IFNγ and IL6. Experimental Design: Many cytokines implicated in CRS are known to signal through the JAK-STAT pathway. Here we study the effect of blocking JAK pathway signaling on CAR T-cell proliferation, antitumor activity, and cytokine levels in in vitro and in vivo models. Results: We report that itacitinib, a potent, selective JAK1 inhibitor, was able to significantly and dose-dependently reduce levels of multiple cytokines implicated in CRS in several in vitro and in vivo models. Importantly, we also report that at clinically relevant doses that mimic human JAK1 pharmacologic inhibition, itacitinib did not significantly inhibit proliferation or antitumor killing capacity of three different human CAR T-cell constructs (GD2, EGFR, and CD19). Finally, in an in vivo model, antitumor activity of CD19-CAR T cells adoptively transferred into CD19+ tumor-bearing immunodeficient animals was unabated by oral itacitinib treatment. Conclusions: Together, these data suggest that itacitinib has potential as a prophylactic agent for the prevention of CAR T cell–induced CRS, and a phase II clinical trial of itacitinib for prevention of CRS induced by CAR T-cell therapy has been initiated (NCT04071366).
Characterizing Cardiovascular Outcomes Following Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell Therapy: A Single Institution, Retrospective Analysis

Introduction: CD19-targeting chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has generated robust clinical responses in the treatment of relapsed and refractory hematological malignancies. While CAR T cell toxicity in the form of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) is well-characterized, there is limited data describing the potential cardiovascular toxicities following CART cell therapy. The goal of this study was to characterize these cardiovascular toxicities and describe their relationship to CRS. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 60 patients who received Axicabtagene ciloleucel (n=43), Tisagenlecleucel (n=16) or investigational bispecific CD19/CD20 CART cells (n=1) at the University of California Los Angeles between 2018 and 2020. The American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT) consensus grading system was used to identify CRS. Cardiovascular toxicities were defined as a composite of newly developed arrhythmias, clinical heart failure, acute coronary syndromes, or any cardiac death. Chi-square, Fisher's Exact test, and t-test analyses were used to identify factors associated with the development of cardiovascular toxicities following CAR T cell infusion. Results: Sixty patients with a mean age on admission of 54.94 (±19) years underwent CAR T cell therapy with a median time to follow-up or death of 206 days (Table 1). Overall, 15 patients developed grade I CRS, 21 patients developed grade II CRS, and 7 patients developed grade III CRS. No patients progressed past grade III CRS. In total, 14 patients (23.3%) developed adverse cardiovascular outcomes, including arrhythmias (n=10), clinical signs of heart failure (n=2), and acute coronary syndrome (n=2). In a 2-sided Fisher’s Exact Test, the grade of CRS developed was significantly associated with the development of adverse cardiovascular outcomes in our patient cohort (p=0.014). Those developing cardiovascular events were also more likely to be taking beta blockers prior to the initiation of CAR T cell therapy (p=0.039). There was however no association between the development of cardiovascular toxicity and an increased composite cardiovascular risk combining hypertension, stroke, coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, and heart failure (p=0.30). There was also no association between cardiovascular toxicity and a higher lifetime anthracycline dose (p=0.99), the type of CAR T cell therapy (p=0.073) or the presenting cancer type (p=0.65). Conclusions: Following CAR T cell therapy, cardiovascular adverse events are common and occur in association with CRS. These data support the need for a comprehensive pre-treatment cardiac evaluation and a cardiovascular surveillance strategy post-CAR T cell therapy. Download : Download high-res image (1MB) Download : Download full-size image Table . Disclosures Nielan: Parexel Imaging: Consultancy; BMS: Consultancy; AbbVie: Consultancy; Intrinsic Imaging: Consultancy; H3 Biomedicine: Consultancy. Yang: CSL Behring: Research Funding.
A Pseudomonas aeruginosa Antimicrobial Affects the Biogeography but Not Fitness of Staphylococcus aureus during Coculture.

ABSTRACT Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus are two of the most common coinfecting bacteria in human infections, including the cystic fibrosis (CF) lung. There is emerging evidence that coinfection with these microbes enhances disease severity and antimicrobial tolerance through direct interactions. However, one of the challenges to studying microbial interactions relevant to human infection is the lack of experimental models with the versatility to investigate complex interaction dynamics while maintaining biological relevance. Here, we developed a model based on an in vitro medium that mimics human CF lung secretions (synthetic CF sputum medium [SCFM2]) and allows time-resolved assessment of fitness and community spatial structure at the micrometer scale. Our results reveal that P. aeruginosa and S. aureus coexist as spatially structured communities in SCFM2 under static growth conditions, with S. aureus enriched at a distance of 3.5 μm from P. aeruginosa. Multispecies aggregates were rare, and aggregate (biofilm) sizes resembled those in human CF sputum. Elimination of P. aeruginosa’s ability to produce the antistaphylococcal small molecule HQNO (2-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline N-oxide) had no effect on bacterial fitness but altered the spatial structure of the community by increasing the distance of S. aureus from P. aeruginosa to 7.6 μm. Lastly, we show that coculture with P. aeruginosa sensitizes S. aureus to killing by the antibiotic tobramycin compared to monoculture growth despite HQNO enhancing tolerance during coculture. Our findings reveal that SCFM2 is a powerful model for studying P. aeruginosa and S. aureus and that HQNO alters S. aureus biogeography and antibiotic susceptibility without affecting fitness. IMPORTANCE Many human infections result from the action of multispecies bacterial communities. Within these communities, bacteria have been proposed to directly interact via physical and chemical means, resulting in increased disease and antimicrobial tolerance. One of the challenges to studying multispecies infections is the lack of robust, infection-relevant model systems with the ability to study these interactions through time with micrometer-scale precision. Here, we developed a versatile in vitro model for studying the interactions between Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, two bacteria that commonly coexist in human infections. Using this model along with high-resolution, single-cell microscopy, we showed that P. aeruginosa and S. aureus form communities that are spatially structured at the micrometer scale, controlled in part by the production of an antimicrobial by P. aeruginosa. In addition, we provide evidence that this antimicrobial enhances S. aureus tolerance to an aminoglycoside antibiotic only during coculture.
Multiple Causal Variants Underlie Genetic Associations in Humans

The majority of associations between genetic variation and human traits and diseases are non-coding and in strong linkage disequilibrium (LD) with surrounding genetic variation. In these cases, a single causal variant is often assumed to underlie the association, however no systematic assessment of the number of causal variants has been performed. In this study, we applied a massively parallel reporter assay (MPRA) in lymphoblastoid cells to functionally evaluate 49,256 allelic pairs, representing 30,893 genetic variants in high, local linkage disequilibrium for 744 independent cis-expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) and assessed each for colocalization across 114 traits. We identified 8,502 allele-independent regulatory regions containing 1,264 allele-specific regulatory variants, and found that 17.7% of eQTL contained more than one significant allelic effect. We show that detected regulatory variants are highly and specifically enriched for activating chromatin structures and allelic transcription factor binding, for which ETS-domain family members are a large driver. Integration of MPRA profiles with eQTL/complex trait colocalizations identified causal variant sets for associations with blood cell measurements, Asthma, Multiple Sclerosis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, and Crohn9s Disease. These results demonstrate that a sizable number of association signals are manifest through multiple, tightly-linked causal variants requiring high-throughput functional assays for fine-mapping.
The Size Distribution of Manufacturing Plants and Development1

The typical size distribution of manufacturing plants in developing countries has a thick left tail compared to developed countries. The same holds across Indian states, with richer states having a much smaller share of their manufacturing employment in small plants. In this paper, I explore the hypothesis that this income-size relation arises from the fact that low income countries and states have high demand for low quality products which can be produced efficiently in small plants. I provide evidence which is consistent with this hypothesis from both the consumer and producer side. In particular, I show empirically that richer households buy higher price goods while larger plants produce higher price products (and use higher price inputs). I develop a model which matches these crosssectional facts. The model features non-homothetic preferences with respect to quality on the consumer side. On the producer side, high quality production has higher marginal costs and requires higher fixed costs. These two features imply that high quality producers are larger on average and charge higher prices. The model can explain about forty percent of the cross-state variation in the left tail of manufacturing plants in India.
Wedges: Stories as Simple Machines.

This piece of comics-based research (CBR) details the use of arts-based methods in ongoing research with young transgender or otherwise gender diverse children. Drawing from both the anthropology o...
CHAPTER 6 – The Relevance of Ethics to Agriculture and Weed Science

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses that underlying views on agricultural issues is an ethical foundation that determines agriculture's ethical horizon, including one of agriculture's subdisciplines: weed science. Knowing that foundation for any position, it was suggested, is an important step toward resolving any of agriculture's ethical dilemmas. The question is can one show how ethics and ethical theory can be applied to weed science, a small segment of agriculture? If such a connection can be made, it should be easy to extrapolate the connection to agriculture's many other subdisciplines. The chapter further discusses that productivity and profitability of agriculture should be debated, because production and profitability are but instrumental goals. They are means to meet human needs. As operative values are discussed, one should consider broadening the concept of productivity and efficiency to include basic environmental, resource, ecological, health, social, and political processes, and the costs and benefits of agricultural technology. The ultimate formulation of a sustaining ethic for weed science will not be as difficult as all of these criteria imply, if the ethic can be based on a value all might accept, such as meeting human needs. Innovation in agriculture can be good, but perhaps it will be best when what agricultural scientists declare good is also judged good by a concerned populace that finds agricultural innovations compatible with their view of what constitutes the good life, the good society, and satisfaction of human needs.