cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Delayed Targeting of Cytokine-Nonresponsive Human Bone Marrow CD34+ Cells With Retrovirus-Mediated Gene Transfer Enhances Transduction Efficiency and Long-Term Expression of Transduced Genes

Primitive hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) are potential targets for treatment of numerous hematopoietic diseases using retroviral-mediated gene transfer (RMGT). To achieve high efficiency of gene transfer into primitive HPCs, a delicate balance between cellular activation and proliferation and maintenance of hematopoietic potential must be established. We have demonstrated that a subpopulation of human bone marrow (BM) CD34+ cells, highly enriched for primitive HPCs, persists in culture in a mitotically quiescent state due to their cytokine-nonresponsive (CNR) nature, a characteristic that may prevent efficient RMGT of these cells. To evaluate and possibly circumvent this, we designed a two-step transduction protocol using neo R-containing vectors coupled with flow cytometric cell sorting to isolate and examine transduction efficiency in different fractions of cultured CD34+ cells. BM CD34+ cells stained on day 0 (d0) with the membrane dye PKH2 were prestimulated for 24 hours with stem cell factor (SCF), interleukin-3 (IL-3), and IL-6, and then transduced on fibronectin with the retroviral vector LNL6 on d1. On d5, half of the cultured cells were transduced with the retroviral vector G1Na and sorted on d6 into cytokine-responsive (d6 CR) cells (detected via their loss of PKH2 fluorescence relative to d0 sample) and d6 CNR cells that had not divided since d0. The other half of the cultured cells were first sorted on d5 into d5 CR and d5 CNR cells and then infected separately with G1Na. Both sets of d5 and d6 CR and CNR cells were cultured in secondary long-term cultures (LTCs) and assayed weekly for transduced progenitor cells. Significantly higher numbers of G418-resistant colonies were produced in cultures initiated with d5 and d6 CNR cells compared with respective CR fractions ( P .05). However, at weeks 3 and 4, d5 and d6 CNR fractions generated significantly higher numbers of neo R progenitor cells relative to the respective CR fractions ( P < .05), while no difference in transduction efficiency between d5 and d6 CNR cells could be demonstrated. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of the origin of transduced neo R gene in clonogenic cells demonstrated that mature progenitors (CR fractions) contained predominantly LNL6 sequences, while more primitive progenitor cells (CNR fractions) were transduced with G1Na. These results demonstrate that prolonged stimulation of primitive HPCs is essential for achieving efficient RMGT into cells capable of sustaining long-term in vitro hematopoiesis. These findings may have significant implications for the development of clinical gene therapy protocols.
Internal hernia through a congenital peritoneal defect in the vesico-uterine space

Introduction An internal hernia is a rare type of hernia that may either be congenital or acquired in etiology. Acquired internal hernias generally develop from mesenteric defects or adhesions from prior surgery. These hernias can trap and/or twist small bowel, resulting in bowel obstruction. The diagnosis of small bowel obstruction (SBO) secondary to internal hernia is particularly challenging given its non-specific clinical presentation. Thus, it is critical for the clinician to keep internal hernias as part of the differential for a patient presenting with SBO.
Near surface wind longitudinal velocity positively skews with increasing aerodynamic roughness length

Abstract Analysis of anemometric observations collected during the 1999–2016 Atlantic hurricane seasons and boundary layer wind tunnel (BLWT) measurements indicate that the near surface wind behavior deviates from Gaussian as surface roughness increases. Quadrant analysis of the Reynolds stress clearly demonstrates the linkage between the longitudinal skewness and downward transfers of momentum (sweep events) in strong winds, which previous studies have also observed. Modern wind load provisioning and BLWT similarity requirements do not explicitly account for this effect, although the experimental configuration of typical wind tunnel development sections may correctly simulate the phenomena. Here we quantify how the observed positive skewness affects the terrain exposure coefficient profile for ASCE 7. The results demonstrate the need to update peak factor calculations to accurately predict extreme winds acting on low-rise buildings in built-up terrain.
Novel, High-Throughput, Fiber-to-Chip Assembly Employing Only Off-the-Shelf Components

Cost-efficient assembly of single-mode fibers to silicon chips is a significant challenge for large-scale deployment of Si photonics. We have previously demonstrated a fully automated approach to parallelized assembly of fiber arrays to nanophotonic chips meant to be performed with standard high-throughput microelectronic tooling. Our original approach required a customization of a standard fiber component, which could limit cost-efficiency and scalability. Here, we demonstrate a novel approach to fiber assembly employing off-the-shelf fiber components only. The new concept employs a dual vacuum pick-tip that can be integrated in standard high-throughput microelectronic tooling. We validate this approach with assemblies of standard 12-fiber interfaces to nanophotonic chips. The assembly performance is assessed via x-ray tomography cross-sections, polished mechanical cross-sections, and optical coupling measurements.
Cost Benefit of Comprehensive Primary and Preventive School-Based Health Care.

Introduction The Rales Health Center is a comprehensive school-based health center at an urban elementary/middle school. Rales Health Center provides a full range of pediatric services using an enriched staffing model consisting of pediatrician, nurse practitioner, registered nurses, and medical office assistant. This staffing model provides greater care but costs more than traditional school-based health centers staffed by part-time nurses. The objective was to analyze the cost benefit of Rales Health Center enhanced staffing model compared with a traditional school-based health center (standard care), focusing on asthma care, which is among the most prevalent chronic conditions of childhood. Methods In 2016, cost-benefit analysis using a decision tree determined the net social benefit of Rales Health Center compared with standard care from the U.S. societal perspective based on the 2015–2016 academic year. It was assumed that Rales Health Center could handle greater patient throughput related to asthma, decreased prescription costs, reduced parental resources in terms of missed work time, and improved student attendance. Univariate and multivariate probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted. Results The expected cost to operate Rales Health Center was $409,120, compared with standard care cost of $172,643. Total monetized incremental benefits of Rales Health Center were estimated to be $993,414. The expected net social benefit for Rales Health Center was $756,937, which demonstrated substantial societal benefit at a return of $4.20 for every dollar invested. This net social benefit estimate was robust to sensitivity analyses. Conclusions Despite the greater cost associated with the Rales Health Center’s enhanced staffing model, the results of this analysis highlight the cost benefit of providing comprehensive, high-quality pediatric care in schools, particularly schools with a large proportion of underserved students.
SYNOPTIC WEATHER TYPES: AN INDEX OF EVAPORATION IN SOUTHERN LOUISIANA

Synoptic weather types have been found to be useful tools in the study of various environmental processes. One of the advantages of synoptic weather types is that they represent several climatic factors as a unit. Thus, synoptic weather classifications may be utilized to form an environmental baseline that can be employed in a wide variety of applications. One viable use of synoptic weather types is the determination of regional estimates of evaporation. In southern Louisiana, rates of mean daily pan evaporation by synoptic weather types are useful as an index of evaporation, based on the frequency of weather type occurrence. Such estimates have been found to be as good as those from various models and are especially useful for areas of southern Louisiana where climatic data are not collected.
Front-end layout reflection for test chip design

Fast yield ramping in a new technology to meet aggressive time-to-market deadlines requires a comprehensive design and fabrication methodology for silicon test structures that systematically explores and validates the technology. Prior work proposed a novel logic characterization vehicle (LCV), along with an implementation flow that produces a test chip that ensures logic demographics that resemble real products, and ensures near-optimal testability and diagnosability. This work describes a design flow that efficiently incorporates FEOL layout properties into an easily testable and diagnosable logic-based test chip. Experiments comparing testability, logic and layout properties between the test chip design and various benchmark circuits demonstrate the efficacy of this approach.
SELECTIVE CONSERVATION OF THE ORIGINS OF DNA REPLICATION (GENOMIC TERMINI) IN SPONTANEOUS DELETION MUTANTS OF THE PARVOVIRUS MVM

ABSTRACT We have isolated spontaneously arising deletion mutants of the parvovirus MVM after both a single high multiplicity passage and after serial undiluted passage. These deletion mutants, which possess 0.1-0.7 genome equivalents of DNA, contain two distinct types of viral DNA, designated type I D-DNA and type II D-DNA. Type I D-DNAs are predominantly single-stranded, “recombinant” molecules which have selectively conserved the self-complementary sequences derived from both genomic termini. Type II D-DNAs are double-stranded hairpin molecules which contain viral sequences that map entirely at the 5′ end of the genome, between map coordinates 85.0 and 100.
Severe hypophosphataemia: a rare cause of postoperative muscle weakness

We report a case of severe generalised muscle weakness in a 66-year-old man who underwent revision of left knee arthroplasty. On postoperative day 1, he developed non-focal muscle weakness and shortness of breath which progressed over a 6-hour period. Serum phosphorus level was severely low at 0.5 mg/dL, along with mild degree of hypokalaemia, hypocalcaemia and hypomagnesaemia. His symptoms completely resolved after emergent phosphorus replacement. The authors believe this case is of educational interest to physicians as generalised muscle weakness is an uncommon presentation of severe hypophosphataemia. In a postoperative setting, hypophosphataemia is often multifactorial, thought to result from combination of perioperative catecholamine surge, administration of saline, diuretics, glucose and antacids, poor oral intake and respiratory alkalosis secondary to pain. We report this case to raise awareness among physicians on severe phosphate imbalance as the primary aetiology for acute generalised muscle weakness and respiratory failure, especially after a surgery.
Use of Nanomaterials in Animals

Nanotechnology is predicted to be a transformative technology and lead to improvements in many aspects of human life. Accumulating scientific evidence from experimental animal studies indicates tha...
Politically Engaged Unionism: The Culinary Workers Union in Las Vegas

This chapter will examine the model of what I term “politically engaged unionism” in the Las Vegas area as a template for labor-community coalitions in the labor movement of the future. Culinary Workers Union Local 226, an affiliate of UNITE HERE, AFL-CIO (“the Culinary Union”) has focused on being a politically connected union able to obtain results with state and local policymakers, and that political and legislative success has been followed by gains at the bargaining table. In this chapter, I argue that the Culinary Union defies previous distinctions between business unionism and social movement unionism, with lessons for the future of the rest of the labor movement.
Fast Text Compression with Neural Networks

Neural networks have the potential to extend data compression algorithms beyond the character level n-gram models now in use, but have usually been avoided because they are too slow to be practical. We introduce a model that produces better compression than popular Limpel-Ziv compressors (zip, gzip, compress), and is competitive in time, space, and compression ratio with PPM and BurrowsWheeler algorithms, currently the best known. The compressor, a bit-level predictive arithmetic encoder using a 2 layer, 4 × 10 6 by 1 network, is fast (about 10 4 characters/second) because only 4-5 connections are simultaneously active and because it uses a variable learning rate optimized for one-pass training.
Nitrogenase Bioelectrocatalysis: From Understanding Electron-Transfer Mechanisms to Energy Applications

Nitrogenase is the only enzyme known to reduce molecular nitrogen to ammonia, so it has been an oxidoreductase enzyme of great interest to the electrofuels and catalysis communities, as people consider the design of bioinspired nitrogen reduction catalysts for the production of ammonia. This Perspective details the use of nitrogenase as an electrocatalyst to learn mechanistic information about the electron-transfer mechanism as an inspiration for molecular and metal-based electrocatalysts and for a variety of energy applications, including energy-efficient ammonia production and biofuel cells. This Perspective also addresses the issues and challenges of nitrogenase bioelectrocatalysis that will need to be addressed in the coming years.
Assembly en route.

A growing body of evidence suggests that cotranslational folding occurs from bacteria to mammalian cells, in particular for multi-domain proteins. In the assembly of yeast proteasomes, the initial interaction of Rpt1 and Rpt2 subunits has been found to take place on the translating ribosomes, coordinated by elongation pausing and involving the formation of Not1-containing compartments.
The non-homologous end-joining activity is required for Fanconi anemia fetal HSC maintenance

Recent studies have shown that deficiency in the Fanconi anemia (FA) DNA repair pathway enhances the error-prone non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) repair, leading to increased genomic instability, and that genetic or pharmacological inhibition of the NHEJ pathway could rescue the FA phenotype. First, we exposed LSK cells from WT and Fanca−/− mice to DNA-PKcs inhibitor NU7026 or Ku70 knockdown to examine whether inhibition of NHEJ sensitizes Fanca−/− HSPCs to PARP inhibitor (PARPi)- or interstrand crosslinking (ICL)-induced cell death and genomic instability. We then generated DNA-PKcs3A/3AFanca−/− mice to investigate the effect of specific inactivation of NHEJ on fetal HSCs. Lastly, we used two p53 mutant models to test whether specific inactivation of the p53 function in apoptosis is sufficient to rescue embryonic lethality and fetal HSC depletion in Fanca−/− DNA-PKcs3A/3A mice. Inhibition of NHEJ sensitizes HSPCs from Fanca−/− mice to PARP inhibition- and ICL-induced cell death and genomic instability and further decreases Fanca−/− HSPC proliferation and hematopoietic repopulation in irradiated transplant recipients. Specific inactivation of NHEJ activity by the knockin DNA-PKcs3A/3A mutation in two FA mouse models, Fanca−/− and Fancc−/−, leads to embryonic lethality. DNA-PKcs3A/3A causes fetal HSC depletion in developing Fanca−/− embryos due to increased HSC apoptosis and cycling. Both p53−/− and a knockin p53515C mutation, which selectively impairs the p53 function in apoptosis, can rescue embryonic lethality and fetal HSC depletion in Fanca−/− DNA-PKcs3A/3A mice. These results demonstrate that the NHEJ pathway functions to maintain Fanconi anemia fetal HSCs.
Race and ethnicity II: White women and the possessive geographies of white supremacy:

In this second report on research about race and ethnicity in geography, I build from growing scholarly interest in the geographies of white supremacy to consider white women’s central role in the ...
Integrating Technology in Physical Education Teacher Education: A Socialization Perspective.

Physical education teacher education (PETE) programs are encouraged to develop teachers capable of delivering technology integrated learning experiences. Technological pedagogical content knowledge...
An Observational Assessment of Physical Activity Levels and Social Behavior During Residential Summer Camp Unstructured Time.

Purpose:To evaluate children’s physical activity (PA) levels, social play behavior, activity time, and social interactions during unstructured time.Approach:Systematic observation tool to record ch...
Inquiry in oral communication: adapting oral examinations for teaching introductory physiology students to evaluate scientific research studies.

Generating an increasingly skilled and numerous workforces of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professionals is a national priority. Central to this goal is improving the ab...
Detection of topology via entanglement oscillations

We introduce a characterization of topological order based on bulk oscillations of the entanglement entropy and the definition of an ``entanglement gap,'' showing that it is generally applicable to pure and disordered quantum systems. Using exact diagonalization and the strong disorder renormalization group method, we demonstrate that this approach gives results in agreement with the use of traditional topological invariants, especially in cases where topological order is known to persist in the presence of off-diagonal bond disorder. The entanglement gap is then used to analyze classes of quantum systems with alternating bond types, allowing us to construct their topological phase diagrams. The validity of these phase diagrams is verified in limiting cases of dominant bond types, where the solution is known.
Senolysis and Senostasis Through the Plasma Membrane

With increasing evidence that senescent cells are detrimental towards a range of age-associated diseases and physiologic declines, there is rising urgency to develop interventions to suppress their adverse effects. Most senolytic approaches aim to eliminate senescent cells by rendering them vulnerable to apoptosis, while senostatic (senomorphic) approaches do not destroy the cell and instead suppress a specific senescent trait. In both senolysis and senostasis, the major goals include reducing the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) and to enhance the immunogenicity of the senescent compartment. These therapeutic aims are best elicited from the plasma membrane, although efforts to identify plasma membrane targets are only now beginning. We discuss several plasma membrane proteins expressed preferentially in senescent cells and their roles in neutralizing senescent cells by immune-mediated senolysis (as reported for DPP4, VIM, and NKFB2 ligands) and by suppressing the SASP (as reported for SCAMP4 and CD36). We identify the advantages and challenges of developing therapeutic approaches directed at the plasma membrane of senescent cells.
Uveitis–Glaucoma–Hyphema Syndrome: a Review and Exploration of New Concepts

Uveitis–glaucoma–hyphema (UGH) syndrome is a rare but serious complication of cataract extraction and other anterior segment procedures. If left untreated, UGH syndrome can lead to permanent vision loss and visual disability. The purpose of this review is to discuss the etiology, pathogenesis, and presenting signs and symptoms of UGH syndrome. Additionally, we will review the clinical and diagnostic tools used to aid in confirming the diagnosis of UGH syndrome and discuss both the standard and newly developed management strategies for this condition. While the current management of UGH syndrome still involves lens extraction, new surgical techniques designed to preserve the intraocular lens (IOL) have been reported. Additionally, options for IOL reimplantation are discussed. The best treatment for a specific case of UGH syndrome depends on the exact underlying cause of the condition, and as such is variable. We present a variety of recent studies describing novel treatment methods and diagnostic techniques, as well as IOL exchange techniques.
Global and peak local specific absorption rate control on parallel transmit systems using k-means SAR compression model.

Purpose To improve the specific absorption rate (SAR) compression model capability in parallel transmission (pTx) MRI systems. Methods A k-means clustering method is proposed to group voxels with similar SAR behaviors in the scanned object, providing a controlled upper-bounded estimation of peak local SARs. This k-means compression model and the conventional virtual observation point (VOP) model were tested in a pTx MRI framework. The pTx pulse design with different SAR controlling schemes was simulated using a numerical human head model and an eight-channel 7T coil array. Multiple criteria (including RF power, global and peak local SARs, and excitation accuracy) were compared for the performance testing. Results The k-means compression model generated a narrower overestimation bound, leading to a more accurate local SAR estimation. Among different pTx pulse design approaches, the k-means compression model showed the best trade-off between the SAR and excitation accuracy. Conclusions The developed SAR compression model is advantageous for pTx framework given the narrower overestimation bound and control over the compression ratio. Results also illustrate that a moderate increase of maximum RF power can be useful for reducing the maximum local SAR deposition.
Rapid ethnographic assessment of the COVID-19 pandemic April 2020 'surge' and its impact on service delivery in an Acute Care Medical Emergency Department and Trauma Center.

Objectives Assess the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on service delivery by frontline healthcare providers in acute care medical and emergency department settings and identify strategies used to cope with pandemic-related physical and mental health demands. Design Rapid clinical ethnography of patient–provider encounters during an initial pandemic ‘surge’ conducted by a team of clinician–researchers using a structured protocol for qualitative data collection and analysis. Setting Level 1 trauma centre at Harborview Hospital in Seattle Washington in April 2020. Participants Frontline clinical providers serving as participant observers during performance of their clinical duties recorded observations and summaries of conversations with other providers and patients. Results We identified four different kinds of impacts: procedural, provider, patient and overall. Each impact highlighted two or more levels of a socioecological model of services delivery: (1) the epidemiology of COVID-19, (2) outer setting, (3) inner or organisational setting and (4) individual patient and provider. Despite significant changes in procedures that included COVID-19 screening of all admitted patients, social distancing and use of personal protective equipment, as well as changes in patient and provider behaviour, the overall impact of the pandemic on the emergency department and acute care service delivery was minimal. This is attributed to having a smaller surge than expected, a quick response by the healthcare system to anticipated demands for service delivery and protection of patients and providers, adequate supplies and high provider morale. Conclusions Although limited to one setting in one healthcare system in one community, the findings offer some important lessons for healthcare systems that have yet to be impacted as well as systems that have been more severely impacted. Each of the socioecological framework levels was found to impact service delivery to patients, and variations at each of these levels account for variations in that quality of care globally.
Crime and Detection in a Virtually Mobile World: Tom Hillenbrand’s Drohnenland

Henderson investigates Tom Hillenbrand’s dystopian thriller Drohnenland (2014), a German crime narrative that expands and transcends traditional ideas of mobility by including an alternate reality that exists parallel to current time and space. In a world where drones monitor everything and everyone, the almost unlimited mobility of data and digital simulations provides a stark contrast to the actual mobility of the population under surveillance. Focusing on the effects of digital surveillance and the future of policing, Henderson explores global and local connections, limits of mobility and opportunities for personal agency based on creativity in the use of new technologies. Henderson further discusses the price of convenience and security and the dangers of blindly trusting digital data that can easily be manipulated.
Inducible Directed Evolution of Complex Phenotypes in Bacteria

Abstract Directed evolution is a powerful method for engineering biology in the absence of detailed sequence-function relationships. To enable directed evolution of complex phenotypes encoded by multigene pathways, we require large library sizes for DNA sequences >5-10kb in length, elimination of genomic hitchhiker mutations, and decoupling of diversification and screening steps. To meet these challenges, we developed Inducible Directed Evolution (IDE), which uses a temperate bacteriophage to package large plasmids and transfer them to naive cells after intracellular mutagenesis. To demonstrate IDE, we evolved a 5-gene pathway from Bacillus licheniformis that accelerates tagatose catabolism in Escherichia coli, resulting in clones with 65% shorter lag times during growth on tagatose after only two rounds of evolution.
Formation and stability of reduced Ti O x layers on anatase Ti O 2 (101 ) : Identification of a novel T i 2 O 3 phase

We use density functional theory (DFT) calculations to investigate structural models consisting of anatase $\mathrm{Ti}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}(101)$ slabs covered by reduced overlayers formed by (101) crystallographic shear planes (CSPs). Ab initio thermodynamics supports the stability of these structures under a wide range of experimental conditions. The overlayers are found to have $\mathrm{T}{\mathrm{i}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ stoichiometry with a crystal structure different from the known corundumlike $\mathrm{T}{\mathrm{i}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ (here denoted a $\ensuremath{\alpha}\text{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{T}{\mathrm{i}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$) phase. DFT calculations predict this new ``$\mathrm{csp}\text{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{T}{\mathrm{i}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$'' phase to be energetically close to $\ensuremath{\alpha}\text{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{T}{\mathrm{i}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ and to have also a similar band gap. These results suggest a possible role of the $\mathrm{csp}\text{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{T}{\mathrm{i}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ phase in the properties of black $\mathrm{Ti}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}$, a promising photocatalytic material made of nanoparticles with a crystalline $\mathrm{Ti}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ core and a highly reduced $\mathrm{Ti}{\mathrm{O}}_{x}$ shell that is capable of absorbing the whole spectrum of visible light.
Behavioral Consequences of Sensory System Constraints in the Firefly Photinus carolinus

Fireflies use bioluminescent flashes to establish a dialogue between conspecific males and females. Through this dialogue, receptive females attract conspecific males for mating. In most firefly sp...
Fine-Mesh Exclusion Netting for Control of Drosophila suzukii

The exclusion of agricultural pests through physical barriers is a growing practice expanded from its initial use for climate control and season extension. Today, a diversity of approaches to physical barriers allow growers to suppress damage from birds, large arthropod pests, and the spotted wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii). Here, we review the history of physical barriers, the diversity of approaches, the efficacy for suppression of D. suzukii, and potential win-wins and trade-offs with economic and agricultural management. For long-lived perennial fruit systems, inexpensive spunbond materials have been eschewed in favor of stronger, woven, polyamide mesh nets. A flurry of 12 publications show that fine-mesh netting excludes D. suzukii in blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, and grapes compared to non-insecticidal and insecticidal controls. These nets also protect against insect and avian fruit pests, increase yield, have little to no impact on fruit quality, and minor impacts on temperature and humidity. However, pollination management challenges their implementation. Further, the high cost of both application and purchase of materials are potential barriers to adoption. Nonetheless, with increased longevity and decreasing costs, we conclude that netting physical barriers are effective and show great potential as an alternative or companion to insecticide use for the future.
Non-operative Management of Adult Both Bone Forearm Fractures - A Case Report and Literature Review.

Introduction Adult both bone forearm fractures (BBFF) are common injuries that are typically treated with operative fixation given their instability. Non-displaced fractures can be theoretically treated non-operatively, but there is no literature demonstrating treatment outcomes of such fractures. Case Report We present a case of non-displaced BBFF in a 23-year-old Caucasian male adult who was treated with cast immobilization and concomitant ultrasound stimulator use; this patient went on to have solid fracture healing without complication. Conclusion Based on this case, we demonstrate that non-operative management of non-displaced BBFF in adult patients is an option if close follow-up is available. This is significant for the fields of both orthopedic and plastic surgery, as there is little concrete evidence of outcomes of such non-displaced fractures in hand surgery literature.
Rapid and sustained decline in CXCL-10 (IP-10) annotates clinical outcomes following TNF-α antagonist therapy in hospitalized patients with severe and critical COVID-19 respiratory failure

BackgroundA feed-forward pathological signaling loop generated by TNF and IFN-{gamma} in inflamed lung tissue, driving CXCL-10 (IP-10) and CXCL-9 chemokine-mediated activated T-cell and monocyte/macrophage tissue recruitment, may define, sustain and amplify the inflammatory biology of lethal COVID-19 respiratory failure. MethodsTo assess TNF-antagonist therapy, 18 hospitalized adults with hypoxic respiratory failure and COVID-19 pneumonia received single-dose infliximab-abda therapy 5mg/kg intravenously between April and December 2020. The primary endpoint was time to increase in oxygen saturation to fraction of inspired oxygen ratio (SpO2/FiO2) by [≥] 50 compared to baseline and sustained for 48 hours. Secondary endpoints included 28-day mortality, dynamic cytokine profiles (Human Cytokine 48-Plex Discovery Assay, Eve Technologies), secondary infections, duration of supplemental oxygen support and hospitalization. FindingsPatients were predominantly in critical respiratory failure (15/18, 83%), male (14/18, 78%), above 60 years (median 63 yrs, range 31-80), race-ethnic minorities (13/18, 72%), lymphopenic (13/18, 72%), steroid-treated (17/18, 94%), with a median ferritin of 1953ng/ml. Sixteen patients (89%) met the primary endpoint within a median of 4 days, 15/18 (83%) recovered from respiratory failure, and 14/18 (78%) were discharged in a median of 8 days and were alive at 28-day follow-up. Deaths among three patients [≥] 65yrs age with pre-existing lung disease or multiple comorbidities were attributed to secondary lung infection. Mean plasma IP-10 levels declined sharply from 9183 pg/ml to 483 pg/ml at Day 3 and further to 146 pg/ml at Day 14/discharge. Significant declines in IFN-{gamma}, TNF, IL-27, CRP and ferritin were specifically observed at Day 3 whereas other cytokines were unmodified. IL-6 levels declined sharply among patients with baseline levels >10 pg/ml. Among 13 lymphopenic patients, six (46%) had resolution of lymphopenia by day 3, and 11 by day 14. CXCR3-ligand (IP-10 and CXCL-9) declines were strongly correlated among patients with lymphopenia reversal (Day 3, Pearson r: 0.98, p-value: 0.0006). InterpretationConsistent with a pathophysiological role of TNF, the clinical and cytokine data indicate that infliximab-abda may rapidly abrogate pathological inflammatory signaling to facilitate clinical recovery in severe and critical COVID-19. Randomized studies are required to formally assess mortality outcomes. Funding: National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
Reflective Paint Consisting of Mesoporous Silica Aerogel and Titania Nanoparticles for Thermal Management

Thermal insulation paint material is an energy-critical coating component for thermal management in energy-efficient buildings, vehicles, electronics, and data centers. Long-standing pursuits for the paint coating materials are high thermal insulation and light reflectance, mechanical durability, and wear resistance. Here we describe an aqueous-based hierarchical coating nanocomposite composed of mesoporous silica aerogel and titania nanoparticle pigment paint which exhibits a low thermal conductivity of 0.029 W/m K, a high visible reflectance of 90%, and a mechanical Young’s modulus of ∼4.86 MPa with a high abrasion resistance. The hierarchical and hydrophobic nanocomposite coatings show robust thermal cycling and thermal resistance, resulting in an equivalent cooling power of 928 W/m2. The design and manufacturing principle reported here could extend to a variety of insulation coating materials to achieve energy efficiency and sustainability.
Learning to Satisfy Unknown Constraints in Iterative MPC

We propose a control design method for linear time-invariant systems that iteratively learns to satisfy unknown polyhedral state constraints. At each iteration of a repetitive task, the method constructs an estimate of the unknown environment constraints using collected closed-loop trajectory data. This estimated constraint set is improved iteratively upon collection of additional data. An MPC controller is then designed to robustly satisfy the estimated constraint set. This paper presents the details of the proposed approach, and provides robust and probabilistic guarantees of constraint satisfaction as a function of the number of executed task iterations. We demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed framework in a detailed numerical example.
The Basal Ganglia and Sensorimotor Integration

Although the basal ganglia were once viewed as lacking in specificity of connection and function, evidence accumulated over the past two decades has revealed a level of organization and functional specificity paralleling that of the cerebral cortex itself. The purpose of this review is to outline our current view of the functional organization of the basal ganglia in primates, with emphasis on the basis of sensorimotor integration. For a more detailed discussion of this and related topics, see [5, 10, 12].
Durability of composites under fatigue loads

Publisher Summary Fatigue is generally defined as the physical phenomena that cause damage and failure of material or a structural component after the application of an applied condition or conditions, even though the level of that condition is not high enough to cause failure on the first cycle of application. Fatigue life is usually measured as the number of cycles to failure for a given applied load level. In a general sense, applied loads include mechanical and environmental loads. The degradation and failure of civil infrastructure is nearly always associated with dynamic cyclic loading. Methods for studying fatigue of materials and structures include the stress-life method, the strain-life method, the methods using damage mechanics concepts, and the methods using fracture mechanics concepts. The fatigue of Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites has been the subject of experimental and theoretical investigation for several decades. Typical reinforcing fibers include carbon fibers, glass fibers, and aramid fibers; and typical matrix materials include epoxy, vinyl ester, polyester, and phenolic resins. Under fatigue load, the composites may experience microcracking, delamination, fiber fracture, fiber/matrix decoupling, and microbuckling. These damage modes will accumulate and interact under fatigue load, and the material will lose resistance capability, or will eventually lead to fracture (or separation) of the material.
Signalling and pharmacological properties of the P2Y14 receptor

The P2Y14 receptor is a relatively broadly expressed G protein-coupled receptor that is prominently associated with immune and inflammatory cells as well as with many epithelia. This receptor historically was thought to be activated selectively by UDP-glucose and other UDP-sugars. However, UDP is also a very potent agonist of this receptor, and may prove to be one of its most important cognate activators.
A Review of “Growth management and public land acquisition; Balancing conservation and development”: Timothy S. Chapin and Christopher Coutts (Eds.). (2011). Burlington, VT: Ashgate. 232 pages. $89.95 (hardcover).

This edited collection contributes significantly to our understanding of why growth management, on one hand, and public land acquisition programs, on the other, have remained disconnected even thou...
The effect of audit firm size on audit prices: A study of the Australian Market

Abstract The effect of audit firm size on prizes is a complex function of competition in the market for audit services, product differentiation, and scale economics to large firms. In this study, a competitive market is supported in Australia with product differentiation to Bif Eight accounting firms. Specially, Big Eight accounting firms have significantly higher audit prices than non-Big Eight firms. This results holds for ‘large’ and ‘small’ auditees. A test is also made of price cutting in the Australian market. Price cutting is defined as lower initial audit fees than continuing engagement fees for a comparable audit. Test results do not evidence price-cutting behavior by accounting firms. There is in fact weak evidence that initial audit fees are higher than continuing engagement fee levels. Higher initial fees suggest that accounting firms may recover at least some of the audit start-up costs immediately.
Self-Organizing Map Simulations Confirm Similarity of Spatial Correlation Structure in Natural Images and Cortical Representations

The goal of this paper is to extend the ecological theory of perception to the larger scale spatial organization of cortical maps. This leads to the hypothesis that cortical organization of responses to visual features reflects the environmental organization of these same features. In our previous work we have shown that the spatial statistics of natural images can be characterized by a slowly decaying, or low frequency correlational structure for color, and a rapidly decaying, or high-frequency structure for orientation features. A similar contrasting behavior of spatial statistics for color and orientation was measured in parallel in the cortical response of macaque visual cortex. In order to explore whether this parallel is meaningful, we performed a cortical simulation using an adaptation of Kohonen's self-organizing map algorithm. The simulated cortex responds to both low-frequency and high-frequency input visual features, and learns to represent these features through weight modification. We demonstrate that the learnt cortical weights show the same spatial correlation structure that is observed both in natural image statistics and the measured cortical responses.
Type Theoretic Foundations for Context, Part 1: Contexts as Complex Type-Theoretic Objects

This paper presents Contextual Intensional Logic, a type-theoretic logic intended as a general foundation for reasoning about context. I motivate and illustrate the logical framework, and conclude by indicating extensions that may be desirable.
Nonlinear Feedback Control of a Dual‐Cable Ropeway System

This paper investigates dynamic control of dual-cable transportation systems, where the haul cable drives a concentrated load on a flexible track cable. The objective of this research is to develop a nonlinear feedback control algorithm applied to this unique cable system, which can be applied to the Navy Underway Replenishment System. First, the nonlinear system model is developed which has the form of a second order nonlinear differential equation coupled with a set of algebraic constraints. Then a linearizing feedback control law is presented that drives a concentrated load smoothly from one point to another. The method is illustrated by simulation results.
Making of Economics: The Radical Assault

This book is the first in the field to cover exclusively the modern radical economists. Science has always had its radicals; economics is unexceptional in this regard. The book begins with the persona of Karl Marx and his soulmate Friedrich Engels, the most radical of all, continuing with the central ideas of Marx, including his theory of capitalism and an understanding of why, in Marx's view, capitalism is doomed. Thereafter, Thorstein Veblen fills the role as the USA radical who founded the only uniquely American school of economics – the institutionalist school. This is followed by Joseph Schumpeter and his theory of capitalist motion. According to Schumpeter, the demise of capitalism is self-inflicted through creative destruction. The bestselling authors, Robert Heilbroner and John Kenneth Galbraith, straddle both the insitutionalist and Post Keynesian schools. The new left radicals emanated from Galbraith's Harvard University and are still around today. The heyday of the new right came during the administration of Ronald Reagan and was led by the neo-Austrians. Finally, the book concludes by analyzing the Post Keynesians' claim to be the legitimate heirs to Keynesianism. Thus far, they fall into the radical camp.
The Effect of the Say-on-Pay in the U.S.

We use that a group of firms were provided a two-year exemption from holding a Say-on-Pay vote to isolate the causal effect of holding advisory shareholder votes on executive compensation as mandated by the Dodd-Frank Act. We focus on firms close to the exemption cutoff and instrument firm compliance with the SEC rule. The regulation increased the level of CEO pay, and led to higher use of cash bonuses and change of control payments. Moreover, the market reacted negatively to the exemption from the Say-on-Pay rule suggesting general support for Say-on-Pay votes. We also document an increase in shareholder support for directors among firms that were required to hold a Say-on-Pay vote.
Field Identification of the Mice Peromyscus leucopus noveboracensis and P. maniculatus gracilis in Central New York

Field identification of the White-footed Mouse ( Peromyscus leucopus noveboracensis ) and Long-tailed Deer Mouse ( Peromyscus maniculatus gracilis ) is difficult because of their similar external morphology. Peromyscus were sampled by live-trapping during a five-year period (1992-1996) at the Arnot Teaching and Research Forest, Van Etten, New York and identified to species by electrophoresis of their salivary amylase. No electromorphs were shared between P. leucopus and P. maniculatus , thus permitting unambiguous species identification of individuals. Means and ranges of four external measurements (ear, head-body, hind-foot, and tail) and tail to head-body ratio were determined for amylase-genotyped live mice. Although some body measurements did differ on average between the two species (ear, head-body, and tail for adults; hind-foot and tail for juveniles), the ranges of these overlap considerably. When the four external measurements (excluding the tail to head-body ratio) were used to construct two discriminant-function equations, they yielded correct identification of 80% of the adult P. l. noveboracensis and P. m. gracilis assessed excluding juveniles, and 71% of adult and juvenile mice combined. The function reported here allows partial field identification, but genetic analysis remains the only reliable field method for differentiation between live P. l. noveboracensis and P. m. gracilis . Includes erratum for a figure in this article.
The effect of inducement prizes on innovation: evidence from the Ansari XPrize and the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge

Inducement prizes are increasingly popular because of their potential to induce technological innovations and attain related goals. Academic research, however, has barely investigated these prizes. This paper investigates the motivation of prize entrants, the characteristics of their research and development (R&D) activities, and the overall effect of prizes on innovation using case study research and documentary data sources. The Ansari XPrize and the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge, both considered successful technology competitions in the aerospace sector, are investigated. The findings show that, first, incentives created by competitions, particularly those that are nonmonetary, attract unconventional entrants. The market value of the prize technologies motivate entrants as well but do not attract traditional industry players. Second, limited technology development lead times and no up-front funding characterize prize R&D activities, yet their differences with traditional industry practices are caused by participant-level factors. Most importantly, the introduction of novel R&D approaches is associated with the participation of unconventional entrants. Third, these prizes induced innovations over and above what would have occurred anyway, with the caveat that they were linked to significant technology incentives and fundamentally, ongoing R&D processes. These findings put forward lessons that inform the design of more effective prize competitions.
The Effects of MK-801 on Spatial Working Memory and Within-Session Spatial Learning

The present study investigated the effects of the NMDA channel blocker MK-801 (0.05, 0.10, and 0.15 mg/kg) on a task that allows for the assessment of both spatial working memory and within-session spatial learning. During the first trial of each day, subjects were shown the spatial location of a food reward on a six-arm radial-arm maze. During nine subsequent free-choice trials, subjects were reinforced for returning to that same spatial location. The location of the food reward varied across days. Thus, choosing correctly on any given trial required subjects to remember where food had been received during the previous trials of that day. The effects of MK-801 on working memory were assessed by analyzing the overall number of errors committed during the nine free-choice trials of each day. The effects of MK-801 on within-session learning were assessed by comparing the number of errors committed during the first three trials of each day to the number of errors committed during the last three trials of each day. Only the highest dose of MK-801 tested (0.15 mg/kg) impaired spatial working memory. No dose of MK-801 impaired the ability of subjects to acquire spatial information within a given session. The failure of MK-801 to impair within-session spatial learning stands in contrast to the well-known effects of MK-801 on spatial learning measured across days. Thus, when coupled with previous research, the findings of the present study further suggest that the NMDA receptor plays a role in the long-term, but not short-term, storage of spatial information.