cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Precambrian Research in China: New Advances and Perspectives

Precambrian Geology is an important branch of geological science,and basically study the early evolution history of Earth.In recent years,important progresses have made on aspects as Precambiran stratigraphy,Precambrian tectonic evolution,Precambrian paleontology,Precambrian mineralization,etc.On the support of high precision zircon U-Pb dating technique(LA-ICPMS and SHRIMP),chronological framework of the early Precambrian classic areas such as Anshan,Taishan and Wutaishan has been established,which has greatly promoted the study of the early Precambrian tectonic framework in North China Craton.The progresses of late Precambrian Rodinia supercontinent have brought about the widespread attention and participation among the geologists at home and abroad.Recently,paleontology study in Doushantuo formation,Sinica system,has got great advanced,the definite age and abundant early stage animal fossils make it become the ideal site for studying the paleo-environment and biological evolution in Ediacaran period.The zircon U-Pb ages newly obtained from Xiamaling Formation,Tieling Formation and Gaoyuzhuang Formation provide an important chronological constraint to re-establish the chronostratigraphic framework of Meso-and Neoproterozoic succession in North China craton.Although important achievements has been made,Precambrian Geology in China still faced with a severe challenge,the factors such as brain drain and inadequate innovation ability restrict the development of Precambrian Geology.However,the strong demand for mineral resources in the future provides good opportunities for development of Precambrian Geology,as most staple mineral resources influencing greatly on social economic development in China are formed in Precambrian.
Explaining the relation between masculinity and stigma toward mental illness: The relative effects of sex, gender, and behavior.

Stereotypes interact such that people perceive some disorders as masculine and others as feminine. Masculine disorders tend to be highly stigmatized, and 3 studies explored potential causes of this effect. Study 1 (N = 186) showed that masculine disorders elicited more stigma then feminine disorders
Dynamic Fracture Analysis Based on a Continuum Damage Model

Because of its potential utilization in energy exploration and defense applications, the phenomenon of brittle fracture in solids under dynamic loads has been an ongoing topic of interest. A continuum damage model [1] was developed to simulate rock fragmentation induced by explosive blasts for in situ oil shale retorting. The model was based on the premise that the inelastic brittle response exhibited by rock under dynamic loads is due principally to the stress-induced sub-scale cracks. Locally, the growth and interaction of these sub-scale cracks relieve portions of the material volume and reduce its capability to carry load. Globally, this effect is reflected in the degradation of the material stiffness. In this manner, the dynamic fracture process was modeled as a continuous accrual of damage, where damage is considered to be the degree of reduction of the material stiffness. Reasonable correlations between calculated and measured data were obtained by this model [1–3].
Advancing the Food-Energy–Water Nexus: Closing Nutrient Loops in Arid River Corridors

Closing nutrient loops in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems is integral to achieve resource security in the food-energy-water (FEW) nexus. We performed multiyear (2005–2008), monthly sampling of instream dissolved inorganic nutrient concentrations (NH4–N, NO3–N, soluble reactive phosphorus-SRP) along a ∼ 300-km arid-land river (Rio Grande, NM) and generated nutrient budgets to investigate how the net source/sink behavior of wastewater and irrigated agriculture can be holistically managed to improve water quality and close nutrient loops. Treated wastewater on average contributed over 90% of the instream dissolved inorganic nutrients (101 kg/day NH4–N, 1097 kg/day NO3–N, 656 kg/day SRP). During growing seasons, the irrigation network downstream of wastewater outfalls retained on average 37% of NO3–N and 45% of SRP inputs, with maximum retention exceeding 60% and 80% of NO3–N and SRP inputs, respectively. Accurate quantification of NH4–N retention was hindered by low loading and high variability. Nutrient ...
Family ties and informed trading: evidence from Capitol Hill

Members of Congress (politicians) are required to report their own and their family members’ financial transactions to the public via periodic statements. This paper investigates the performance of portfolios owned by politicians’ family members. We construct buy-minus-sell calendar-time portfolios using 22,159 common stock transactions over the 2004-2010 period, and find that the portfolios of politicians’ spouses have annualized abnormal returns exceeding 12 % at a 1-week holding period. We also show that the portfolios of powerful politicians’ spouses outperform the market, while the portfolios of non-powerful politicians’ spouses earn only average returns. However, we further find that spouses’ portfolios underperform the market over the 2011-2014 period. Overall, our findings suggest that members of Congress shared value-relevant private information with their spouses, and that heightened public scrutiny and the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act of 2012 led to changes in the trading behavior of politicians and their spouses.
Abstract TP256: Mouse Model of Uremic Cerebral Microbleeds

Introduction: Cerebral microbleeds are more common in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and dialysis patients compared to the general population. Diminished kidney function alone appears to be a risk factor for microbleeds, independent of age and hypertension. Microbleed burden in CKD patients is associated with increased risk of future hemorrhagic stroke and with cognitive dysfunction. The mechanisms that drive uremic microbleed formation are unclear. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that CKD mice are predisposed to develop cerebral microhemorrhages (the pathologic substrate of microbleeds), and that a standardized inflammatory stimulus (lipopolysaccharide, LPS) will amplify microhemorrhage burden in CKD mice compared to non-CKD controls (CTL). We also hypothesized that uremia induces depletion of tight junction proteins, altering blood-brain barrier integrity and representing a potential mechanism of microbleed formation. Methods: Animal groups included CTL (n=3), CKD (n=3), CTL+LPS (n=5) and CKD+LPS (n=5). CKD induction in male C57BL/6 mice was achieved via nephrotoxic adenine diet x18 days. Two weeks following CKD induction, CKD and control mice were treated with LPS 1 mg/kg i.p. dosed at 0, 6 and 24 hours. Brains were harvested one week after LPS injections and 40-micron sections were stained using Prussian blue to identify microhemorrhages. Immunohistochemistry was performed for the blood-brain barrier tight junction protein claudin-5. Results: CKD mice had significantly elevated blood urea nitrogen, and tubulointerstitial fibrosis was present on kidney histology. Total number of microhemorrhages per brain was 2.3±1.5 (mean ± standard error of the mean) for CTL mice, 8.3±1.5 for CKD mice, 23.2±4.2 for CTL+LPS mice, and 27.6±6.2 for CKD+LPS mice (p Conclusions: We have generated a mouse model that will facilitate future mechanistic studies in the field of uremic microbleeds. Our initial findings suggest that CKD alters blood-brain barrier integrity and that inflammation amplifies development of microbleeds in CKD.
Clinical Utility of Chromosomal Aneusomy in Individuals at High Risk of Lung Cancer

Abstract Introduction Low-dose computed tomography screening for lung cancer has a high false-positive rate with frequent discovery of indeterminate pulmonary nodules. Noninvasive biomarkers are needed to reduce false positives and improve risk stratification. A retrospective longitudinal evaluation was performed to assess chromosomal aneusomy in sputum by fluorescence in situ hybridization (CA-FISH) in four nested case-control studies. Methods Receiver operating characteristic analysis resulted in two grouped cohorts: a high-risk cohort (Colorado High-Risk Cohort and Colorado Nodule Cohort [68 case patients and 69 controls]) and a screening cohort (American College of Radiology Imaging Network/National Lung Screening Trial and Pittsburgh Lung Screening Study [97 case patients and 185 controls]). The CA-FISH assay was a four-target DNA panel encompassing the EGFR and v-myc avian myelocytomatosis viral oncogene homolog ( MYC ) genes, and the 5p15 and centromere 6 regions or the fibroblast growth factor 1 gene ( FGFR1 ) and phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha gene ( PIK3CA ). A four-category scale (normal, probably normal, probably abnormal, and abnormal) was applied. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative likelihood ratios (LRs) (with 95% confidence intervals [CIs]) were estimated for each cohort. Results Sensitivity and specificity were, respectively, 0.67 (95% CI: 0.55–0.78) and 0.94 (95% CI: 0.85–0.98) for high-risk participants and 0.20 (95% CI: 0.13–0.30) and 0.84 (95% CI: 0.78–0.89) for screening participants. The positive and negative LRs were, respectively, 11.66 (95% CI: 4.44–30.63) and 0.34 (95% CI: 0.24–0.48) for high-risk participants and 1.36 (95% CI: 0.81–2.28) and 0.93 (95% CI: 0.83–1.05) for screening participants. Conclusion The high positive LR of sputum CA-FISH indicates that it could be a useful adjunct to low-dose computed tomography for lung cancer in high-risk settings. For screening, however, its low positive LR limits clinical utility. Prospective assessment of CA-FISH in the incidentally identified indeterminate nodule setting is ongoing in the Colorado Pulmonary Nodule Biomarker Trial.
PCR for antigen receptor rearrangement (PARR) clonality testing in a horse with a solitary retropharyngeal lymphoma

Summary A 19-year-old Quarter Horse gelding was evaluated for respiratory distress and a rapidly enlarging retropharyngeal mass. Initial evaluation revealed severe respiratory distress, and a large, firm mass, visibly appreciable as 12 × 12 cm, in the left retropharyngeal and perilaryngeal region, with surrounding left and right retropharyngeal swelling. No significant abnormalities were present on complete blood count and serum biochemistry analyses. Endoscopy revealed severe pharyngeal collapse restricting airflow without gross abnormalities of the pharyngeal mucosa other than inflammation and irritation. A multilobular retropharyngeal mass, diffusely heterogeneous in echogenicity, was present adjacent to, but not occluding, the carotid artery as assessed by ultrasonography. Initial needle aspirate suggested lymphoma. Tissue biopsy and histopathology confirmed a round cell tumour. A temporary tracheotomy was performed to provide respiratory relief, and the horse was managed on oral antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications while awaiting histopathological results. The decision was made to humanely euthanise the horse after biopsy results indicated lymphoma. Definitive diagnosis of T cell rich, large B cell lymphoma was made by combination of cytology, immunohistochemistry and molecular clonality PCR (PARR) testing. Lymphoma should be considered in horses with focal masses of the retropharyngeal region. Although treatment was not pursued, PARR testing was successful in this case and may be helpful for accurate characterisation of lymphoma in horses to more precisely determine prognosis and the most effective treatment plans, as it has been in human patients and small animals.
Rare but not forgotten: A case of meningitis due to ceftriaxone-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Abstract Despite the dramatic decrease in invasive pneumococcal disease since the widespread use of the first pneumococcal vaccine, invasive and resistant disease still occurs. We present a case of ceftriaxone-resistant pneumococcal meningitis suggesting that continued vigilance is warranted for empiric treatment of meningitis when Streptococcus pneumoniae is a concern.
Gastrointestinal Bleeding Following a 161-Km Cycling Race in the Heat: A Pilot Study

Background: Occult (i.e., non-visible) gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is a well-recognized complication that can occur during vigorous endurance physical exertion, especially in the heat. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence of GI bleeding during a non-impact (cycling) prolonged race (161-km) in the heat. Methods: Twenty-five experienced cyclists (21 males and 4 females, 49 ± 9 y, 83.7 ± 14.8 kg) were completed a summer 161-km cycling event. Following the race, participants were given a fecal occult blood test and were instructed to retrieve their first bowel movement. Results: Mean race dry air and wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) were 36.0 ± 5.2°C, and 31.8 ± 3.6°C, respectively. Of the 25 subjects, two (8%) produced positive results for fecal occult blood while an additional two (16%) experienced constipation, hard stools, diarrhea or vomiting. Conclusions: These data showed a low incidence of GI complaints and occult bleeding during a prolonged cycling event in the heat, indicating the low-impact exercise such as cycling may lessen some of the occult GI bleeding previously reported in distance running in the heat.
What Raises Troponins in the Paediatric Population

Troponin I is a cardiac enzyme that is released during myocardial injury. However, cardiac enzymes are non-specific and can occur in many cardiac and non-cardiac pathologies. We aim to (1) describe the range of acute conditions that were associated with raised troponins in the paediatric population in our institution and (2) quantify the extent of troponin elevation and correlate it with the underlying aetiology. We performed a retrospective observational study in a tertiary institution which included patients from 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2013. We identified patients with troponin I levels of more than 0.1 ng/ml who have not had cardiac surgery before. We recorded their final diagnoses, and then compared the peak troponin levels and the eventual final diagnoses. We identified 100 patients. The top few common diagnoses resulting in a raised troponin were sepsis (29%), cardiac pathologies (29%) such as tachyarrhythmias and cardiomyopathies and myocarditis (21%). Other pathologies included trauma and other causes of multiorgan dysfunction. The median peak troponin I was higher in cardiac as compared to non-cardiac pathologies: 2.15 (0.52–15.0) and 0.44 (0.21–1.68), respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the peak troponin I values in the presence of hypotension or renal impairment. We described the range of conditions that may result in raised troponin I levels. The extent of raised troponin I levels may potentially be useful in differentiating between cardiac and non-cardiac pathologies. However, further studies on a larger scale are required to establish whether extent of troponin I elevation has a diagnostic role for cardiac pathologies.
Modulation of Immune Function

Patients with hematologic malignancies and hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients have a broad range of immune deficits that predispose to common and opportunistic infectious diseases. Infectious complications are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in these patients. Effective immune augmentation strategies used as prophylaxis and as adjunctive therapy represent an important unmet need. We discuss several immune-based strategies tailored to specific patient populations. These include strategies to augment neutrophil number, enhance function of neutrophils and macrophages, passive antibody therapy, and augmentation of cellular immunity. We evaluate immune-based therapies that are currently available and the evidence supporting their use. There is a large “pipeline” of novel and promising immunotherapies that are at preclinical and early stages of clinical development. These include augmentation of innate and antigen-specific immunity by stimulating pathogen recognition pathways, adoptive transfer of cellular immunity, and vaccine development. We review these more cutting-edge approaches, with an emphasis on opportunistic fungal and viral infections. We discuss gaps in knowledge and challenges in bringing promising immune-based therapies to clinical trials.
Ethical Theory and its Object, Morality

A resurrection of interest in problems of formal ethical theory about 1960 in the Soviet Union led to a concern with more precise definitions of terms, and particularly to an attempt to characterize both moral’ (morality), as a social phenomenon, and etika (ethics), as the science of morality, in a manner consistent with the general perspectives of dialectical and historical materialism.1
Abstract 1962: Differential Response to Vascular Stenting in Control Vs Insulin-Treated Diabetic Pigs: Analysis of Carotid, Renal and Coronary Bare Metal Stents (BMS) and Coronary Sirolimus Eluting Stents (SES)

Background: Diabetes (DM) is consistently associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk and worse outcomes from revascularization including endovascular BMS and SES. We studied the response of coronary and peripheral arteries to SES and BMS in a unique insulin treated DM pig model. Methods and Results: controlled, chronic (9 wks) hyperglycemia was achieved in pigs after Streptozotocin induction and daily insulin injections. 30 coronary stents (18 BMS, 12 SES) and 22 peripheral stents (12 carotid, 10 renal, all BMS) were deployed in DM and control pigs. SES reduced neointimal proliferation in Controls, but not DM coronaries. DM pigs developed thicker neointima in response to carotid and renal stenting at 28-d (Figure A). Fibrin deposition and intimal neo-vascularization were increased while re-endothelialization blunted in DM. Stenting elicited increased vascular inflammation (CD-45 + tissue macrophages) across stented sites that correlated with neointimal response in DM but not controls (Figure B). DM pig vessels did exhibit altered signaling pathway activation with increased p-ERK (Thr202/Tyr204) and reduced p-Akt (Ser473) immunohistochemically stained cells; most prominently in stented peripheral arteries. Conclusions: In-stent carotid and renal neointimal proliferation is increased in insulin treated DM while the response to local drug elution in coronary stents is blunted. Chronic controlled hyperglycemia results in mechanistically and quantitatively varied neointimal proliferation that is vascular bed-specific.
Performance of an Air Expansion Engine

The end product of the process involving the engine under discussion is liquid nitrogen. This is obtained by cooling and liquefying air and distilling it. There are several methods of obtaining liquid air: by cooling and using Joule-Thomson expansion; by cooling and production of work using mechanical expansion; or by using a combination of the two. A method employing mechanical expansion is preferred because of the higher process efficiency and the resulting higher yield. As an example, the system tested was run using cooling and Joule-Thomson expansion with a resulting yield of 90 liters per hour of 99.7 percent pure liquid nitrogen. The same plant, using cooling, Joule-Thomson expansion, and a reciprocating expansion engine produces 200 to 245 liters per hour of pure liquid nitrogen. This paper will describe the engine, point out operating problems and give the results of performance tests with some conclusions.
Solving Equations is Not Solving Problems

In 1955 I was a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Chicago completing a dissertation in Topology under Shiing-Shen Chern. Although I had been trained exclusively in pure mathematics, jobs in industry were beginning to become available to mathematicians and I was interested. Some of my teachers expressed disapproval of such notions, but Professor Chern did not. He told me he believed that working on physical problems was interesting and difficult, and he encouraged me to keep an open mind. I found that I was curious to learn more about the applications of the mathematics I had studied, so upon graduation I took an industrial rather than a teaching position.
Strong Equivalence and Program’s Structure in Arguing Essential Equivalence Between First-Order Logic Programs

Answer set programming is a prominent declarative programming paradigm used in formulating combinatorial search problems and implementing distinct knowledge representation formalisms. It is common that several related and yet substantially different answer set programs exist for a given problem. Sometimes these encodings may display significantly different performance. Uncovering precise formal links between these programs is often important and yet far from trivial. This paper claims the correctness of a number of interesting program rewritings. Notably, they assume programs with variables and such important language features as choice, disjunction, and aggregates.
Delays in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, Defibrillation, and Epinephrine Administration All Decrease Survival in In-hospital Cardiac Arrest.

Editor’s PerspectiveWhat We Already Know about This TopicRapid response to witnessed, pulseless cardiac arrest is associated with increased survival.What This Article Tells Us That Is NewAssessment of witnessed, pulseless cardiac arrests occurring at 538 hospitals during a 9-yr period indicates that
Neurocomputational mechanisms of adaptive learning in social exchanges

Prior work on prosocial and self-serving behavior in human economic exchanges has shown that counterparts' high social reputations bias striatal reward signals and elicit cooperation, even when such cooperation is disadvantageous. This phenomenon suggests that the human striatum is modulated by the other's social value, which is insensitive to the individual's own choices to cooperate or defect. We tested an alternative hypothesis that, when people learn from their interactions with others, they encode prediction error updates with respect to their own policy. Under this policy update account striatal signals would reflect positive prediction errors when the individual's choices correctly anticipated not only the counterpart's cooperation but also defection. We examined behavior in three samples using reinforcement learning and model-free analyses and performed an fMRI study of striatal learning signals. In order to uncover the dynamics of goal-directed learning, we introduced reversals in the counterpart's behavior and provided counterfactual (would-be) feedback when the individual chose not to engage with the counterpart. Behavioral data and model-derived prediction error maps (in both whole-brain and a priori striatal region of interest analyses) supported the policy update model. Thus, as people continually adjust their rate of cooperation based on experience, their behavior and striatal learning signals reveal a self-centered instrumental process corresponding to reciprocal altruism.
Undoing the Demos: Neoliberalism’s Stealth Revolution: by Wendy Brown, New York, Zone Books/Near Futures, 2015, 229 pp., $18.95/£14.02 (paper)

The picture on the cover of Wendy Brown’s Undoing the Demos is of an abandoned classroom, ceiling falling, paint peeling, graffiti plastered, with term papers sharing space with garbage on a dirty ...
Effect of parental origin of damaging variants in pro-angiogenic genes on fetal growth in patients with congenital heart defects: Data and analyses.

Abstract The placenta is a highly vascular structure composed of both maternal and fetal elements. We have determined that damaging variants in genes responsible for the positive regulation of angiogenesis (PRA) (GO:0045766) that are inherited by the fetus impair fetal growth and placental function in pregnancies involving critical congenital cardiac defects (Russell et al., 2019). In this dataset, we present the specific genetic variants identified, describe the parental origin of each variant where possible and present the analyses regarding the potential effects of parental origin of the variant on placental function and fetal growth. The data presented are related to the research article “Damaging variants in pro-angiogenic genes impair growth in fetuses with cardiac defects” (Russell et al., 2019).
CLOSURE OF SMALL MACULAR HOLES USING VITRECTOMY SURGERY WITH INTERNAL LIMITING MEMBRANE PEELING WITHOUT THE USE OF INTRAOCULAR GAS TAMPONADE: BROADENING THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE MACULAR HOLE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY.

PURPOSE To determine whether small macular hole closure can be achieved with 25-G vitrectomy surgery with internal limiting membrane peeling without the use of intraocular gas tamponade or facedown positioning. METHODS 25-G vitrectomy surgery with internal limiting membrane peeling without the use of intraocular gas tamponade or positioning was performed on 20 eyes with a small (<400-µm diameter), full-thickness macular hole. RESULTS In 17 of 20 eyes (85%), the hole had closed. Three holes had closed by Postoperative Day 1, 13 holes by Postoperative Week 1, 16 holes by Postoperative Week 2, and 17 holes by Postoperative Week 6. At Postoperative Month 1, vision improved in 16 of 17 eyes in which the macular hole had closed. One hole that had not closed at the first postoperative week and two holes that had not closed at the third postoperative week required follow-up surgery with intraocular gas tamponade and facedown positioning, after which the hole closed. The mean preoperative visual acuity was 0.626 logMAR (20/85), and the mean postoperative visual acuity after 1 month was 0.392 logMAR (20/50) (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION Vitrectomy surgery with internal limiting membrane peeling without the use of gas tamponade or positioning can achieve closure of small macular holes.
SIPsmartER delivered through rural, local health districts: adoption and implementation outcomes

SIPsmartER is a 6-month evidenced-based, multi-component behavioral intervention that targets sugar-sweetened beverages among adults. It consists of three in-person group classes, one teach-back call, and 11 automated phone calls. Given SIPsmartER’s previously demonstrated effectiveness, understanding its adoption, implementation, and potential for integration within a system that reaches health disparate communities is important to enhance its public health impact. During this pilot dissemination and implementation trial, SIPsmartER was delivered by trained staff from local health districts (delivery agents) in rural, Appalachian Virginia. SIPsmartER’s execution was supported by consultee-centered implementation strategies. In this mixed-methods process evaluation, adoption and implementation indicators of the program and its implementation strategy (e.g., fidelity, feasibility, appropriateness, acceptability) were measured using tracking logs, delivery agent surveys and interviews, and fidelity checklists. Quantitative data were analyzed with descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were inductively coded. Delivery agents implemented SIPsmartER to the expected number of cohorts (n = 12), recruited 89% of cohorts, and taught 86% of expected small group classes with > 90% fidelity. The planned implementation strategies were also executed with high fidelity. Delivery agents completing the two-day training, pre-lesson meetings, fidelity checklists, and post-lesson meetings at rates of 86, 75, 100, and 100%, respectively. Additionally, delivery agents completed 5% (n = 3 of 66) and 10% (n = 6 of 59) of teach-back and missed class calls, respectively. On survey items using 6-point scales, delivery agents reported, on average, higher feasibility, appropriateness, and acceptability related to delivering the group classes (range 4.3 to 5.6) than executing missed class and teach-back calls (range 2.6 to 4.6). They also, on average, found the implementation strategy activities to be helpful (range 4.9 to 6.0). Delivery agents identified strengths and weakness related to recruitment, lesson delivery, call completion, and the implementation strategy. In-person classes and the consultee-centered implementation strategies were viewed as acceptable, appropriate, and feasible and were executed with high fidelity. However, implementation outcomes for teach-back and missed class calls and recruitment were not as strong. Findings will inform the future full-scale dissemination and implementation of SIPsmartER, as well as other evidence-based interventions, into rural health districts as a means to improve population health.
An atypical case of ectopic extramammary Paget disease presenting on the lateral neck.

Extramammary Paget disease (EMPD) is a rare intraepithelial adenocarcinoma typically affecting elderly white female patients in sites with high apocrine gland density and is often associated with visceral or adnexal carcinomas.1 EMPD typically affects anogenital skin and less commonly, axillary skin and is rarely reported in cutaneous regions without apocrine glands, where it is classified as ectopic.2 Ectopic EMPD has only been reported on the head 10 times and has never been reported on the neck.2 EMPD typically presents as well-demarcated, scaly, pruritic, erythematous plaques.1, 2 EMPD mimics many cutaneous disorders including contact dermatitis, irritant dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, inverse psoriasis, and pagetoid basal cell carcinoma,1 resulting in an average diagnostic delay of 2 years.3 We present an atypical case of ectopic EPMD arising in a white male patient with a nonpruritic lesion on the lateral neck. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of ectopic EMPD on the neck.
De-novo purine biosynthesis is a major driver of chemoresistance in glioblastoma

This year nearly 20,000 lives will be lost to Glioblastoma (GBM), a treatment-resistant primary brain cancer. In this study, we identified a molecular circuit driven by epigenetic regulation that regulates the expression of ciliary protein ALR13B. We also demonstrated that ARL13B subsequently interacts with purine biosynthetic enzyme IMPDH2. Removal of ARL13B enhanced TMZ-induced DNA damage by reducing de-novo purine biosynthesis and forcing GBM cells to rely on the purine salvage pathway. Furthermore, targeting can be achieved by using an FDA-approved drug, Mycophenolate Moefitil. Our results suggest a clinical evaluation of MMF in combination with TMZ treatment in glioma patients.
Chapter 48 – Autoimmune Neutropenia

In 1926, Charles Doan observed that sera from some patients agglutinated leukocytes from other individuals. This was the beginning of modern leukocyte immunology. The first report on autoimmune leucopenia was that of Francke, who attributed the disorder to the “leukolysine” he found in a patient’s serum. The efforts of an international cooperative research, initiated in 1964, led to the discovery of the HLA, the antigens that are expressed on lymphocytes and many tissues and are markers for histocompatibility. The finding of neutrophil-specific antigens suggested that other nucleated cells may also express “organ-specific” antigens. Autoimmune neutropenia was then established as a definable clinical entity when neutrophil-specific antigens were demonstrated to be a target in primary autoimmune neutropenias. More recently, the structure, genetics, and functions of neutrophil-specific antigens were determined and the finding that NA is a receptor for IgG was helpful in better understanding its clinical implications. Finally, the availability of colony-stimulating factors for treatment has had a major impact on the management of all neutropenias.
Correlation of novel ALKATI with ALK immunohistochemistry and clinical outcomes in metastatic melanoma

Aims: Recently, a novel isoform of anaplastic lymphoma kinase, with alternative transcription initiation (ALKATI ), has been described in melanoma and is susceptible to targeted ALK-inhibitor therapy. Clinical outcomes of patients with ALKATI mutated melanoma as well as correlation with immunohistochemical (IHC) methods has not yet been described. Methods and results: Clinicopathologic characteristics were abstracted for 324 patients with metastatic melanoma (MM). IHC, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and RNA based digital molecular analysis (NanoString Technologies) assays were performed on archival tissue from 173 stage III and 192 stage IV tumors. ALKATI was identified in 12.7% and 4.8% stage III and IV tumors, respectively. Discrete presentations of the ALKATI are seen: isolated ALKATI (N=20) and mixed ALKATI (combined ALKATI and ALKWT ; N=7). Isolated ALKWT expression (N=4) was seen with no ALK fusions. Stage III patients showed improved survival with ALKATI expression as compared to those with ALKWT or no expression [5-year survival 80% (95% CI: 57%-100%) versus 43% (95% CI: 34%-55%), p=0.013]. Clinicopathologic characteristics were not statistically significant. Strong diffuse cytoplasmic staining of ALK IHC (N=12), has a sensitivity of 52.2%, specificity 100%, PPV of 100% and NPV of 92.5% of detecting isolated ALKATI . Conclusion: Presence of ALKATI is a good prognostic indicator in MM. ALK IHC and digital molecular analysis can be incorporated into MM evaluation to identify patients with ALKATI for targeted therapy.
Neurologic Characterization of Craniosynostosis: Can Direct Brain Recordings Predict Language Development?

Purpose Nonsyndromic craniosynostosis (NSC) is associated with language deficits. Conventional tests, such as the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID), may not reflect accurate long-term cognition. Alternatively, mismatch negativity (MMN) waves recorded via electroencephalogram (EEG) measure neural responses to speech and may objectively predict language development. This study aimed to (1) correlate infant MMN to future language achievement and (2) compare MMN among subtypes of NSC. Methods Pre and postoperatively (mean operative age 9.5 months), NSC participants received the BSID and EEG phoneme-discrimination paradigm(80 dB,250 Hz). The MMN was the largest negative amplitude in the difference wave 80 to 300 ms after stimuli. To measure cognitive outcome, patients completed a neurodevelopmental battery (Wechsler-Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence and Wechsler-Fundamentals) at >6 years of age. Results Eleven NSC patients with EEG testing in infancy were neurocognitively tested (average age 8.0 years; 27% female; 55% sagittal, 27% metopic, 9% unicoronal, 9% sagittal/metopic). The left frontal cluster MMN strongly correlated with word-reading (r = 0.713, P = 0.031), reading-comprehension (r = 0.745, P = 0.021), and language-composites (r = 0.0771, P = 0.015). Conversely, BSID scores did not yield significant predictive value (r 0.05). Follow-up event related potentials (ERP) comparison included 39 normal control, 18 sagittal, 17 metopic, 6 unilateral-coronal infants. Preoperatively, sagittal (P = 0.003) and metopic (P = 0.003) patients had attenuated left frontal MMN compared to controls. Postoperatively, the sagittal cohort was normalized to controls while metopic patients retained attenuations (P = 0.041). Conclusion ERP assessment in NSC had significantly better predictive value for future neurocognition than the BSID. Preoperatively, sagittal and metopic patients had attenuated neural response to language; postoperatively, sagittal patients had improved responses in comparison to metopic patients. Use of ERP assessment may help tailor treatment for language deficits earlier in development.
Public Relations Professionals Identify Ethical Issues, Essential Competencies and Deficiencies

The 2017 Commission on Public Relations Education (CPRE) report found new professionals are not meeting employers’ expectations regarding ethics knowledge, skills and abilities. This mixed-method s...
The Relevance of Statistical Knowledge for Teaching to Health Care Professionals: Reflections on a COVID-19 Press Briefing

Statistics is an important component of the knowledge base for health care professionals. In this essay, it is argued that statistical knowledge for teaching (SKT) should be considered an important...
Cooperative Equilibrium in Biosphere Evolution: Reconciling Competition and Cooperation in Evolutionary Ecology.

As our understanding of biological evolution continues to deepen, tension still surrounds the relationship between competition and cooperation in the evolution of the biosphere, with rival viewpoints often associated with the Red Queen and Black Queen hypotheses respectively. This essay seeks to reconcile these viewpoints by integrating observations of some general trends in biosphere evolution with concepts from game theory. It is here argued that biodiversity and ecological cooperation are intimately related, and that both tend to cyclically increase over biological history; this is likely due to the greater relative stability of cooperation over competition as a means of long-term conflict resolution within ecosystems. By integrating this view of the biosphere with existing models such as Niche Game Theory, it may be argued that competition and cooperation in ecosystems coexist at equilibria which shift preferentially towards increasing cooperation over biological history. This potentially points to a state of “cooperative equilibrium” as a limit or endpoint in long-term biosphere evolution, such that Black Queen and Red Queen behavior dominate different phases in an evolutionary movement towards optimal cooperative stability in ecological networks. This concept, if accepted, may also bear implications for developing future mathematical models in evolutionary biology, as well as for resolving the perennial debate regarding the relative roles of conflict and harmony in nature.
The Hadron Resonance Gas Model

This chapter is devoted to one of the most successful models for the description of strongly interacting matter in the hadronic phase: the Hadron Resonance Gas (HRG) model. We start by introducing the model in Hagedorn’s original formulation, which includes an exponential hadron mass spectrum. We then present a more recent version of the model, in which the resonance spectrum is taken from the Particle Data Book. We discuss possible model extensions, which include excluded volume corrections and Van der Waals interaction. We then discuss applications of the model, ranging from comparison to lattice QCD predictions to thermal fits of experimental particle yields and fluctuations.
Flavivirus NS1 and Its Potential in Vaccine Development.

The Flavivirus genus contains many important human pathogens, including dengue, Japanese encephalitis (JE), tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), West Nile (WN), yellow fever (YF) and Zika (ZIK) viruses. While there are effective vaccines for a few flavivirus diseases (JE, TBE and YF), the majority do not have vaccines, including WN and ZIK. The flavivirus nonstructural 1 (NS1) protein has an unusual structure–function because it is glycosylated and forms different structures to facilitate different roles intracellularly and extracellularly, including roles in the replication complex, assisting in virus assembly, and complement antagonism. It also plays a role in protective immunity through antibody-mediated cellular cytotoxicity, and anti-NS1 antibodies elicit passive protection in animal models against a virus challenge. Historically, NS1 has been used as a diagnostic marker for the flavivirus infection due to its complement fixing properties and specificity. Its role in disease pathogenesis, and the strong humoral immune response resulting from infection, makes NS1 an excellent target for inclusion in candidate flavivirus vaccines.
Mito-Mendelian interactions alter in vivo glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity in healthy mice

Different mitochondrial DNAs on the same nuclear genetic background can significantly impact body composition, glucose metabolism, and insulin sensitivity in healthy mice.
The Association of Physical Activity and Urinary Incontinence in US Women: Results from a Multi-Year National Survey.

Objectives To evaluate the relationships between physical activity, both work and recreational, and urinary incontinence among women. Methods We assessed women aged 20 years and older in 2008-2018 NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) cycles who answered self-reported urinary incontinence and physical activity questions. Weighted, multivariate logistic regression model was used to determine the association between incontinence and physical activity levels after adjusting for age, body mass index, diabetes, race, parity, menopause and smoking. Results A total of 30,213 women were included in analysis, of whom 23.15% had stress incontinence, 23.16% had urge incontinence, and 8.42% had mixed incontinence (answered "yes" to both stress and urge incontinence). Women who engaged in moderate recreational activity were less likely to report stress and urge incontinence (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.62-0.99 and OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.48-0.90, respectively). Similarly, women who engaged in moderate activity work were less likely to report stress, urge and mixed incontinence (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.70-0.99; OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.72-0.99; and OR 0.66 95% CI 0.45-0.97, respectively). Conclusions Moderate physical activity and greater time spent participating in moderate physical activity are associated with a decreased likelihood of stress, urge and mixed incontinence in women. This relationship holds for both recreational and work-related activity. We hypothesize that the mechanism of this relationship is multifactorial, with moderate physical activity improving pelvic floor strength and modifying neurophysiological mediators (such as stress) involved in the pathogenesis of incontinence.
Kinetic Detection of E3:PROTAC:Target Ternary Complexes Using NanoBRET Technology in Live Cells

Heterobifunctional small-molecule degraders known as Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) serve as a chemical bridge bringing into direct association a target protein with an active E3 ligase complex, called the ternary complex, to facilitate targeted protein degradation. This ternary complex formation is the first key mechanistic step in a cascade of events that results in ubiquitination and subsequent degradation of the target protein via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. The ternary complex, however, is a nonnative cellular complex; therefore, PROTAC compound design has many challenges to overcome to ensure successful formation, including achieving structural and electrostatic favorability among target and ligase. Due to these challenges, finding successful PROTACs typically requires testing of extensive libraries of heterobifunctional compounds with varying linkers and E3 handles. As PROTAC ternary complex formation is also critically dependent on cellular context, live cell assays and technologies for rapid and robust screening are highly enabling for triaging of early stage compounds. Here, we present cellular assays utilizing NanoBRET technology for the study of ternary complexes, showing examples with two most popular PROTAC E3 ligase components, VHL (von Hippel-Lindau disease tumor suppressor) and CRBN (Cereblon). These assays can be run in either endpoint or real-time kinetic formats, are compatible with high-throughput workflows, and provide insight into how altering the PROTAC chemical composition affects the formation and stability of the ternary complex in live cells.
Recovery of function after brain damage : the effects of nimodipine on the chronic behavioral deficit

It is commonly found, although not often documented or studied, that while the performance of brain-injured individuals may achieve some measure of recovery, this recovery is nonetheless below the performance of normal individuals. In the present research the drug nimodipine, which has been shown to be effective in treating several different brain pathologies, was evaluated as a possible candidate for reducing the long-term deficit that prevents the brain-injured individual from reaching normal levels of performance.
The Microphone Feedback Analogy for Chatter in Machining

This paper provides experimental evidence for the analogy between the time-delay feedback in public address systems and chatter in machining. Machining stability theory derived using the Nyquist criterion is applied to predict the squeal frequency in a microphone/speaker setup. Comparisons between predictions and measurements are presented.
The invariance principle and income-wealth conservation laws: Application of Lie groups and related transformations

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to uncover ‘hidden’ conservation laws in the models with heterogeneous capital goods. The first conservation law uncovered is a pseudo-net-productivity relation which implies that the rate of change in national income is equal to the discount rate multiplied by the utility-value-of-investment. Secondly, the ‘modified income’ conservation law is confirmed when the economy possesses taste change and ⧸ or technical change. From an empirical perspective, knowledge of conservation laws can assist in the econometric testing of optimal growth models. In addition to the capital-labor ratio and saving ratio the empirical validity of the models can be tested by the appropriate income-wealth ratios.
America’s Regional Demographics in the ’00s Decade: The Role of Seniors, Boomers and New Minorities

In the first decade of the 21st Century, it is becoming clear that America’s demography will become far more multifaceted than we have known in the past. Two of the main demographic engines, propelling these changes, are discussed in this report: first, we examine the rise in America’s senior population, which will be propelled by the beginning wave of aging Baby Boomers; and second, the rise of new minorities, Hispanics and Asians, that is propelled by the huge, recent immigration to the United States. Both of these trends will exert strong impacts on our society and economy for years to come. The purpose of this report is to show how these changes are now playing out nationally and across America’s regions. As the report reveals, the sharp demographic shifts that were heralded right after the 2000 Census was taken were just the tip of the iceberg, and only a few years later America has changed even more dramatically in ways that make these demographic segments important ones to watch. They reflect new ways to look at America’s consumers, voters and communities of citizens that are segmented across our national landscape.
End-Chain Spin Effects in Haldane Gap Materials

This paper overviews the behavior of the end-chain spins of linear chain systems possessing a Haldane gap. The physical properties of the end-chain spins are described by reviewing the results obtained primarily with materials known as NENP, Ni(C2H8N2)2NO2(ClO4), and NINAZ, Ni(C3H10N2)2N3(ClO4).
Impact of cannabis use during stabilization on methadone maintenance treatment.

Background and objectives Illicit drug use, particularly of cannabis, is common among opiate-dependent individuals and has the potential to impact treatment in a negative manner. Methods To examine this, patterns of cannabis use prior to and during methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) were examined to assess possible cannabis-related effects on MMT, particularly during methadone stabilization. Retrospective chart analysis was used to examine outpatient records of patients undergoing MMT (n = 91), focusing specifically on past and present cannabis use and its association with opiate abstinence, methadone dose stabilization, and treatment compliance. Results Objective rates of cannabis use were high during methadone induction, dropping significantly following dose stabilization. History of cannabis use correlated with cannabis use during MMT but did not negatively impact the methadone induction process. Pilot data also suggested that objective ratings of opiate withdrawal decrease in MMT patients using cannabis during stabilization. Conclusions and scientific significance The present findings may point to novel interventions to be employed during treatment for opiate dependence that specifically target cannabinoid-opioid system interactions.
Local structure of PLZT

The local structure of PLZT has been examined by the means of neutron-powder-diffraction derived pair-distribution function (PDF). We find that atoms are displaced from the average periodic structure by a significant amount. The directions and magnitudes of the atomic displacements in PLZT are very similar to those found in PMN. The short and intermediate-range structural changes between ferroelectric, relaxor and antiferroelectric PLZT phases were compared.