cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Depletion of UBC9 Causes Nuclear Defects during the Vegetative and Sexual Life Cycles in Tetrahymena thermophila

Ubc9p is the sole E2-conjugating enzyme for SUMOylation, and its proper function is required for regulating key nuclear events such as transcription, DNA repair, and mitosis. In Tetrahymena thermophila, the genome is separated into a diploid germ line micronucleus (MIC) that divides by mitosis and a polyploid somatic macronucleus (MAC) that divides amitotically. This unusual nuclear organization provides novel opportunities for the study of SUMOylation and Ubc9p function. We identified the UBC9 gene and demonstrated that its complete deletion from both MIC and MAC genomes is lethal. Rescue of the lethal phenotype with a GFP-UBC9 fusion gene driven by a metallothionein promoter generated a cell line with CdCl2-dependent expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-Ubc9p. Depletion of Ubc9p in vegetative cells resulted in the loss of MICs, but MACs continued to divide. In contrast, expression of catalytically inactive Ubc9p resulted in the accumulation of multiple MICs. Critical roles for Ubc9p were also identified during the sexual life cycle of Tetrahymena. Cell lines that were depleted for Ubc9p did not form mating pairs and therefore could not complete any of the subsequent stages of conjugation, including meiosis and macronuclear development. Mating between cells expressing catalytically inactive Ubc9p resulted in arrest during macronuclear development, consistent with our observation that Ubc9p accumulates in the developing macronucleus.
Wave and Particle Concepts in Quantum Field Theory

From the inception of quantum mechanics the theory has appeared to pose a dilemma about its use of wave and particle concepts. At times the theory characterizes its subject matter in terms of wave concepts. At times the theory characterizes what appears to be the very same subject matter in terms of particle concepts. But nothing can both be a wave and a particle: Waves, but not particles, superimpose; while particles, but not waves, are localized. The puzzle about the “wave-particle dualism” is that quantum theories appear to have an impossible subject matter.
Loose Cannons or Loyal Foot Soldiers? Toward a More Complex Theory of Interest Group Advertising Strategies

Recent court decisions have encouraged new types of interest groups to become involved in election campaigns. Yet questions remain about whether interest group sponsorship of advertising affects the content of the issues being discussed. The ability of interest groups to influence the campaign agenda has implications for the extent to which politicians can be held accountable by citizens. In this research, we present a new conceptual framework for explaining variation in interest group advertising strategies and examine the factors leading different types of interest groups to be loose cannons (diverging from the issue debates among candidates) or loyal foot soldiers (matching the candidates’ issue debates). We find more evidence of loyal foot soldier behavior among new multi-issue interest groups and among Republican groups and candidates. Fears of interest groups “hijacking” campaign agendas appear unfounded.
Ethical Issues in Clinical Research

From the earliest prebiblical writings to modern day, concern for and debate on the appropriate conduct by caregivers toward patients have been a central theme of appropriate (“ethical”) medical practice. Resulting from awareness of World War II German atrocities performed on prisoners, the mentally deficient, and defenseless civilians, the Nuremberg Code and Belmont Report were devised to protect patients and society from inappropriate assault on their body and psyche. Later to be followed by regulations set forth by HIPAA regarding the importance of patient privacy. Central to acceptable ethical behavior in human research are three main principles: respect for persons, beneficence, and justice. When possible, a fully informed written consent based on protocol comprehension must be obtained and preserved from each subject. With reservation and caution, parental consent may be sufficient for child participation in a study of low risk but potential importance to society. Currently, international guidelines for ethical human research require prior approval of research protocols by an Institutional Review Board (IRB). The IRB must document its views in writing, clearly identifying the trial being assessed, which documents were reviewed, and the dates of its reaching decisions for approval, disapproval, or need for restructuring. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) names the principles governing acceptable human research: social and clinical value, scientific validity, fair subject selection, favorable risk-benefit ratio, independent review, informed consent, and respect for potential and enrolled subjects.
‘Greens after the Italian way’: the landscape of the Venetian mainland through the lens of the grand tour

John Raymond traveled to Venice along ‘the greatest and farthest navigable river in Italy’ — the river Po — and reached the lagoon on the twentieth of September as we learn from Il Mercurio Italico...
Functional determinants of metal ion transport and selectivity in paralogous cation diffusion facilitator transporters CzcD and MntE in Streptococcus pneumoniae

ABSTRACT Cation diffusion facilitators (CDFs) are a large family of divalent metal transporters that collectively possess broad metal specificity and contribute to intracellular metal homeostasis and virulence in bacterial pathogens. Streptococcus pneumoniae expresses two homologous CDF efflux transporters, MntE and CzcD. Cells lacking mntE or czcD are sensitive to manganese (Mn) or zinc (Zn) toxicity, respectively, and specifically accumulate Mn or Zn, respectively, thus suggesting that MntE selectively transports Mn, while CzcD transports Zn. Here, we probe the origin of this metal specificity using a phenotypic growth analysis of pneumococcal variants. Structural homology to Escherichia coli YiiP predicts that both MntE and CzcD are dimeric and each protomer harbors four pairs of conserved metal-binding sites, termed the A site, the B site, and the C1/C2 binuclear site. We find that single amino acid mutations within both the transmembrane domain A site and the B site in both CDFs result in a cellular metal sensitivity similar to that of the corresponding null mutants. However, multiple mutations in the predicted cytoplasmic C1/C2 cluster of MntE have no impact on cellular Mn resistance, in contrast to the analogous substitutions in CzcD, which do have on impact on cellular Zn resistance. Deletion of the MntE-specific C-terminal tail, present only in Mn-specific bacterial CDFs, resulted in only a modest growth phenotype. Further analysis of MntE-CzcD functional chimeric transporters showed that Asn and Asp in the ND-DD A-site motif of MntE and the most N-terminal His in the HD-HD site A of CzcD (the specified amino acids are underlined) play key roles in transporter metal selectivity. IMPORTANCE Cation diffusion facilitator (CDF) proteins are divalent metal ion transporters that are conserved in organisms ranging from bacteria to humans and that play important roles in cellular physiology, from metal homeostasis and resistance to type I diabetes in vertebrates. The respiratory pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae expresses two metal CDF transporters, CzcD and MntE. How CDFs achieve metal selectivity is unclear. We show here that CzcD and MntE are true paralogs, as CzcD transports zinc, while MntE selectively transports manganese. Through the use of an extensive collection of pneumococcal variants, we show that a primary determinant for metal selectivity is the A site within the transmembrane domain. This extends our understanding of how CDFs discriminate among transition metals.
Donor Site Morbidity After Anterior Iliac Bone Graft Harvesting.

OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to evaluate donor site morbidity associated with anterior iliac crest bone graft harvesting for orthopaedic trauma reconstructions. DESIGN Retrospective case series. SETTING Level 1 trauma center. PATIENTS Forty-Six consecutive patients who had undergone anterior iliac crest bone graft harvesting more than a 7-year period were reviewed. INTERVENTION Grafts were taken by removing the inner table of the ilium from 2 cm posterior to the Anterior Superior Iliac Spine. The abductor insertion was left intact and the external contour of the ilium remained unaffected. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Visual analog scale and modified Questionnaires. RESULTS Thirty-seven of the 46 patients were evaluated at average follow-up of 4.5 years after anterior iliac bone graft harvesting for nonunion or fusion for posttraumatic arthrosis. No patient complained of pain at final follow-up with all patients having a visual analog scale pain of 0 at final follow-up. Three patients reported some scar numbness, however, none complained of thigh numbness. Three patients, if they needed grafting in the future would seek alternative sources based on their remembrance of significant postoperative pain. CONCLUSIONS Anterior inner table bone graft harvesting resulted in minimal morbidity and neither pain nor functional limitations at an average of 4.5 years. This technique has lower donor-site morbidity than previous reports of posterior graft sites. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Other Degrading Treatment or Punishment: Shadow Report on Intimate Partner Abuse and Sexual Assault in the United States

Culturally, there is much tolerance of violence against women in the United States. The recent furor over the slow and inadequate response of the National Football League to players’ abuse of their intimate partners evidences the cultural diminishment of women and the tolerance of abuse of intimate partners. A particularly sad statistic that reflects the cultural tolerance of violence against girls is that, conservatively, one in five female teens report having experienced abuse in their relationships.
Differential regulation of L-arginine transport and inducible NOS in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells.

Experiments were performed to characterize the uptake of L-arginine in rat aortic smooth muscle cells (SMC) and to examine whether inducers of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) could regulate the transport of L-arginine into these cells. L-Arginine transport by SMC was saturable, Na+ independent, strongly inhibited in the presence of other cationic amino acids, and could be stimulated by preloading the cells with cationic amino acids. Kinetic studies revealed the presence of both a high [Michaelis constant (Km) approximately 125 microM] and low (Km approximately 1.4 mM) affinity L-arginine transporter. Treatment of vascular SMC with interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) resulted in parallel increases in L-arginine transport and nitric oxide (NO) synthesis, as measured by nitrite production. Increasing the concentration of IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha caused a progressive elevation in nitrite production but did not further stimulate L-arginine uptake. Treatment of SMC with the com...
Health of Young Children Whose Mothers Have Intellectual Disability.

Abstract Understanding the needs and experiences of parents with intellectual disability (ID) and their children is critical to ensuring that policies can effectively support these families. This r...
Stochastic Computational, Thermal, and Vertical Transmission Models to Simulate Dengue Persistence in Vector and Human Populations

In this paper, a stochastic-contact computational model (GSCM) is combined with thermal (TM) and vertical transmission (VT) models. Furthermore, the simulation of the reemergence of dengue virus outbreaks in a vector and human population during seasonal cycles and periods of unfavorable weather was conducted in a specific region in Thailand. Five years of regional data from Thailand was used to corroborate the simulation results.
LOCAL INTERSTELLAR MAGNETIC FIELD DETERMINED FROM THE INTERSTELLAR BOUNDARY EXPLORER RIBBON

The solar wind emanating from the Sun interacts with the local interstellar medium (LISM), forming the heliosphere. Hydrogen energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) produced by the solar-interstellar interaction carry important information about plasma properties from the boundaries of the heliosphere, and are currently being measured by NASA's Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX). IBEX observations show the existence of a "ribbon" of intense ENA emission projecting a circle on the celestial sphere that is centered near the local interstellar magnetic field (ISMF) vector. Here we show that the source of the IBEX ribbon as a function of ENA energy outside the heliosphere, uniquely coupled to the draping of the ISMF around the heliopause, can be used to precisely determine the magnitude (2.93 ± 0.08 μG) and direction (22728 ± 069, 3462 ± 045 in ecliptic longitude and latitude) of the pristine ISMF far (~1000 AU) from the Sun. We find that the ISMF vector is offset from the ribbon center by ~83 toward the direction of motion of the heliosphere through the LISM, and their vectors form a plane that is consistent with the direction of deflected interstellar neutral hydrogen, thought to be controlled by the ISMF. Our results yield draped ISMF properties close to that observed by Voyager 1, the only spacecraft to directly measure the ISMF close to the heliosphere, and give predictions of the pristine ISMF that Voyager 1 has yet to sample.
Autophagy provides metabolic substrates to maintain energy charge and nucleotide pools in Ras-driven lung cancer cells

Autophagy degrades and is thought to recycle proteins, other macromolecules, and organelles. In genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) for Kras-driven lung cancer, autophagy prevents the accumulation of defective mitochondria and promotes malignancy. Autophagy-deficient tumor-derived cell lines are respiration-impaired and starvation-sensitive. However, to what extent their sensitivity to starvation arises from defective mitochondria or an impaired supply of metabolic substrates remains unclear. Here, we sequenced the mitochondrial genomes of wild-type or autophagy-deficient (Atg7(-/-)) Kras-driven lung tumors. Although Atg7 deletion resulted in increased mitochondrial mutations, there were too few nonsynonymous mutations to cause generalized mitochondrial dysfunction. In contrast, pulse-chase studies with isotope-labeled nutrients revealed impaired mitochondrial substrate supply during starvation of the autophagy-deficient cells. This was associated with increased reactive oxygen species (ROS), lower energy charge, and a dramatic drop in total nucleotide pools. While starvation survival of the autophagy-deficient cells was not rescued by the general antioxidant N-acetyl-cysteine, it was fully rescued by glutamine or glutamate (both amino acids that feed the TCA cycle and nucleotide synthesis) or nucleosides. Thus, maintenance of nucleotide pools is a critical challenge for starving Kras-driven tumor cells. By providing bioenergetic and biosynthetic substrates, autophagy supports nucleotide pools and thereby starvation survival.
Remember where you came from: on the second-order random walk based proximity measures

Measuring the proximity between different nodes is a fundamental problem in graph analysis. Random walk based proximity measures have been shown to be effective and widely used. Most existing random walk measures are based on the first-order Markov model, i.e., they assume that the next step of the random surfer only depends on the current node. However, this assumption neither holds in many real-life applications nor captures the clustering structure in the graph. To address the limitation of the existing first-order measures, in this paper, we study the second-order random walk measures, which take the previously visited node into consideration. While the existing first-order measures are built on node-to-node transition probabilities, in the second-order random walk, we need to consider the edge-to-edge transition probabilities. Using incidence matrices, we develop simple and elegant matrix representations for the second-order proximity measures. A desirable property of the developed measures is that they degenerate to their original first-order forms when the effect of the previous step is zero. We further develop Monte Carlo methods to efficiently compute the second-order measures and provide theoretical performance guarantees. Experimental results show that in a variety of applications, the second-order measures can dramatically improve the performance compared to their first-order counterparts.
Chapter 13 – Asthma

Asthma is a complex disease affecting over 300 million individuals in the developed world. Most asthma cases, including in adults, have their origins in childhood. Asthma is a clinical syndrome characterized by reversible episodes of airflow obstruction, airway hyperresponsiveness, and a chronic inflammatory process of the airways of which many different cells play a role. Modern estimates of heritability of asthma due to additive genetic effects from common variants are between 61.5%=/−16%. Candidate gene and genome-wide association studies have identified over 30 reproducible loci associated with the disease. Gene expression profiling of asthma in blood and bronchial epithelium implicates highly relevant biology related to systemic inflammation. Despite the availability of several classes of therapeutic agents for asthma, it has been estimated that as many as one half of all patients do not respond to treatment with b2 agonists, leukotriene antagonists, or inhaled corticosteroids. Over 20 reproducible genetic loci have been identified for these three treatment pathways. Asthma genomics is in its early stages and has the potential to have a great clinical impact in the next 5–10 years through the development of genomic predictors of disease occurrence, response to asthma medication, and exacerbations.
Changing the Point of View: The History of Human Genetics as an Applied Science in the Federal Republic of Germany, 1945–1975

In the history of human genetics in Germany, there has been less focus on the aspect of it as an applied science than as clinical genetics.
Potential Deaths Averted and Serious Adverse Events Incurred From Adoption of the SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial) Intensive Blood Pressure Regimen in the United States: Projections From NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey)

Background: SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial) demonstrated a 27% reduction in all-cause mortality with a systolic blood pressure (SBP) goal of <120 versus <140 mm Hg among US adults at high cardiovascular disease risk but without diabetes mellitus, stroke, or heart failure. To quantify the potential benefits and risks of SPRINT intensive goal implementation, we estimated the deaths prevented and excess serious adverse events incurred if the SPRINT intensive SBP treatment goal were implemented in all eligible US adults. Methods: SPRINT eligibility criteria were applied to the 1999 to 2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and linked with the National Death Index through December 2011. SPRINT eligibility included age ≥50 years, SBP of 130 to 180 mm Hg (depending on the number of antihypertensive medications being taken), and high cardiovascular disease risk. Exclusion criteria were diabetes mellitus, history of stroke, >1 g proteinuria, heart failure, estimated glomerular filtration rate <20 mL·min−1·1.73 m−2, or dialysis. Annual mortality rates were calculated by dividing the Kaplan-Meier 5-year mortality by 5. Hazard ratios for all-cause mortality and heart failure and absolute risks for serious adverse events in SPRINT were used to estimate the number of potential deaths and heart failure cases prevented and serious adverse events incurred with intensive SBP treatment. Results: The mean age was 68.6 years, and 83.2% and 7.4% were non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic black, respectively. The annual mortality rate was 2.20% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.91–2.48), and intensive SBP treatment was projected to prevent ≈107 500 deaths per year (95% CI, 93 300–121 200) and give rise to 56 100 (95% CI, 50 800–61 400) episodes of hypotension, 34 400 (95% CI, 31 200–37 600) episodes of syncope, 43 400 (95% CI, 39 400–47 500) serious electrolyte disorders, and 88 700 (95% CI, 80 400–97 000) cases of acute kidney injury per year. The analysis-of-extremes approach indicated that the range of estimated lower- and upper-bound number of deaths prevented per year with intensive SBP control was 34 600 to 179 600. Intensive SBP control was projected to prevent 46 100 (95% CI, 41 800–50 400) cases of heart failure annually. Conclusions: If fully implemented in eligible US adults, intensive SBP treatment could prevent ≈107 500 deaths per year. A consequence of this treatment strategy, however, could be an increase in serious adverse events. # Clinical Perspective {#article-title-27}
A rare case of thrombotic microangiopathy triggered by acute pancreatitis.

Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) occurring after acute pancreatitis is rarely described. Without prompt intervention, TMA can be, and often is, lethal, so prompt recognition is important. Here, we present a case of a 61-year-old woman with a history of alcohol misuse who presented with epigastric pain, nausea and vomiting after binge drinking. Elevated serum lipase and imaging were suggestive of acute-on-chronic pancreatitis. Although the patient’s symptoms of acute pancreatitis subsided, her anaemia, thrombocytopenia and acute kidney injury worsened. A peripheral blood smear revealed schistocytes, prompting suspicion for TMA. Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) was promptly initiated and she completed 10 TPE sessions that improved her anaemia and serum creatinine and resolved the thrombocytopenia. Since TPE was effective and the ADAMTS13 assay revealed 55% activity in the absence of anti-ADAMTS13 IgG prior to initiation of therapy, a confident diagnosis of TMA caused by acute pancreatitis was made. There was no evidence of relapse 2 years later.
DExaS: Delegated experience as a service for mobile and wearable devices

Mobile devices and wearables are becoming more popular everyday. Such devices are equipped with advanced hardware and software capabilities. While delegation and remote delivery of services for mobile and wearable devices are not new, such services are limited to framework specific applications, and, without a defined incentive model for cooperative service delivery. In this paper, we propose the Delegated Experience as a Service (DExaS) model for mobile and wearable devices. DExaS delivers a service-oriented approach towards accessing services and features from smart mobile and wearable devices for capability and resource limited devices. Our model provides a detailed architecture and protocol level definition for provisioning delegated services. Moreover, DExaS incorporates capability based discovery of services, including a payment based incentive model for delegating users to participate in the given framework. We have also presented a prototype delegated phone application using the DExaS framework to illustrate the practical usage and feasibility of the proposed approach.
ONC201 shows promise in AML treatment.

The 5-year overall survival rate for adults with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) treated with conventional chemotherapy is 40–45% for younger patients, while older patients have a more dismal outlook ...
SPONTANEOUS PROGRESSIVE DIMINUTION OF PROSTATE-SPECIFIC ANTIGEN LEVELS AS A CLUE TO SECONDARY HYPOGONADISM AND ULTIMATELY A PITUITARY MACROADENOMA

Objective: The objective of this publication is to report a case of secondary hypogonadism in a patient with diminished prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels who was ultimately diagnosed with a pituitary macroadenoma. Methods: The methods used to collect our data include pituitary magnetic resonance imaging and summarization of thyroid and pituitary data, as well as documentation of PSA and testosterone levels. Results: A 64-year-old, white male with benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia was found to have low testosterone levels and decreased sexual drive. The patient showed diminution of PSA levels (from 6.9 ng/dL to <0.05 ng/dL), which led us to suspect low testosterone levels. Further testing revealed progressive decrease in testosterone over a 5-year period to a nadir of <2.5 ng/dL. Additional lab data showed panhypopituitarism, indicating a secondary cause for the hypogonadism. These laboratory findings led to a pituitary magnetic resonance imaging study revealing a so...
Morphine Alters the Immune Response to Influenza Virus Infection in Lewis Rats

It has been well-documented that administration of opioids can alter immune function in vitro. Initial studies of chronic heroin users demonstrated that this population has decreased mitogenic responsiveness of blood lymphocytes to lipopolysaccharide, poke- weed mitogen, and concanavalin-A, suggesting an impairment of cellular immunity (1). Subsequent studies have shown that chronic heroin users also exhibit diminished T-cell E-rosetting (2), reductions in the total number of T-cells present in the peripheral blood (3), and decreases in the number of T-helper cells in the blood (4). Taken together, these studies demonstrate that chronic heroin use can alter immune function, and may thereby affect disease susceptibility and pathogenesis.
Contemporary Marxist Sociology of Mathematics

The tension in earlier Marxist analyses of mathematics between the idea that mathematics is a social product and the idea that it is in some sense independent of social forces continues to affect contemporary Marxist studies of the social roots of mathematics. The Bulgarian mathematician Iliev’s paper on “Mathematics in Modern Society” in a special issue of the Polish quarterly, Problems of the Science of Science, illustrates this tension weighted in favor of the independence assumption.1 Iliev emphasizes the internal dynamics of mathematics. This is treated quite technically and in some detail. The societal dimensions of mathematical development are mentioned, but only in passing. The following statements illustrate Iliev’s orientation: (a) “Mathematics has served the needs of all the social and economic formations”; (b) “Mathematics has always been at the basis of technical progress”; (c) “Three important phenomena in mathematics are reflected in the development of all sciences and all conscious human activities of modern society: the construction and realization of mathematical structures, the mathematical foundations of computer technology and cybernetics, and simulation”; (d) The latter phenomena “and the technical problems they involve have their origin in the development of other sciences and society itself”; and (e) “…a change in the object of scientific research leads to a change in the internal laws of the development of science. Since contemporary society possesses means of directing science towards corresponding objects, we get the basic conclusion: modern society can influence the changes in the internal laws of the development of science. In particular, this is true for the mathematics also”.
The Isolation and Characterization of DNA Binding Proteins Specific for Adenovirus Infected Cells

Adenoviruses have been isolated from a number of different species including man (33 serotypes), monkeys, mice, dogs, cows, birds (Green, 1970), and frogs (Clark et al., 1973). The most extensively studied adenoviruses are those of human origin. In particular, we now know a great deal about the structure and replication of the DNA from human adenoviruses types 2 and 5. For this reason this review will be restricted to a discussion of these two viruses.
Janus’s Interspecies Faces: Biomorphic Transformations in the Ecology of Mind in James Cameron’s Avatar

James Cameron’s Avatar (Three-Disc Extended Collector’s ed. Los Angeles: Produced by Twentieth Century Fox, in Associating with Dune Entertainment, Ingenious Film Partners, and Lightstorm Entertainment, 2009.) represents both the optimistic dreams and the postcolonial nightmares rising with digital media in the new era. The film is a technical masterpiece and, on a superficial level, provides a vision of panhuman and interspecies liberation in the context of colonialism and imperialism, here expanded to interplanetary spaces. Yet, at the same time, as its critics point out, the film becomes itself a vehicle of colonialist expansion, importing Eurocentric subjectivity and entrepreneurial exploitation into its hero’s, Jake Sully’s, composite human-Na’vi persona. Thus, film audiences are transported by the film into a fantasy of being heroes of democratization and indigenous rights while, in fact, being implicit in cultural and economic imperialism. Which view is right? For a wider perspective on the film, I draw upon Jason Moore’s Capitalism in the Web of Life, to combine dialectics with cybernetics in a critical-theoretical viewing of Avatar. Mental ecology forms the “mind” inextricably linked with the “bodies” of human and the myriad other species who form the laboring multitude of Gaia rising toward universal emancipation. The critical model here might be invoked in the interpretation of Black Panther (2018), and other films epitomizing conflicts of the Anthropocene.
Optimal group route query: Finding itinerary for group of users in spatial databases

The increasing popularity of location-based applications creates new opportunities for users to travel together. In this paper, we study a novel spatio-social optimization problem , i.e., Optimal Group Route, for multi-user itinerary planning. With our problem formulation, users can individually specify sources and destinations, preferences on the Point-of-interest (POI) categories, as well as the distance constraints. The goal is to find a itinerary that can be traversed by all the users while maximizing the group’s preference of POI categories in the itinerary. Our work advances existing group trip planning studies by maximizing the group’s social experience. To this end, individual preferences of POI categories are aggregated by considering the agreement and disagreement among group members. Furthermore, planning a multi-user itinerary on large road networks is computationally challenging. We propose two efficient greedy algorithms with bounded approximation ratio, one exact solution which computes the optimal itinerary by exploring a limited number of paths in the road network, and a scaled approximation algorithm to speed up the dynamic programming employed by the exact solution. We conduct extensive empirical evaluations on two real-world road network/POI datasets and our results confirm the effectiveness and efficiency of our solutions.
Promoting the Social and Emotional Learning of Millions of School Children.

This brief article describes how I have applied my knowledge, skills, and dispositions as a psychological scientist to help make the world a better place for children and youth. Over the last 40 years, I have collaborated with hundreds of researchers and practitioners to advance social and emotional learning (SEL) research, practice, and policy. Our long-term goal is to help make evidence-based SEL an essential part of preschool to high school education. Many countries, states, and districts now support quality implementation of systemic SEL in schools. I highlight a few challenges of doing this work and why it has been meaningful to me. I reflect on what I might do differently if I were to do this work again. Most important, I would spend more time in schools, central offices, and state departments of education so my research would be influenced even more by the realities of everyday practice.
Sex Roles in Mathematics: A Study of the Status of Sex Stereotypes in Elementary Mathematics Texts.

search data indicate sex stereotyping is one of the most important factors in the governance of behavioral development, motivation, and self-concept (Brody). Recent reports from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) show that in most other learning areas tested "females tended to do better than males. However, the results for science and consumer mathematics show females at a definite disadvantage. These data seem to reinforce the old stereotypes about female inability to cope with 'technical' or 'logical' subjects" (NAEP 1975 [a], p. 35). Extensive sex stereotyping has been well documented in earlier textbooks (Milnar 1973, Rogers 1975). But has sexism been eliminated from the more recently published elementary mathematics series (1971 through 1975)? To answer this question, the authors examined texts from eight major publishers, chosen on the basis of recent publication dates and wide use of the series in schools. The first-, fourth-, and seventhgrade texts were examined in each series to determine whether sex stereotyping had persisted in activities and occupations portrayed in illustrations and in written problems. This sampling of grade levels was selected to identify differences that might appear as the format changed from pictorial mathematics to symbolic mathematics.
Mechanical Suppression of Breast Cancer Cell Invasion and Paracrine Signaling Requires Nucleo-Cytoskeletal Connectivity

Exercise benefits the musculoskeletal system and reduces the effects of cancer. The beneficial effects of exercise are multifactorial, where metabolic changes and tissue adaptation influence outcomes. Mechanical signals, a principal component of exercise, are anabolic to the musculoskeletal system and restrict cancer progression. We examined the mechanisms through which cancer cells sense and respond to mechanical signals. Low-magnitude, high-frequency signals were applied to human breast cancer cells in the form of low-intensity vibration (LIV). LIV decreased invasion through matrix and impaired secretion of osteolytic factors PTHLH, IL-11, and RANKL. Furthermore, paracrine signals from mechanically stimulated cancer cells, reduced osteoclast differentiation resorptive capacity. Physically disconnecting the nucleus by knockdown of SUN1 and SUN2 impaired the ability of LIV to suppress invasion and production of osteolytic factors. LIV also increased cell stiffness; an effect dependent on an intact LINC complex. These data show that mechanical signals alter the metastatic potential of human breast cancer cells, where the nucleus serves as a mechanosensory apparatus to alter cell structure and intercellular signaling.
Special collections in the classroom: embedding special collections in an undergraduate history writing class

This article describes a 12-year collaboration between a special collections librarian and history faculty for an undergraduate history writing course at Vanderbilt University. Originally taught as...
Role of Sex on the Relationship Between Sexual Minority Status and Misperceptions of Body Weight Among High School Students.

Abstract Purpose Misperception of body weight during adolescence is a risk factor for negative self-image, harmful eating/dietary habits (e.g., binge eating and purging), and body dysmorphia. Sexual minority youth, particularly males, may be at increased risk for misperceptions of body weight, relative to youth who do not identify as a sexual minority. This study examines the risk for misperception of body weight among sexual minority youth and explores biological sex as an effect modifier in this relationship. Methods We pooled data from the 2015 and 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Surveys. Participants were 18,634 high school students who were not overweight/obese. Multivariable logistic regression examined the association between sexual minority status (i.e., gay, lesbian, bisexual, and unsure) and misperceptions of body weight (i.e., self-perceived as overweight/severely overweight). Weighted multivariable logistic regression analyses, stratified by biological sex, were used to compare this relationship across males and females. Covariates included race/ethnicity, grade, bullying victimization, television/electronic screen time, and tobacco use. Results Overall, 16.6% of the sample self-reported misperceptions of body weight. Sexual minority youth had 1.49 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.28–1.73) greater odds of misperception of body weight, adjusting for covariates; this relationship was found across biological sex, but that the main effect was significantly greater among sexual minority males (adjusted odds ratio: 2.24, 95% CI: 1.65–3.03) relative to sexual minority females (adjusted odds ratio: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.11–1.59). Conclusions Sexual minority youth had greater odds of overestimating their weight status. Biological sex appears to modify this relationship with sexual minority males being at particularly high risk for overestimating their weight status.
The Use of Empathic Communication During the COVID-19 Outbreak

As of May 13, 2020, the number of confirmed SARS-CoV-2 (novel corona virus, COVID-19) infections has risen to 4 300 000 worldwide, with over 1 300 000 confirmed cases in the United States. Various prediction models of spread indicate more hospitalization, increased ventilator use, and the shifting of medical resources to most efficiently serve the patient's needs. Additionally, mitigation strategies such as monitoring for symptoms, social distancing, safer at home, and the wearing of masks caused our institution to implement significant operational changes to our usual practice. This included screening patients and staff for symptoms, rescheduling routine medical visits, postponing procedures, converting face-to-face visits to telephone or video visits, and changing visitor visit policies. In this article, we describe the various ways we deployed empathic communication messaging and resources across the institution during the COVID-19 pandemic.
On the behavior of ocean analysis and forecast error covariance in the presence of baroclinic instability

Abstract The properties of the expected analysis and forecast error covariance matrices are explored using a novel method based on the tangent linearization and adjoint of a 4-dimensional variational (4D-Var) data assimilation system. The method is applied to the mesoscale circulation that develops in the presence of a baroclinically unstable mid-latitude ocean temperature front using a series of paternal twin experiments that employ both strong and weak constraint 4D-Var. Adopting the traditional view of Empirical Orthogonal Functions (EOFs) of a covariance matrix as the semi-major axes of a multi-dimensional hyper-ellipsoid, variations in the volume of the analysis and forecast error hyper-ellipsoids are explored which provides information about the flow of probability through state-space. The complementary variations in the expected total variance of the covariance matrix are also investigated. Two different kinds of behavior are identified that are associated with either the demise or growth of baroclinic instabilities. In both cases, the volume of the hyper-ellipsoid decreases during the 4D-Var analysis cycle. During the subsequent forecasts, the volume of the forecast error hyper-ellipsoid initially continues to collapse under both scenarios. During this time, the hyper-ellipsoid becomes increasingly elongated along some of the semi-major axes as forecast errors grow in preferential directions. Growth in these directions is controlled by the most unstable error modes, and projection of forecast error on to the precursors of these modes has been shown previously to be characterized by upscale energy transfer and non-normal processes. For the case of the growing wave, the forecast error hyper-ellipsoid continues to collapse through to the end of the forecast period. However, for the decaying wave, the hyper-ellipsoid may undergo expansion at longer forecast lead times.
Life Expectancy and Treatment Patterns in Elderly Patients With Low-Risk Papillary Thyroid Cancer: A Population-Based Analysis

Abstract Objective Guidelines endorse active surveillance for low-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), but this is not commonly utilized. Those with limited life expectancy due to age and comorbidity may be best suited for active surveillance given their higher likelihood of other-cause mortality compared to disease-specific mortality. Methods Surveillance, epidemiology, and end results-Medicare was queried for patients >65 years with T1, N0, M0 PTC who received surgery. We evaluated the overall survival, disease-specific survival (DSS), and survival based on tumor size and extent of surgery (hemi- vs total thyroidectomy). We created a competing risk model to identify the cumulative incidence of other-cause mortality to define patient groups with life expectancies of less than 10 and 15 years. Results A total of 3280 patients were included. The 20-year overall survival and DSS were 38.2% and 98.5%, respectively. DSS was comparable between patients based on tumor size and surgery. The cancer cohort had better survival compared to matched controls (P 80 years regardless of Charlson comorbidity score (CCS ≥ 0) and any patient aged >70 years with CCS ≥ 1. Life expectancy was less than 10 years for any patient a >80 years with CCS ≥ 1 and aged >70 years with CCS ≥ 3. Conclusion Older patients with comorbidities have limited life expectancies but excellent DSS from low-risk PTC. Incorporating life expectancy into management decisions and guidelines would likely promote selection of less aggressive management for populations that are most suited for this approach.
Liquid Crystalline Polymers: Opportunities to Shape Neural Interfaces.

Objectives Polymers have emerged as constituent materials for the creation of microscale neural interfaces; however, limitations regarding water permeability, delamination, and material degradation impact polymeric device robustness. Liquid crystal polymers (LCPs) have molecular order like a solid but with the fluidity of a liquid, resulting in a unique material, with properties including low water permeability, chemical inertness, and mechanical toughness. The objective of this article is to review the state-of-the-art regarding the use of LCPs in neural interface applications and discuss challenges and opportunities where this class of materials can advance the field of neural interfaces. Materials and methods This review article focuses on studies that leverage LCP materials to interface with the nervous system in vivo. A comprehensive literature search was performed using PubMed, Web of Science (Clarivate Analytics), and Google Scholar. Results There have been recent efforts to create neural interfaces that leverage the material advantages of LCPs. The literature offers examples of LCP as a basis for implantable medical devices and neural interfaces in the form of planar electrode arrays for retinal prosthetic, electrocorticography applications, and cuff-like structures for interfacing the peripheral nerve. In addition, there have been efforts to create penetrating intracortical devices capable of microstimulation and resolution of biopotentials. Recent work with a subclass of LCPs, namely liquid crystal elastomers, demonstrates that it is possible to create devices with features that deploy away from a central implantation site to interface with a volume of tissue while offering the possibility of minimizing tissue damage. Conclusion We envision the creation of novel microscale neural interfaces that leverage the physical properties of LCPs and have the capability of deploying within neural tissue for enhanced integration and performance.
Intrinsic functional neuron-type selectivity of transcranial focused ultrasound neuromodulation

Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) is a promising neuromodulation technique, but its mechanisms remain unclear. We hypothesize that if tFUS parameters exhibit distinct modulation effects in different neuron populations, then the mechanism can be understood through identifying unique features in these neuron populations. In this work, we investigate the effect of tFUS stimulation on different functional neuron types in in vivo anesthetized rodent brains. Single neuron recordings were separated into regular-spiking and fast-spiking units based on their extracellular spike shapes acquired through intracranial electrophysiological recordings, and further validated in transgenic optogenetic mice models of light-excitable excitatory and inhibitory neurons. We show that excitatory and inhibitory neurons are intrinsically different in response to ultrasound pulse repetition frequency (PRF). The results suggest that we can preferentially target specific neuron types noninvasively by tuning the tFUS PRF. Chemically deafened rats and genetically deafened mice were further tested for validating the directly local neural effects induced by tFUS without potential auditory confounds. Low-intensity transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) is a non-invasive neuromodulation technique with high spatial specificity. The authors show that excitatory and inhibitory neurons respond differently to tFUS, suggesting the possibility of preferentially targeting specific neuron types via noninvasive tFUS.
A randomized study of a best practice alert for platelet transfusions.

Background and objectives Inappropriate platelet transfusions represent an opportunity for improvements in patient care. Use of a best practice alert (BPA) as clinical decision support (CDS) for red cell transfusions has successfully reduced unnecessary red blood cell (RBC) transfusions in prior studies. We studied the impact of a platelet transfusion BPA with visibility randomized by patient chart. Materials and methods A BPA was built to introduce CDS at the time of platelet ordering in the electronic health record. Alert visibility was randomized at the patient encounter level. BPA eligible platelet transfusions for patients with both visible and non-visible alerts were recorded along with reasons given for override of the BPA. Focused interviews were performed with providers who interacted with the BPA to assess its impact on their decision making. Results Over a 9-month study period, 446 patient charts were randomized. The visible alert group used 25.3% fewer BPA eligible platelets. Mean monthly usage of platelets eligible for BPA display was 65.7 for the control group and 49.1 for the visible alert group (p = 0.07). BPA-eligible platelets used per inpatient day at risk per month were not significantly different between groups (2.4 vs. 2.1, p = 0.53). Conclusion It is feasible to study CDS via chart-based randomization. A platelet BPA reduced total platelets used over the study period and may have resulted in $151,069 in yearly savings, although there were no differences when adjusted for inpatient days at risk. During interviews, providers offered additional workflow insights allowing further improvement of CDS for platelet transfusions.
Evaluation of Medications Used for Hospitalized Patients With Sleep Disturbances: A Frequency Analysis and Literature Review.

Purpose:Poor sleep during hospitalization is common and implicated in worse patient outcomes. Despite implementation of non-pharmacologic techniques, medications are still frequently required. The ...