cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Epoxy fatty acids mediate analgesia in murine diabetic neuropathy.

Background Neuropathic pain is a debilitating condition with no adequate therapy. The health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids are established, however, the role of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in limiting pain has only recently been described and the mechanisms of this action remain unknown. DHA is metabolized into epoxydocosapentanoic acids (EDPs) via cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzymes which are substrates for the soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) enzyme. Here, we tested several hypotheses; first, that the antinociceptive action of DHA is mediated by the EDPs. Second, based on evidence that DHA and CYP450 metabolites elicit analgesia through opioid signalling, we investigated this as a possible mechanism of action. Third, we tested whether the analgesia mediated by epoxy fatty acids had similar rewarding effects as opioid analgesics. Methods We tested diabetic neuropathic wild-type and sEH null mice in a conditioned place preference assay for their response to EDPs, sEHI and antagonism of these treatments with naloxone, a mu-opioid receptor antagonist. Results The EDPs and sEH inhibitors were efficacious against chronic pain, and naloxone antagonized the action of both EDPs and sEH inhibitors. Despite this antagonism, the sEH inhibitors lacked reward side effects differing from opioids. Conclusions The EpFA are analgesic against chronic pain differing from opioids which have limited efficacy in chronic conditions. Significance EDPs and sEHI mediate analgesia in modelled chronic pain and this analgesia is blocked by naloxone. However, unlike opioids, sEHI are highly effective in neuropathic pain models and importantly lack rewarding side effects.
Thinning effects on foliar elements in eastern hemlock: implications for managing the spread of the hemlock woolly adelgid

Stand thinning is being tested as a means to limit the impacts of the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA; Adelges tsugae Annand) on eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carriere). The efficacy of this strategy may be reduced if thinning increases hemlock foliar nutrients because HWA densities are correlated with foliar concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, and Mn. We determined foliar N, P, K, Ca, and Mn concentrations in 1-year-old and all other (older) needles prior to and for 4 years after thinning in northwestern Pennsylvania stands of eastern hemlock without HWA. Average foliar concentrations in 1-year-old needles were 1.30–1.80 g N·100 g−1, 1300–1700 mg P·kg−1, 4200–6300 mg K·kg−1, 2500–5200 mg Ca·kg−1, and 2393 μg Mn·g−1. N, P, and K decreased, Ca increased, and Mn first increased and then stabilized. Thinning by itself did not affect the tested foliar nutrients. The interaction between treatment and year was significant and evident in temporal trajectories of foliar N and K. However, the differences ...
Performance Analysis of Algorithms for Coordination of Earth Observation by CubeSat Constellations

Two algorithms that coordinate activities across a resource-constrained, Earth-observing CubeSat constellation are presented. The Resource-Aware SmallSat Planner algorithm performs online planning of activities for a satellite while keeping the satellite’s resources within constraints. The Limited Communication Constellation Coordinator algorithm performs coordination of observations across the constellation to reduce average revisit times for a set of targets. The algorithms are simulated for 24 h with an 18 satellite Low Earth Orbit constellation. Three orbital geometries are examined, with different configurations of intersatellite and satellite-to-ground communications links to share planning information. Results indicate that coordination through Resource-Aware SmallSat Planner/Limited Communication Constellation Coordinator and a background communications constellation improves observation performance, with sensor-averaged revisit times of 197, 203, and 225 min (over three orbital geometries) versus...
Causal explanation in the coordinating process: a critical realist case study of federated IT governance structures

Large, multi-unit organizations are continually challenged to balance demands for centralization of information technology that lead to cost and service efficiencies through standardization while providing flexibility at the local unit level in order to meet unique business, customer, and service needs. This has led many organizations to adopt hybrid federated information technology governance (ITG) structures to find this balance. This approach to ITG establishes demand for various means to coordinate effectively across the organization to achieve the desired benefits. Past research has focused on the efficacy of various coordination mechanisms (e.g., steering committees, task forces) to coordinate activities related to information technology. However, we lack insights as to how and why these various coordination approaches help organizations achieve desired coordinated outcomes. This research specifically identifies coordinating as a process. Adopting the philosophy of critical realism, we conducted a longitudinal, comparative case study of two coordinating efforts in a federated ITG structure. Through a multifaceted approach to scientific logic employing deductive, inductive, and retroductive elements, we explicate two causal mechanisms, consensus making and unit aligning, which help to explain the coordinating process and the coordination outcomes observed in these efforts. We additionally elaborate the operation of the mechanisms through the typology of macro-micro-macro influences. Further, we demonstrate the value of the causal mechanisms to understanding the coordinating process by highlighting the complementarity in insights relative to the theories of power and politics and of rational choice. The study contributes to our understanding of coordinating as a process and of governance in federated IT organizations. Importantly, our study illustrates the value of applying critical realism to develop causal explanations and generate insights about a phenomenon.
Monocytic Glutaredoxin 1 Protects Mice against Obesity, Hyperglycemia and Atherosclerosis

We previously reported that glutaredoxin 1 (Grx1) protects monocytes from metabolic-stress induced priming, dysregulation and hypersensitization to chemokines. To address the role of monocytic Grx1 in mice and in the development of atherogenesis and obesity, we transplanted bone marrow (BM) from either wild-type (WT) or Grx1-/- (Grx1Leuko -/-) donor mice into atherosclerosis-prone LDLR-/- mice and fed these mice a high-fat diet (HFD) for up to 20 weeks. Grx1Leuko -/- mice showed accelerated weight gain after 9 weeks followed by early onset of hyperglycemia. After 6 weeks on HFD, atherosclerotic lesions were slightly larger in Grx1Leuko -/- mice than in WT, but the differences did not reach statistical significance. However, after 20 weeks, Grx1Leuko -/- mice showed 36% larger lesions than WT-BM recipients, and monocyte chemotaxis in vivo was increased 1.6-fold. Furthermore, compared to WT-BM recipients, adipose tissues and livers of Grx1Leuko -/- mice also showed increased macrophage content and elevated tissue inflammation as determined by IHC and qRT-PCR. Adipose tissue in particular, showed significant increases in the expression of proinflammatory genes in addition to an increased abundance proinflammatory “crown-like” structures. Gene expression analysis by qRT-PCR of peritoneal macrophages revealed that macrophages isolated from Grx1-/- mice also have increased expression of pro-inflammatory M1-associated genes and decreased M2-associated genes after activation with INFγ+TNFα and IL-4 respectively. Additionally, macrophages from Grx1-/- mice exposed to metabolic stress also display increased protein-S-glutathionylation, enhanced hypersensitization to chemokine, and impaired autophagy compared to wild-type cells. Taken together, our data show that loss of monocytic Grx1 worsens monocyte priming and accelerates the infiltration of dysfunctional monocyte-derived macrophages into tissues, such as aorta, liver and adipose tissues. We conclude that monocytic Grx1 is critical for maintaining metabolic homeostasis in mice and protects against obesity and atherosclerosis.
Ecosystem services and land sparing potential of urban and peri-urban agriculture: A review

Agricultural expansion contributes to the degradation of biodiverse ecosystems and the services these systems provide. Expansion of urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA), on the other hand, may hold promise to both expand the portfolio of ecosystem services (ES) available in built environments, where ES are typically low and to reduce pressure to convert sensitive non-urban, non-agricultural ecosystems to agriculture. However, few data are available to support these hypotheses. Here we review and summarize the research conducted on UPA from 320 peer-reviewed papers published between 2000 and 2014. Specifically, we explored the availability of data regarding UPA's impact on ES and disservices. We also assessed the literature for evidence that UPA can contribute to land sparing. We find that the growth in UPA research over this time period points to the emerging recognition of the potential role that UPA systems play in food production worldwide. However, few studies (n = 15) place UPA in the context of ES, and no studies in our review explicitly quantify the land sparing potential of UPA. Additionally, while few studies (n = 19) quantify production potential of UPA, data that are necessary to accurately quantify the role these systems can play in land sparing, our rough estimates suggest that agricultural extensification into the world's urban environments via UPA could spare an area approximately twice the size of the US state of Massachusetts. Expanding future UPA research to include quantification of ES and functions would shed light on the ecological tradeoffs associated with agricultural production in the built environment. As food demand increases and urban populations continue to grow, it will be critical to better understand the role urban environments can play in global agricultural production and ecosystem preservation.
Product Market Performance Shortfalls and Corporate Lobbying

The performance feedback mechanism, based on the Behavioral Theory of the Firm (BTOF), suggests that a negative gap between actual firm performance and aspirational level leads to corporate strateg...
Methylobacterium spp. as Emerging Opportunistic Premise Plumbing Pathogens

Methylobacterium spp. are emerging opportunistic premise plumbing pathogens. Human infections linked to premise plumbing provide evidence of their routes of infection. Cells of a collection of representative strains of different Methylobacterium species were tested for hydrophobicity by contact angle, adherence and biofilm formation on different plumbing materials, and temperature tolerance (50-60 °C); characteristics shared by OPPPs. Methylobacterium spp. strains were shown to grow in drinking water, have high cell-surface hydrophobicity, adhere to pipe surface materials, form biofilms, and survive exposure to high (60° C) temperatures. It can be concluded that Methylobacterium spp. strains share traits in common with other opportunistic premise plumbing pathogens (OPPPs).
Dying Is Unexpectedly Positive

In people's imagination, dying seems dreadful; however, these perceptions may not reflect reality. In two studies, we compared the affective experience of people facing imminent death with that of people imagining imminent death. Study 1 revealed that blog posts of near-death patients with cancer and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis were more positive and less negative than the simulated blog posts of nonpatients-and also that the patients' blog posts became more positive as death neared. Study 2 revealed that the last words of death-row inmates were more positive and less negative than the simulated last words of noninmates-and also that these last words were less negative than poetry written by death-row inmates. Together, these results suggest that the experience of dying-even because of terminal illness or execution-may be more pleasant than one imagines.
Concordance of DNA methylation profiles between breast core biopsy and surgical excision specimens containing ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS).

The utility and reliability of assessing molecular biomarkers for translational applications on pre-operative core biopsy specimens assume consistency of molecular profiles with larger surgical specimens. Whether DNA methylation in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), measured in core biopsy and surgical specimens are similar, remains unclear. Here, we compared genome-scale DNA methylation measured in matched core biopsy and surgical specimens from DCIS, including specific DNA methylation biomarkers of subsequent invasive cancer. DNA was extracted from guided 2mm cores of formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) specimens, bisulfite-modified, and measured on the Illumina HumanMethylation450 BeadChip. DNA methylation profiles of core biopsies exhibited high concordance with matched surgical specimens. Within-subject variability in DNA methylation was significantly lower than between-subject variability (all P 15%, and a pathway analysis of these CpGs indicated enrichment for genes related with wound healing. Our results indicate that DNA methylation measured in core biopsies are representative of the matched surgical specimens and suggest that DCIS biomarkers measured in core biopsies can inform clinical decision-making.
Enumeration of Indicator Bacteria Exposed to Chlorine

Stress resulting from a variety of chemical and physical environments has been recognized in indicator bacteria. A review by Busta (1976) summarizes the extensive work that has been carried out to describe indicator microorganisms sublethally impaired due to a variety of causes associated with foods. Workers in the area of water microbiology are also gaining an appreciation of the importance of these stressed cells in the assessment of water quality using bacterial indicators. Chemical agents, including chlorine, that are employed in water disinfection processes are important causes of bacterial stress injury. As a result, a significant portion of the total population of indicator bacteria in water might not be enumerated (using the selective procedures that are currently employed) and inaccurate water quality determinations could result. Alternative water disinfection agents that are being suggested, such as ozone, chlorine dioxide, and ultraviolet irradiation, will also probably lead to the same result. In addition, heat from thermal pollution and interactions with other microorganisms or chemicals (including disinfectants and metals) also exert stress that could further debilitate indicator bacteria in various waters and effluents. A need for improved enumeration procedures has accompanied the recognition of injured indicator bacteria in chlorinated waters and wastewaters. This movement has also stimulated interest in the underlying mechanism of cellular damage that is responsible for the submaximal recovery of coliforms from disinfected waters. Various groups have reported that a number of biochemical, genetic, and physiological processes are impaired by chlorine exposure under differing conditions. Evidence from our laboratory and elsewhere implicates functions associated with the cell envelope, i.e., the uptake of extracellular organic substrates, as the primary cellular target of chlorine under conditions that are similar to those in the field. Additional data from our group indicate that sublethal damage from chlorine can be reversed under suitable nonselective conditions. Recent efforts have led to the development of new methods to enumerate injured fecal streptococcus, total and fecal coliform bacteria from chlorinated waters and wastewater. These procedures each yield data that are comparable with that obtained using the more cumbersome MPN method. As a result, the best characteristics of both methods may now be found in three relatively simple MF procedures. Some of these advances have been described in a new section (#921) of the fifteenth edition of "Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater" entitled "Stressed Organisms" (APHA, 1981). However, it is anticipated that new and better water quality assessment methodologies will emerge from the growing literature concerning the physiological and biochemical behavior of indicator microorganisms in water and wastewater.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
The effects of topical nitric oxide on healing of partial thickness porcine burns.

Abstract Background Nitric oxide is a wound mediator that promotes wound healing. We hypothesized that topical application of nitric oxide would speed reepithelialization, enhance angiogenesis, and reduce scar thickness in a partial thickness porcine burn model. Methods While under general anesthesia, 20 partial thickness burns were created on the backs of four female Yorkshire swine using a 2.5 cm × 2.5 cm × 7.5 cm, 150-g aluminum bar, preheated to 80 °C and applied for 20 s. The necrotic epidermis was removed and the burns were randomized to low, medium, and high concentrations of a novel nitric-oxide (NO) releasing drug or its ointment vehicle applied 3 times weekly for 28 days. Full thickness punch biopsies were performed at 8, 11, 14 and 28 days after injury to determine percentage wound reepithelialization and scar thickness using HE low NO, 23.9 (36.9); medium NO, 43.3 (42.9); and high NO, 59.9 (43.6); ANOVA, P = 0.02. The number of CD31 stained blood vessels at days 8 and 11 were greater in wounds treated with high dose NO vs. controls (48.1 vs. 22.9 [P Conclusions Treatment of partial thickness porcine burns with high concentrations of topical NO resulted in earlier reepithelization and increased angiogenesis but not reduced scar thickness compared with its control vehicle in a partial thickness porcine burn model.
Cell-specific regulation of iNOS by AMP-activated protein kinase in primary rat hepatocytes.

Abstract Background AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) regulates several metabolic pathways in hepatocytes that are critical to the hepatic response to sepsis and shock. Induction of nitric oxide synthesis is an important response to sepsis, inflammation and shock and many of the stimuli that upregulate inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) also activate AMPK. AMPK inhibits nitric oxide (NO) production in skeletal and cardiac muscle cells, but the role of AMPK in regulating iNOS expression in hepatocytes has not been determined. Materials and methods Primary cultured rat hepatocytes were preincubated with an AMPK inhibitor, AMPK activators, or transfected with AMPK siRNA before being treated with the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interferon-γ (IFNγ). The hepatocyte cell lysate and culture supernatants were collected for Western blot analysis and Griess assay. Results IL-1β and IFNγ markedly upregulated iNOS expression and AMPK phosphorylation. IL-1β + IFNγ–induced NO production and iNOS expression were significantly decreased in hepatocytes treated with the AMPK inhibitor compound C and AMPK knockdown by AMPK siRNA. Cytokine-induced iNOS expression was increased by AMPK activators 1-oxo-2-(2H-pyrrolium-1-yl)-1H-inden-3-olate, AMPK signaling activator III and AICA-riboside. Compound C upregulated Akt and c-Jun N-terminal kinase phosphorylation but decreased IκBα phosphorylation. AICA-riboside exerted opposite effects on these signaling pathways in hepatocytes. Conclusions In contrast to other cell types, AMPK increased IL-1β + IFNγ–induced NO production and iNOS expression through the Akt, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and NF-κΒ signaling pathways in primary hepatocytes. These data suggest that AMPK-altering medications used clinically may have subsequent effects on iNOS expression and proinflammatory signaling pathways.
Catheter-Based Embolectomy for Acute Pulmonary Embolism: Devices, Technical Considerations, Risks, and Benefits

A significant number of patients with high-risk pulmonary embolism have contraindications to thrombolytic therapy. Catheter-based therapy may be helpful and consists of a multitude of catheters and techniques, some old and some new. Although there are few data supporting the use of any of these techniques, there has been a recent rise in interest and use of catheter-based pulmonary embolectomy. This text describes the contemporary devices used in pulmonary embolism treatment, discusses their challenges, and proposes some future directions.
Electrochemical Studies of Hydrogen in FLiBe Salt

This paper provides an overview of the study of hydrogen chemistry and transport in molten LiF-BeF2 (FLiBe) at University of Wisconsin - Madison. Hydrogen was introduced in the salt in the form of LiH solid powders. Preliminary data shows an oxidation peak after LiH addition, attributed to the oxidation of H2 into HF. The hydrogen oxidation reaction is studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and chronoamperometry (CA) and approximate H2 diffusion coefficients in FLiBe solution are calculated with LSV (2.3 x 10-5 cm2/s) and CA (1.6 x 10-5 cm2/s).
Transformation of Neurospora Crassa Utilizing Recombinant Plasmid DNA

In comparison to yeast (15), the development of recombinant DNA technology for filamentous fungi is in its early stages. Recombinant DNA technology is dependent on two different though related matters: an efficient transformation system for the organism and an appropriate vector. In addition, transformation in any organism involves two processes: a system which permits the uptake of DNA into the cell and the subsequent integration of the DNA into a chromosome or its maintenance as a self-replicating entity in the recipient strain. An efficient transformation system for Neurospora crassa has been developed utilizing a cloned gene from Neurospora (4,27). The development of this procedure will be described here with the hope that some of the methods will be applicable to the development of such systems for other filamentous fungi.
The Market for Prisoners: Business, Crime and Punishment in the "American Dream"

In 2010, Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), the largest private prison operator in the U.S., was considering expansion options. The company's largest customers, federal and state governments, were under economic pressure to reduce the incarceration rate and lower operating costs, potentially jeopardizing CCA's profits. Should CCA follow its competitor's footsteps and expand overseas? Or could it count on an ever-increasing population of U.S. prisoners to fuel continued growth?Learning Objective: To teach about how ideology affects some markets.
Multiple minority stress: The role of proximal and distal stress on mental health outcomes among lesbian, gay, and bisexual people of color

AbstractExisting literature suggests that both sexual and racial minorities are at a heightened risk of developing symptoms of depression and anxiety. However, there is minimal research addressing the mental health outcomes of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people of color (LGB-POC). Meyer’s minority stress theory posits that the manifestation of depression and anxiety is related to both distal and proximal stress. The present study examines the predictive value of perceived distal stress (e.g., LGBT-POC microaggressions and daily heterosexist experiences) and internalized proximal stress processes (e.g., self-stigma, identity salience, and sexual orientation rumination) for self-reported depression/anxiety symptoms among LGB-POC. A sample of 88 cisgender LGB-POC was collected online. Regression analyses suggested that proximal stressors accounted for 15% more variance in reported mental health outcomes than distal stress factors alone. Additionally, distal and proximal minority stressors together accounted f...
Elevated extracellular nucleosomes and their relevance to inflammation in stage 5 chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND Chronic kidney disease is a disorder characterized by a pro-inflammatory state that is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Endogenous damage-associated molecular patterns, including nucleosomes, may contribute to this persistent inflammation. The aim of this study was to profile and evaluate the clinical significance of circulating nucleosomes in patients with Stage 5 chronic kidney disease (CKD5) on hemodialysis (HD). METHODS Under institutional review board approval, plasma samples were collected from 90 CKD5-HD patients (45 male and 45 female) prior to hemodialysis. Normal human plasma samples (25 male and 25 female) were used as a control group. Commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent and colorimetric assays were used to profile nucleosome levels and biochemical markers of kidney injury, inflammation, thrombosis, and renal function in CKD5-HD and control groups. Clinical laboratory parameters were documented from the electronical medical record and correlated to nucleosome levels in the CKD5-HD cohort. RESULTS In comparison to healthy volunteers, the plasma from CKD5-HD patients exhibited markedly elevated nucleosomes (P<0.0001). Furthermore, nucleosome levels correlated with WBC count (P=0.025, R=0.243) and CRP (P=0.019, R=0.266) levels. No correlation was found between nucleosomes and the other parameters studied. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate extracellular nucleosomes are significantly elevated in CKD5-HD, suggesting increased cell death and/or inflammation. The observed correlations between nucleosomes and parameters of inflammation is suggestive of a complex, systemic inflammatory process underlying renal deterioration, consistent with the literature. Thus, nucleosomes may play a role in the pathogenesis and outcome of CKD5-HD.
Leaving children behind: a win-win household strategy or a path to pauperization?

ABSTRACTThere has been a scholarly debate on the impact of cityward labor migration on the children left behind in rural China. The present article explains why the attempt by some scholars to norm...
Reconciling the functions of even-skipped interneurons during crawling, swimming, and walking

In all bilaterally symmetric animals, movements across the body are coordinated by interneurons that traverse the midline. Recent work is beginning to tease apart the functional complexity of interneurons labeled by the homeodomain transcription factor even-skipped, which provide a phylogenetically-conserved source of commissural excitation during locomotion in both vertebrates and invertebrates. Here we review recent studies of the roles of even-skipped neurons during locomotion in flies (EL neurons), fishes, frogs, and mice (V0v neurons). Comparisons across species reveal commonalities, which include the functional organization of even-skipped circuits based on birth order, the link between increased muscular complexity and even-skipped neuron diversity, and the hierarchical organization of even-skipped circuits based on their control of escape versus exploratory movements. We discuss how stronger links between different species enable testable predictions to further the discovery of principles of locomotor network organization.
Oral Signs of Genetic Disease

Many genetic disorders affect the oral mucous membranes. Several of these conditions are associated with late-onset complications with great impact in the individual’s overall life expectancy and quality of life. For example, patients with dyskeratosis congenita develop premalignant oral leukoplakia, and patients with osteogenesis imperfecta have severe dental anomalies necessitating early and specialized dental care. Most importantly, individuals with undiagnosed disease may undergo banal procedures with lethal consequences such as exsanguination following tooth extraction in patients with Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome. With recent advances in technology and improved screening tests, the opportunity to prevent such complications and improve life expectancy is greater than ever before.
Tyrannosaurus Monographis and Velociraptor Articlus: A Publishing Ecology

Academic historians generally consider the monograph sine qua non for successfully recognized historical scholarship. Indeed, the monograph is held up as the major unit of scholarly contribution for professional academic, promotion to tenure and further advancement in academia. Graduate education and the training of academic historians is oriented toward the practice of acculturating nascent academic historians to this Holy Grail. In some quarters of academia, to publish other than a monograph is tantamount to not achieving serious stature as a professional historian. However, most historical research is disseminated through shorter pieces of scholarship. This discussion focuses on the value characterized by the scholarly article and its intellectual significance to historical scholarship. Additionally, there needs to be an intellectual recalibration, of the significance of the article to the academic history profession without diminishing the corresponding significance of the monograph. A balanced ecology is desirable to navigate the publishing crisis in historical scholarship.
Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol During Encoding Impairs Perceptual Details yet Spares Context Effects on Episodic Memory.

Abstract Background With the growing acceptance of cannabis use, it is crucial to understand the drug’s effects on episodic memory accuracy and distortion. We investigated the impact of the administration of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive constituent of cannabis, on a context-based memory illusion. Methods In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subjects design, healthy infrequent cannabis users (N = 24) memorized object pictures that were superimposed over scenes (e.g., gray cat on beach) after pretreatment with placebo or THC (15 mg oral). Two days later under sober conditions, memory for the object pictures was tested by asking participants to discriminate between previously seen objects or perceptually similar lures (e.g., different gray cat). Context reinstatement was manipulated by presenting objects on their original or different scenes (e.g., beach or forest). Results THC impaired memory for perceptual details of objects compared with placebo, and the context illusion was obtained in each condition: context reinstatement increased high-confidence false recognition along with correct recognition of previously seen objects. Although THC did not interact with these context effects overall, post hoc analyses showed that THC magnified the context illusion when objects were semantically congruent with their encoding contexts but abolished the context illusion when objects were incongruent with their encoding contexts. Conclusions These results are consistent with the hypothesis that THC impairs the encoding of specific object information more than item-context associations. As a result, THC may spare the distorting effects of context reinstatement on memory. In fact, THC may increase these distorting effects under conditions when objects are semantically congruent with context.
Real-time electronic interpretation of digital chest images using artificial intelligence in emergency department patients suspected of pneumonia

Introduction: Chest imaging is required for diagnosis and treatment of emergency department (ED) patients with pneumonia. However, radiologist interpretations are often delayed and don’t identify key findings needed by clinicians. Natural language processing (NLP) of radiology reports caused frequent errors within our electronic clinical decision support tool (ePNa;Dean JAMA IM 2013). We hypothesized that real-time electronic interpretation of digital chest images using artificial intelligence would overcome these limitations. Methods: A deep learning algorithm developed using 188,000 chest studies from Stanford (CheXpert; Irvin AAAI 2019) was fine-tuned on 7,000 and validated on 352 Utah ED chest images. The comparator was studies interpreted by practicing radiologists categorized by 3 clinicians as likely/possible/unlikely for pneumonia and other elements. Simple agreement between clinicians was only 0.85 to 0.9, illustrating the limitations of radiologist reports. Results: Study population of the validation set was 54.8% female, median age 57.0 +/- SD 19.7; 39.2% had pneumonia. Algorithm area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for radiographic pneumonia was 0.90, multi-lobar 0.79, pleural effusion 0.88. NLP of radiology reports performed similarly, with sensitivity and specificity for pneumonia (0.91, 0.64), multi-lobar (0.85, 0.59), and effusion (0.64, 0.93) lying on or near the corresponding model ROC curves. Conclusion: CheXpert image interpretation showed good correlation with categorized radiology reports in ED patients suspected of pneumonia, and will likely improve both ED pneumonia care and ePNa performance.
Moseley’s “Macro-Monetary” Reading of Capital: Rejoinder and Further Discussion:

Moseley (2018) offers a partial reply to my review of his Money and Totality, addressing one comment at length while mentioning a second in passing and ignoring the third. In this rejoinder, I resp...
Prospective Validation of PREDICT and Its Impact on the Transesophageal Echocardiography Use in Management of Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia.

Background Infective endocarditis (IE) is the most feared complication of Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (SAB). Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) is generally recommended for all patients with SAB; however, supporting data for this are limited. We previously developed a scoring system, "PREDICT," that quantifies the risk of IE and identifies patients who would most benefit most from undergoing TEE. The current prospective investigation aims to validate this score. Methods We prospectively screened all consecutive adults (≥18 years) hospitalized with SAB at 3 Mayo Clinic sites between January 2015 and March 2017. Results Of 220 patients screened, 199 with SAB met study criteria and were included in the investigation. Of them, 23 (11.6%) patients were diagnosed with definite IE within 12 weeks of initial presentation based on modified Duke's criteria. Using the previously derived PREDICT model, the day 1 score of ≥4 had a sensitivity of 30.4% and a specificity of 93.8%, whereas a day 5 score of ≤2 had a sensitivity and negative-predictive value of 100%. Additional factors including surgery or invasive procedure in the past 30 days, prosthetic heart valve, and higher number of positive blood culture bottles in the first set of cultures were associated with increased risk of IE independent of the day 5 risk score. Conclusions We validated the previously developed PREDICT scoring tools for stratifying risk of IE, and the need for undergoing a TEE, among cases of SAB. We also identified other factors with predictive potential, although larger prospective studies are needed to further evaluate possible enhancements to the current scoring system.
Instructor accounts and sincere amends following integrity- and competence-based misbehavior

The purpose of this study was to investigate instructor messages following perceived misbehavior, as well as students’ desired communication. Specifically, this study extends literature on accounts...
Vulnerability of populations exposed to seismic risk in the state of Oklahoma

Abstract During the past decade, the number of earthquakes has increased dramatically in the state of Oklahoma, largely attributed to induced seismicity from wastewater injections (hydraulic fracturing). The increased seismic disaster risk in Oklahoma has captured public attention and necessitated actions by decision makers to mediate the consequences. Geospatial modeling to identify the populations exposed to higher levels of potential risk can help prioritize locations for mitigation actions based on the underlying social vulnerability of residents. In this paper, we explore a method for integrating the spatial distribution of seismic risk (hazard exposure) with social vulnerability (hazard impact). Loss scenarios, social vulnerability metrics, and potential physical damage are combined in a geographic information system to identify the spatial vulnerability of an exposed population to the increased seismic risk, and the locations for targeting mitigation actions — areas with the greatest exposure and vulnerability. The results of induced seismicity earthquake scenarios show disproportionately higher losses for places with more minority populations (primarily African-American) and more renters when compared to the non-induced scenarios, suggesting a potential environmental justice concern.
Democracy, Power, and Authority: The Development of a Conceptual Basis for Shared Professionalism between Teachers and Administrators.

Overlooked in the recent literatures on the enhancement of teacher professionalism and the changing role of school administrators is the task of rooting such newer ideas in a conceptual framework t...
An Expert-Sourced Measure of Judicial Ideology

We introduce the first ideology measure covering every non-Supreme-Court Article III judge on a single scale. The dataset comprises dynamic, interval-level, and potentially multi-dimensional data of every federal district and appellate judge serving since 1985. The measure is derived from many thousands of qualitative evaluations by a representative sample of legal experts familiar with those judges’ approaches to judging. By drawing on expert evaluations, our method overcomes many of the issues that limit existing methods, including endogeneity, sample bias, lack of dynamic capability, and difficulty measuring the lower courts. Notably, our scores are perhaps the first to take account of the subtle differences in judges’ opinions and other law-making behavior, allowing them to differentiate between the vast majority of judges in the dataset. Our data also cover several times as many judges as the next largest dataset and are dynamic, include standard errors, and cover judicial traits that no existing measure captures. Analysis of a set of appellate-decision data indicates that our time-aggregated point estimates predict appellate outcomes more accurately than existing appellate-judge ideology measures.
Descriptive epidemiology of clinically significant occupational poisonings, United States, 2008-2018.

References listing common occupational poisons often include agents that were observed decades prior to the introduction of worker protective laws and regulations. Current causes of work-related ac...
Political Economy and the Three Sources of Rents

A huge political economy literature claims “rents” matter. They influence corruption, democracy, and political stability. Researchers assume rents are interchangeable. But Market Power Rents differ fundamentally from Ricardian Rents, and both differ from Quasi-rents. Researchers also assume rents are exogeneous, even though government policies affect firms’ costs and their ability to offset depreciation. And once generated and extracted, rents circumscribe governments’ actions. Some types fuel vicious circles. Other types fuel virtuous ones. Using the oil industry as a laboratory, we explicate these points. We argue oil is not sui generis, however. When governments nationalize and tax their oil sectors into the ground, it reflects their relatively short time horizons. This is similar to when the state imposes price controls on any industry, making it impossible for economic actors to recover their long run costs. And this makes it more likely weak states will continue to appropriate Quasi-rents across economic sectors, fueling underdevelopment.
Improving hospital readmission prediction using individualized utility analysis.

Abstract Objective Machine learning (ML) models for allocating readmission-mitigating interventions are typically selected according to their discriminative ability, which may not necessarily translate into utility in allocation of resources. Our objective was to determine whether ML models for allocating readmission-mitigating interventions have different usefulness based on their overall utility and discriminative ability. Materials and methods We conducted a retrospective utility analysis of ML models using claims data acquired from the Optum Clinformatics Data Mart, including 513,495 commercially-insured inpatients (mean [SD] age 69 [19] years; 294,895 [57%] Female) over the period January 2016 through January 2017 from all 50 states with mean 90 day cost of $11,552. Utility analysis estimates the cost, in dollars, of allocating interventions for lowering readmission risk based on the reduction in the 90-day cost. Results Allocating readmission-mitigating interventions based on a GBDT model trained to predict readmissions achieved an estimated utility gain of $104 per patient, and an AUC of 0.76 (95% CI 0.76, 0.77); allocating interventions based on a model trained to predict cost as a proxy achieved a higher utility of $175.94 per patient, and an AUC of 0.62 (95% CI 0.61, 0.62). A hybrid model combining both intervention strategies is comparable with the best models on either metric. Estimated utility varies by intervention cost and efficacy, with each model performing the best under different intervention settings. Conclusion We demonstrate that machine learning models may be ranked differently based on overall utility and discriminative ability. Machine learning models for allocation of limited health resources should consider directly optimizing for utility.
A circumstellar dust disk around T Tau N: Sub-arcsecond imaging at 3 mm

We present high-resolution imaging of the young binary T Tauri in 3 mm continuum emission. Compact dust emission with integrated flux density 50 +/- 6 mJy is resolved in an aperture synthesis map at 0.5" resolution and is centered at the position of the optically visible component, T Tau N. No emission above a 3 sigma level of 9 mJy is detected 0.7" south of T Tau N at the position of the infrared companion, T Tau S. We interpret the continuum detection as arising from a circumstellar disk around T Tau N and estimate its properties by fitting a flat-disk model to visibilities at wavelengths of 1 and 3 mm and to the flux density at 7 mm. Given the data, probability distributions are calculated for values of the free parameters, including the temperature, density, dust opacity, and the disk outer radius. The radial variation in temperature and density is not narrowly constrained by the data. The most likely value of the frequency dependence of the dust opacity, beta = 0.53^{+0.27}_{-0.17}, is consistent with that of disks around other T Tauri stars in which grain growth is believed to have taken place. The outer radius, R = 41^{+26}_{-14} AU, is smaller than the projected binary separation, and may indicate truncation of the disk. The total mass estimated for the disk, log(M/M_sun) = {-2.4}^{+0.7}_{-0.6}, is similar to masses observed around many young single sources and to the minimum nebular mass required to form a planetary system like our own. This observation strongly suggests that the presence of a binary companion does not rule out the formation of a sizeable planetary system.
Spatiotemporal analyses of soil moisture from point to footprint scale in two different hydroclimatic regions

[1] This paper presents time stability analyses of soil moisture at different spatial measurement support scales (point scale and airborne remote sensing (RS) footprint scale 800 m × 800 m) in two different hydroclimatic regions. The data used in the analyses consist of in situ and passive microwave remotely sensed soil moisture data from the Southern Great Plains Hydrology Experiments 1997 and 1999 (SGP97 and SGP99) conducted in the Little Washita (LW) watershed, Oklahoma, and the Soil Moisture Experiments 2002 and 2005 (SMEX02 and SMEX05) in the Walnut Creek (WC) watershed, Iowa. Results show that in both the regions soil properties (i.e., percent silt, percent sand, and soil texture) and topography (elevation and slope) are significant physical controls jointly affecting the spatiotemporal evolution and time stability of soil moisture at both point and footprint scales. In Iowa, using point-scale soil moisture measurements, the WC11 field was found to be more time stable (TS) than the WC12 field. The common TS points using data across the 3 year period (2002–2005) were mostly located at moderate to high elevations in both the fields. Furthermore, the soil texture at these locations consists of either loam or clay loam soil. Drainage features and cropping practices also affected the field-scale soil moisture variability in the WC fields. In Oklahoma, the field having a flat topography (LW21) showed the worst TS features compared to the fields having gently rolling topography (LW03 and LW13). The LW13 field (silt loam) exhibited better time stability than the LW03 field (sandy loam) and the LW21 field (silt loam). At the RS footprint scale, in Iowa, the analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests show that the percent clay and percent sand are better able to discern the TS features of the footprints compared to the soil texture. The best soil indicator of soil moisture time stability is the loam soil texture. Furthermore, the hilltops (slope ∼0%–0.45%) exhibited the best TS characteristics in Iowa. On the other hand, in Oklahoma, ANOVA results show that the footprints with sandy loam and loam soil texture are better indicators of the time stability phenomena. In terms of the hillslope position, footprints with mild slope (0.93%–1.85%) are the best indicators of TS footprints. Also, at both point and footprint scales in both the regions, land use–land cover type does not influence soil moisture time stability.
Measurement of Dry Deposition to Vegetative Surfaces

The importance of dry deposition was assessed to oak and pine trees, in a hardwood and coniferous canopy, respectively. In both canopies, ambient particle and gas concentrations on the interior were decreased relative to perimeter concentrations due to dry deposition scavenging by the canopy. Deposition of all species was higher to perimeter leaves than to interior leaves, due both to the lower concentrations and the lower wind speeds in the sheltered interior. The deposition velocities measured to the pine needles were similar to the values measured to the oak leaves.
Oceanic Remote Sensing

The sections in this article are 1 The Electromagnetic Spectrum 2 Visible Wavelengths 3 Sensing Ocean Color 4 Imaging Sea Ice and Ice Motion 5 The Thermal Infrared 6 Estimating Sea Surface Temperature 7 Split Window Methods 8 Global Maps and Data Availability 9 Relationship to Ocean Currents. SST Motion 10 Skin SST Versus Bulk SST and Heat Exchange 11 Presently Available Sensors and Future Plans 12 Filtering out Clouds 13 Various Methods and their Accuracies 14 Passive Microwave 15 Wind Speed 16 Atmospheric Water Vapor 17 Rainfall 18 Merging the Passive Microwave with the Optical Data 19 Active Microwave 20 Radar Altimeters 21 Scatterometer Winds 22 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) 23 Summary
High-grade astrocytoma/glioblastoma

Malignant astrocytoma, glioblastoma multiforme (WHO grade IV), and anaplastic astrocytoma (WHO grade III) are still the most common primary cerebral neoplasms in adults. These highly invasive tumors have a strong predilection for cerebral hemispheres. Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) comprises 80% of malignant gliomas. While malignant astrocytomas comprise only 2% of all adult tumors at a rate of 5 cases per 100,000 adults per year, their malignant nature makes them the fourth greatest cause of cancer death [4]. Malignant astrocytomas are associated with a slight male to female preference (1.6:1.0). The peak age at onset for GBM is in the sixth or seventh decade, whereas anaplastic astro-cytoma (AA) usually presents in the fourth or fifth decade. GBM (0.2/100,000 per year) and AA (0.5/ 100,000 per year) rarely occur in children less than 14 years of age. While malignant astrocytomas occur less commonly in African-Americans, no national differences in incidence have been consistently demonstrated after racial and age correction. Recent evidence suggests that the incidence of GBM and AA have doubled over the past decade. While the significance of this observation is unclear, many believe this to be a result of the increased use of MRI and CT.