cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Anxiety is associated with brain amyloidosis in cognitively normal and mild cognitive impairment subjects: A [18F]flutemetamol PET study

Background:Alzheimer’s disease (AD) affects an increasing number of individuals in our societies. It is characterized by accumulation of fibrillary amyloid plaques in the brain. Recently, several studies have emphasized the role of positron emission tomography (PET) using amyloid biomarkers which allow in vivo visualization of plaques to distinguish AD pathology from other forms of protein accumulations leading to dementia. However, very few studies have investigated the role of amyloid imaging in the differential diagnosis of atypical/unclear cases, that is complex dementia syndromes where even a comprehensive investigation yields no clear diagnosis. Moreover, no studies have investigated the impact of a correct diagnosis on caregivers and their perception of the process. Methods:Using a novel amyloid tracer (NAV4694), we scanned 20 patients with an atypical/unclear dementia syndrome as determined by an experienced behavioral neurologist from a tertiary care center. All patients had a full work-up (i.e., clinical, blood tests, neuropsychological evaluation, structural and functional imaging) yet no certain diagnosis. Amyloid-PETs were either positive or negative based on qualitative and quantitative reads by two independent readers. A questionnaire was given to the treating neurologist to determine whether amyloid imaging allowed a more accurate diagnosis and changed treatment plans. Caregivers were met one month after the revelation of the diagnosis and completed a questionnaire followed by a standardized interview designed to assess its impact. Results: A statistically significant increase in confidence levels amongst physicians who ordered amyloid imaging in such cases was found. Revelation of diagnosis to caregivers was associated with better acceptance of the disease as well as a clearer view of future challenges. Conclusions: This study suggests that amyloid imaging is useful in the differential diagnosis of atypical/unclear dementias, and has a positive impact on caregivers. AmyloidPET is indicated in the investigation of complex, atypical/unclear dementing disorders.
Contingencies and the Gift Tax

With the gift tax serving only as a backstop for the income tax in the event of estate tax repeal, Congress needs to reexamine current distinctions between complete and incomplete gifts. Otherwise, in 2010, lifetime transfers will be taxed more severely than testamentary ones even where they are virtually indistinguishable in terms of retained control. The best solution is, of course, to eliminate estate tax repeal; however, if estate tax repeal does in fact occur, all attempted gifts should be treated as completed gifts of the full value of the underlying property. By serving as a prepayment of income tax in this way, the gift tax would more effectively serve its sole remaining purpose. It would also eliminate the need for both the grantor trust rules (excepting perhaps section 676) and the newly enacted section 2511(c).
The Neglected Remedy: Strengthening Consumer Voice in Managed Care

The backlash against managed care drive-through deliveries and gag rules illustrate a more general problem: the folly of relying exclusively on market choice to protect the interests of health care consumers. Yet government rule making about medical care isn't the only alternative. There's another option: giving consumers a more direct voice in managed care organizations. American health policy has neglected this remedy. This article explains the benefits of fostering consumer voice and shows why it can succeed in promoting accountable health care where market approaches have failed.
A Cross-Sectional Study of Medical Student Knowledge of Evidence-Based Medicine as Measured by the Fresno Test of Evidence-Based Medicine.

Abstract Background Evidence-based medicine (EBM) has been included in the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) milestones project as a required component during emergency medicine (EM) residency training. Milestone Level One states that graduating medical students must be able to “describe basic principles of EBM.” Objective We sought to identify the EBM skills of third- and fourth-year medical students. Methods Our institution, a network with 17 different residencies, hosts U.S. osteopathic and allopathic medical students. As a part of orientation, students are required to complete an entry Fresno Test of EBM (FTEBM). Retrospectively, medical student FTEBM scores from 2011 were assessed using descriptive statistics. Results Four hundred seventeen FTEBM scores were analyzed. Participants represented 40 medical schools, including 17 allopathic (MD) and 23 osteopathic (DO) schools. Fifty percent of participants (n = 210) were female, and 51.6% (n = 215) were from a DO medical school. Overall mean performance for the FTEBM was 47.2%. Exploring the results by individual question were (individual EBM question topics are in parentheses): 1A (study question), 62.0%; 1B (study question), 64.4%: 2 (sources of evidence), 67.6%; 3 (study design), 57.1%; 4 (search strategies), 53.2%; 5 (relevance), 41.2%; 6 (internal validity), 43.6%; 7 (magnitude), 37.8%; 8 (two-by-two grids), 30.0%; 9 (number needed to treat), 16.9%; 10 (confidence intervals), 34.3%; 11 (diagnosis), 5.0%; and 12 (prognosis), 43.4%. Conclusions As measured by the FTEBM, senior medical students demonstrate understanding of about half of EBM. EM residencies can anticipate the need to instruct their residents in EBM concepts in order to meet ACGME/ABEM milestone requirements.
Primitive Roots without Quadratic Reciprocity

(1976). Primitive Roots without Quadratic Reciprocity. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 49, No. 3, pp. 146-146.
Effects of In-Video Quizzes on MOOC Lecture Viewing

Online courses on sites such as Coursera use quizzes embedded inside lecture videos (in-video quizzes) to help learners test their understanding of the video. This paper analyzes how users interact with in-video quizzes, and how in-video quizzes influence users' lecture viewing behavior. We analyze the viewing logs of users who took the Machine Learning course on Coursera. Users engage heavily with in-video quizzes -- 74% of viewers who start watching a video will attempt its corresponding in-video quiz. We observe spikes in seek activity surrounding in-video quizzes, particularly seeks from the in-video quiz to the preceding section. We show that this is likely due to users reviewing the preceding section to help them answer the quiz, as the majority of users who seek backwards from in-video quizzes have not yet submitted a correct answer, but will later attempt the quiz. Some users appear to use quiz-oriented navigation strategies, such as seeking directly from the start of the video to in-video quizzes, or skipping from one quiz to the next. We discuss implications of our findings on the design of lecture-viewing platforms.
The Effect of Earned Income Tax Credit Expansions on the Smoking Behavior of Women

We investigate the impact of Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) expansions on the smoking behavior of women. The differential increases in federal EITC benefits by family size as part of the 1993 OBRA expansion allow for a comparison of smoking status changes between women with and without children and between mothers with one and more than one child. We exploit these changes in a difference-in-differences framework using data from the 1993-2001 waves of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) to show that the increase in EITC benefits yielded a significant decline in the likelihood of smoking among unmarried women with less than a college degree. These results are also robust to an alternative measure of EITC expansion, specifically the maximum state-level EITC benefit (in dollars), which varies across states and over the full course of the sample time frame.
An accurate method of calculating the radiated emission from multilayer printed circuit board edge structures

An accurate method for evaluating the radiated emission from power distribution system in multilayer printed circuit boards was investigated.Firstly,the impedance caused by signal current returning through power and ground(P/G)planes was calculated using high efficient 2Dboundary element method(BEM),then the equivalent physics circuit model of via transition was connected with exterior circuit to form integral circuit,so the precise excitation current can be obtained through circuit simulation method.The field distribution on the peripheral surfaces of P/G planes induced by the excitation current was also calculated by BEM,finally the far field radiation was obtained through equivalent magnetic current of edge field.The radiation excitation current and maximum radiated emissions were provided for different frequencies.Research results show that the radiation reaches its maximum value at anti-resonance frequencies.The obtained results agree very well with those from electromagnetic simulation based on full-wave finite-element method.
The Effects of Exchange Rate Volatility on U.S. Forest Commodities Exports

This article addresses the impact of exchange rate volatility on U.S. exports of four forest commodities. Exchange rate volatility is measured by the standard deviation of the growth rate of real effective exchange rate of the U.S. dollar. The nonstationarity of individual time series is explicitly taken into account by employing multivariate cointegration analysis and error correction models. The results show that exchange rate volatility has a negative impact on U.S. exports in the long term, but short-term dynamics vary for different commodi- ties. A stable currency policy in the long run helps promote U.S. exports of forest commodities, although some commodities may benefit from exchange rate volatility in the short term. FOR. SCI. 49(5):807-814.
Querying the National Drug File Reference Terminology (NDFRT) to assign drugs to decision support categories.

Introduction The accurate categorization of drugs is a prerequisite for decision support rules. The manual process of creating drug classes can be laborious and error-prone. Methods All 142 drug classes currently used at Regenstrief Institute for drug interaction alerts were extracted. These drug classes were replicated as fully-defined concepts in our local instance of the NDFRT knowledge base. The performance of these two strategies (manual classification vs. NDFRT-based queries) was compared, and the sensitivity and specificity of each was calculated. Results Compared to existing manual classifications, NDFRT-based queries made a greater number of correct class-drug assignments: 1528 vs. 1266. NDFRT queries have greater sensitivity (74.9% vs. 62.1%) to classify drugs. However, they have less specificity (85.6% vs. 99.8%). Conclusion The NDFRT knowledge base shows promise for use in an automated strategy to improve the creation and update of drug classes. The chief disadvantage of our NDFRT-based approach was a greater number of false positive assignments due to the inclusion of non-systemic doseforms.
Herculean Tasks Ahead

By now the challenges of righting decades of wrongs in Africa should be apparent. As exciting as the independence years have been, Africa’s political and economic landscape reveals extreme poverty, criminal or vampire states, economic chaos, diseases, ecological disaster, and social banditry. Africa’s woes are vividly and tragically displayed on television and in the press. Between a rich heritage and the limitless possibilities of the future lies a painful present. The ongoing political, social, and economic difficulties echo the assertion that Africans cannot take care of themselves. African leaders seem incapable of digging into the triple heritage of indigenous, Islamic, and Western influences, that has destined their continent to chart a new course. African economies have over the past severely succumbed to the vagaries of nature, international economic upheavals, civil strife and international conflicts. However, Africa’s socioeconomic malaise can be traced back to human action or inaction.
Devaluation and Labor Market Dualism in Emerging Markets

The post-crisis scenario requires careful consideration of conventional policy choices in emerging markets in the context of their specific circumstances with special regard to devaluation. Kumar highlights the role of two structural features of developing economies in determining policy outcomes: labor market segmentation between an organized formal sector subject to a binding wage floor and an informal sector with free entry, and the stylized mapping of this duality to goods markets with the preponderance of tradable (non-tradable) goods being produced in the formal (informal) sector. He identifies circumstances when devaluation is immiserizing and which cause differential wage effects across countries, and argues that institutional policies to integrate segmented labor markets can be an independent source of real exchange rate depreciation.
School Environmental Intervention to Reduce Particulate Pollutant Exposures for Children with Asthma

Background Home-based interventions to improve indoor air quality have demonstrated benefits for asthma morbidity, yet little is known about the effect of environmental interventions in the school setting. Objective We piloted the feasibility and effectiveness of a classroom-based air cleaner intervention to reduce particulate pollutants in classrooms of children with asthma. Methods In this pilot randomized controlled trial, we assessed the effect of air cleaners on indoor air particulate pollutant concentrations in 18 classrooms (9 control, 9 intervention) in 3 urban elementary schools. We enrolled 25 children with asthma (13 control, 12 intervention) aged 6 to 10 years. Classroom air pollutant measurements and spirometry were completed once before and twice after randomization. Asthma symptoms were surveyed every 3 months. Results Baseline classroom levels of fine particulate matter (particulate matter with diameter of Conclusions In this pilot study, a classroom-based air cleaner intervention led to significant reductions in PM2.5 and BC. Future large-scale studies should comprehensively evaluate the effect of school-based environmental interventions on pediatric asthma morbidity.
Automated electrorotation shows electrokinetic separation of pancreatic cancer cells is robust to acquired chemotherapy resistance, serum starvation, and EMT

We used automated electrorotation to measure the cytoplasmic permittivity, cytoplasmic conductivity, and specific membrane capacitance of pancreatic cancer cells under environmental perturbation to evaluate the effects of serum starvation, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and evolution of chemotherapy resistance which may be associated with the development and dissemination of cancer. First, we compared gemcitabine-resistant BxPC3 subclones with gemcitabine-naive parental cells. Second, we serum-starved BxPC3 and PANC-1 cells and compared them to untreated counterparts. Third, we induced the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in PANC-1 cells and compared them to untreated PANC-1 cells. We also measured the electrorotation spectra of white blood cells isolated from a healthy donor. The properties from fit electrorotation spectra were used to compute dielectrophoresis (DEP) spectra and crossover frequencies. For all three experiments, the median crossover frequency for both treated and untreated pancreatic cancer cells remained significantly lower than the median crossover frequency for white blood cells. The robustness of the crossover frequency to these treatments indicates that DEP is a promising technique for enhancing capture of circulating cancer cells.
The Origin and Development of Louisiana Creole French

Louisiana Creole French (LC) has been spoken in Louisiana for more than two centuries. It has its roots in the plantocratic society that brought black slaves from Africa into Louisiana to work on plantations. Developed during the 18th century, this speech has ties to the linguistic codes that became prevalent in other plantocratic societies, for example, preposed particles to indicate tense and aspect of verbs and the use of postposed determiners with nouns. Yet, from both a historical and a sociolinguistic perspective, the status of LC is unique.
Gun Shops as Local Institutions: Federal Firearms Licensees, Social Disorganization, and Neighborhood Violent Crime

Recently, scholars have argued that local social and economic institutions, such as bars and payday lenders, can influence neighborhood crime outcomes. Drawing on routine activities theory and social disorganization theory, such research has posited that such institutions can directly affect crime rates by providing potential targets or encouraging criminal behavior, and can indirectly affect crime rates by discouraging social control efforts. We draw on this literature, as well as the literature on reactions to firearm prevalence, to examine the effects of gun shops on local crime rates. Using data for the year 2000 drawn from the National Neighborhood Crime Study (NNCS), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives' Federal Firearms Licensees Database (FFLD), and the National Establishment Time-Series Longitudinal Business Database (NETS), we use hierarchical linear models to examine how the prevalence of gun shops at the tract and metro level contribute to tract-level rates of violent crime in eighty-nine large US cities. Our findings indicate that gun shop prevalence in urban areas is associated with increased rates of homicides and robberies, and that these effects are more pronounced in neighborhoods characterized by residential instability. We conclude with a discussion of policy considerations and avenues for future research on local institutions.
Minimum tillage of a cover crop lowers net GWP and sequesters soil carbon in a California vineyard

Abstract The net global warming potential (GWP) of a cropping system describes net exchanges of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), nitrous oxide (N 2 O) and methane (CH 4 ). Greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI) relates net GWP to productivity. The use of a barley cover crop was tested in a California vineyard from 2003 to 2010 under two alternative tillage systems, along with a business-as-usual control treatment with incorporation of native weeds. The aim was a comprehensive assessment of barleýs potential to sequester carbon in the soil, and of related (tillage-derived) effects on the vineyards net GWP and GHGI. Measurements were made over two years (2009–2010) and included surface fluxes of N 2 O and CH 4 , differences in soil carbon, fuel consumption and yield. Above- and belowground net primary productivity (ANPP and BNPP) were also measured to enable further calculations of carbon input. Over 7 years yields and ANPP were lowered under minimum tillage, but soil carbon accumulation in this treatment produced a net GWP of approx. −873 kg CO 2 -eq ha −1 yr −1 , which would remain negative over a timeframe of at least 31 years, allowing for removal of vines but not for deep tillage. Conventional-tilled alleys with and without cover crops had positive net GWP because their treatments caused little or no gain in soil carbon and their net GWPs could only be considered negative if wood accumulation was included. Fuel combustion contributed the most to net GWP, followed by soil carbon loss under twice-yearly tillage. Total N 2 O emissions accounted for 63–76 kg CO 2 –eq ha −1 yr −1 . In a vineyard where 8.4–16.8 kg N ha −1 yr −1 were applied, 90% of N 2 O emissions occurred at least 4 months after fertigation, mainly following precipitation. Total CH 4 fluxes were negative and offset 5–10 kg CO 2 –eq ha −1 yr −1 . A minimum-tilled system with cover crops offers potential for important GWP offsets in this climate and soil, if possible negative impacts on yields are acceptable.
Guided wave retrieval from temporally undersampled data

The acquisition of ultrasonic guided waves for full wavefield nondestructive evaluation (NDE) applications is often a time-consuming procedure. Moreover, the amount of data to be stored over time can be enormous. Consequently, to improve storage efficiency and reduce the acquisition time, it is desirable to retrieve information from partially garnered (undersampled) data. Efforts in the literature aimed at addressing this issue exist, mostly through data recovery from spatially undersampled wavefields. In this paper, we present a compressive sensing based methodology to retrieve guided wavefields from data undersampled in the temporal domain. We implement this method by recovering the dispersion curves of guided Lamb waves (i.e., their sparse representation in the frequency-wavenumber domain) from a few temporal measurements. From this representation, we subsequently reconstruct the entire wavefield. We demonstrate a 97 percent reconstruction accuracy (in terms of correlation coefficient) for simulated Lamb waves containing frequencies ranging from 150 kHz to 350 kHz, but generated with an effective sampling rate of only 50 kHz.
Cyclic vs. Continuous or Extended- Cycle Combined Contraceptives

Evidence shows no difference in safety or effectiveness between cyclic and continuous or extended-cycle combined contraceptives. There are fewer menstrual symptoms with extended-cycle contraceptives. Patients’ satisfaction and adherence is similar for all types.
Effectiveness and safety of proton beam therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombosis

To evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of proton beam therapy (PBT) in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT). Twenty-seven HCC patients with PVTT underwent PBT, including 22 patients with modified International Union Against Cancer (mUICC) stage IVA,five patients with stage IVB primary tumors, and 16 with main PVTT. A median dose of 55 GyE (range, 50–66 GyE) in 20–22 fractions was delivered to a target volume encompassing both the PVTT and primary tumor. Overall, treatment was well tolerated, with no toxicity of grade ≥ 3. Median overall survival (OS) times in all patients and in stage IVA patients were 13.2 months and 16 months, respectively. Assessments of PVTT response showed complete response in 0 of 27 (0 %) patients, partial response in 15 (55.6 %), stable disease in 10 (37 %), and progressive disease in 2 (7.4 %) patients, with an objective response rate of 55.6 %. PVTT responders showed significantly higher actuarial 1-year local progression-free survival (LPFS; 85.6 % vs. 51.3 %), relapse-free survival (RFS; 20 % vs. 0 %) and OS (80 % vs. 25 %) rates than nonresponders (p < 0.05 each). Multivariate analysis showed that PVTT response and mUICC stage were independent prognostic factors for OS. Our data suggest that PBT could improve LPFS, RFS, and OS in advanced HCC patients with PVTT and it is feasible and safe for these patients.
L’extermination de tout Symbolisme des Cieux: Reading the Lacanian Letter as Inhuman ‘Apparatus’ and Its Implications for Ecological Thinking

This chapter articulates Lacan’s importance for thinking the nonhuman precisely through his focus on the ‘letter in the Real,’ as it comes through his understanding of mathematical symbolism and formalism. It is the letter that allows one to articulate the fundamentally traumatic kernel of the ecological Real. Extending the work of Karen Barad and Mackenzie Wark on the ‘apparatus’ to include the letter itself as another inhuman apparatus that connects the human to the nonhuman Real fashions durable relationships with ecocritical and environmental philosophy. This extension of the Lacanian letter also may provide a way to soften Adrian Johnston’s assertion that Lacan always possessed ‘a virulent hostility to the life sciences’—a way that opens up further opportunities for interplay between Lacan and ecological thinking.
Performance of Novel Randomly Oriented High Graphene Carbon in Lithium Ion Capacitors

The structure of carbon material comprising the anode is the key to the performance of a lithium ion capacitor. In addition to determining the capacity, the structure of the carbon material also determines the diffusion rate of the lithium ion into the anode which in turn controls power density which is vital in high rate applications. This paper covers details of systematic investigation of the performance of a structurally novel carbon, called Randomly Oriented High Graphene (ROHG) carbon, and graphite in a high rate application device, that is, lithium ion capacitor. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy shows that ROHG is less resistive and has faster lithium ion diffusion rates (393.7 × 10−3 S·s(1/2)) compared to graphite (338.1 × 10−3 S·s(1/2)). The impedance spectroscopy data is supported by the cell data showing that the ROHG carbon based device has energy density of 22.8 Wh/l with a power density of 4349.3 W/l, whereas baseline graphite based device has energy density of 5 Wh/l and power density of 4243.3 W/l. This data clearly shows advantage of the randomly oriented graphene platelet structure of ROHG in lithium ion capacitor performance.
Excitation of Metastable Intermediates in Organic Photoredox Catalysis: Z-Scheme Approach Decreases Catalyst Inactivation

Despite the numerous applications of eosin Y as an organic photoredox catalyst, substantial mechanistic aspects of the photoredox process have remained elusive. Through deductive, steady-state kinetic studies, we first propose a mechanism for alkaline, aqueous photoredox catalysis using eosin Y, triethanolamine, and oxygen, integrating photo- and nonphotochemical steps. The photoredox cycle begins with a single-electron transfer (SET) induced when eosin Y absorbs green light. This photoinduced SET leads to the formation of a metastable radical trianion that can be fully reduced to inactivated leuco eosin Y via H+/e–/H+ transfer or regenerated to eosin Y via ground-state SET to oxygen. Since the radical trianion absorbs violet light, we tested the effect of radical trianion photoexcitation on catalyst regeneration. We found that excitation of the metastable radical trianion in the presence of a threshold concentration of oxygen enabled ∼100% regeneration of eosin Y. The response to violet light supports th...
Robotic assistant for visually impaired using sensor fusion

Disabled people are in a dire need of electronic assistance. There are a couple of electronic assisting devices that bring their life to an easier turn. In this paper, we describe the design and implementation of a personal assistant robot for blind people. Visually impaired people need such personal assistant devices for they provide a real-time assistance regarding any necessary problem that blind people face. Some of those main problems are navigation in the indoors, identifying objects around unless getting a physical sense of those objects and sensing the surrounding with the distance of multiple objects. Our paper discusses the various application targeting features like using the LIDAR for local mapping, using a 3D camera for understanding the depth of the surrounding so that the person understands the distance and other information of the objects around. This design has been experimentally validated and required observations are posted in this paper.
Expression of a Truncated α Subunit of the Na + ,K + -ATPase (α-1-T) in Smooth Muscle Cells

The Na+,K+-ATPase (NAKA) is an essential transmembrane enzyme complex that couples ATP hydrolysis with the transport of Na+ and K+ ions across the plasma cell membrane against their respective electrochemical gradients. The Na+/K+-, Ca2+ and H+/K+- active ion transport pumps of eukaryotic cells share significant similarities in tertiary structure, a modest degree of amino acid sequence identity, and similar enzymatic mechanisms that classify them as E1-E2 or P-type class of transport ATPases (12). The l00kDa a: 35kDa β complex constituting the Na,K-ATPase is encoded by at least three a isoform genes and two β subunit genes. These isoforms are characterized by high degrees of sequence homology and functional identity but with distinct tissue-specific, developmental and hormonal patterns of regulation.
Journey of Hope program outcomes.

Families of persons with mental illness often benefit from participating in interventions which provide education and support. The present study describes outcomes reported by 424 families who participated in one such intervention, the Journey of Hope (JOH) program. Hierarchical regression analyses found that program outcomes—increased knowledge of the causes and treatment of mental illness, increased understanding of the mental health service system, and improved morale—were predictive of one another. JOH therefore may provide families with the knowledge and support they need to strengthen their ability to cope with their relative's mental illness.
PKC and Control of the Cell Cycle

Members of the PKC family have been widely implicated in control of cell proliferation. Consistent with this role, PKC signaling can negatively or positively modulate the cell cycle at multiple stages, including cell cycle entry and exit, progression through G1 and S phases, and transit through the G1 and G2 checkpoints. The cell cycle-specific effects of PKCs are dependent on the timing and duration of PKC activation, the specific PKC isozyme(s) involved, and the cellular context. Various cell cycle regulatory molecules, including cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks), and Cdk inhibitors, have been implicated in PKC-induced cell cycle effects, with p21Waf1/Cip1 and cyclin D1 emerging as key targets of PKC control. p21Waf1/Cip1 can be targeted by distinct PKC isozymes at different stages of the cell cycle to control both the G1→S and G2→M transitions, while cyclin D1 expression is modulated by transcriptional or translational mechanisms to regulate progression through G1 phase. PKC signaling can also phosphorylate lamin B to promote nuclear lamina disassembly and G2→M progression. Although understanding of the specific functions of individual PKC isozymes in regulation of the cell cycle remains a major challenge for the future, accumulated evidence indicates that PKCα and δ can either inhibit or promote G1→S and G2→M progression in a highly context-dependent manner, while PKCβII and e are predominantly cell cycle stimulatory, and PKCη is generally inhibitory. Elucidation of the complex mechanisms underlying PKC isozyme-mediated control of the cell cycle is critical for the development of novel anticancer therapies targeting individual PKCs or their downstream effectors.
A Heideggerian Critique of Cyberbeing

“Cyberbeing” is the interpretation of all beings in terms of information processing, along with our everyday experience of immersion in a world that revolves around such processing. This essay draws on Heidegger to critique both aspects of cyberbeing. Norbert Wiener’s cybernetics aspired to grasp humanity, society, life, machines, and the cosmos in terms of information, but Heidegger viewed cybernetic metaphysics as a form of the modern “humanist” project of representation and calculation, which misunderstands the human condition. This criticism is relevant to twenty-first century conceptions such as the information philosophy of Luciano Floridi. Heidegger’s thought can also illuminate cyberbeing as experience, because his account of inauthenticity in Being and Time can be applied to prevalent uses of information technology today. The technology does not create inauthenticity, but it tempts us into behavior that illustrates Heidegger’s concepts of curiosity, ambiguity, and idle talk, as well as inauthentic forms of spatiality and temporality. In conclusion, the essay considers the prospects for distancing ourselves from cyberbeing.
Atoms for peace

The struggle to regulate the atom has produced compromises that could balance competing social pressures only temporarily. Creating special authorities invited social and political reaction that would ultimately lead to their destruction, but they had to become visibly troublesome to many members of the public before they could be abolished. The same is true of the censorship policy created to protect atomic secrets. If nuclear regulation is to succeed as sound public policy, it must recognize that public policy means everyone. Greene outlines a way out of the current impasse that eliminates some of the regulatory steps allowing excessive intercession and takes steps to improve regulatory credibility.
Prion Variants of Yeast are Numerous, Mutable, and Segregate on Growth, Affecting Prion Pathogenesis, Transmission Barriers, and Sensitivity to Anti-Prion Systems.

The known amyloid-based prions of Saccharomyces cerevisiae each have multiple heritable forms, called “prion variants” or “prion strains”. These variants, all based on the same prion protein sequence, differ in their biological properties and their detailed amyloid structures, although each of the few examined to date have an in-register parallel folded β sheet architecture. Here, we review the range of biological properties of yeast prion variants, factors affecting their generation and propagation, the interaction of prion variants with each other, the mutability of prions, and their segregation during mitotic growth. After early differentiation between strong and weak stable and unstable variants, the parameters distinguishing the variants has dramatically increased, only occasionally correlating with the strong/weak paradigm. A sensitivity to inter- and intraspecies barriers, anti-prion systems, and chaperone deficiencies or excesses and other factors all have dramatic selective effects on prion variants. Recent studies of anti-prion systems, which cure prions in wild strains, have revealed an enormous array of new variants, normally eliminated as they arise and so not previously studied. This work suggests that defects in the anti-prion systems, analogous to immune deficiencies, may be at the root of some human amyloidoses.
Spectrophotometric method for determining ureas applied to nitrosoureas, nitrosocyanamides and a cyanamide

The Hunninglake and Grisolia spectrophotometric method for determining ureas was slightly modified for its application to the determination of 6 ureas, 6 nitrosoureas, 2 nitrosocyanamides and ethylcyanamide. Absorptivity was sufficiently high to be useful for determining all these compounds except for trimethylurea, hydantoin and their N-nitroso derivatives. The detection limit was 10 nmoles. The nitrosoureas and nitrosocyanamides could also be determined by a modification of the method of Preussmann and Schaper-Druckrey, involving acidic hydrolysis to nitrite. The two methods were applied to the detection after thin-layer chromatography of representative compounds.
Tails From Captive Classes: Interspecies Civic Action at the Contemporary Zoo

In this case study we rearticulate the contemporary zoo to recognize the agency of captive classes. Contemporary zoos catalog the consequences of humans’ ecological choices. We reject the dominant ideologies used to justify captivity (e.g., human safety, rescue, and conservation), in favor of framing zoo’d animals as refugees forced into captivity due to human development and climate change. Through the permeability of zoo exhibit boundaries we analyze resistance from captive, free-living animals, and elemental nature (e.g. water), arguing for a strategic anthropomorphism that privileges intuition as a form of civic action that includes all entities. Moreover, we urge a shift toward a re-imagined model that implicates humans in the plight of the animals kept within zoo walls. This essay provides suggestions for an alternative zoo experience that responds to the resistive communication of more-than-humans.
A Large Aperture 2-Axis Electrothermal MEMS Mirror for Compact 3D LiDAR

Low-cost LiDAR with long distance, high resolution, and stable laser scanning are needed for robotics and automobiles. This paper reports a large-aperture, 2-axis electrothermal MEMS mirror for LiDAR applications. The MEMS mirror has a mirror plate of 2 × 2.5 mm2 and an optical field view (FoV) of 15° by 12°. The beam divergence of 0.5 mrad is achieved with a 1.3-mm laser beam. The rotational scanning resonant mode is at 0.7 kHz, which is achieved by the meshed bimorph actuators with improved stiffness.
Relapse From Deep Remission After Therapeutic De-escalation in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating the relapse rate after therapeutic de-escalation in inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] patients who achieved deep remission [DR]. METHODS We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and major gastroenterology conferences up to July 2019 for studies reporting relapse in adult patients with DR who subsequently underwent therapeutic de-escalation. Eligible studies defined DR as at least a combination of clinical remission and mucosal healing/endoscopic remission. The primary outcome was cumulative 1-year and 2-year relapse rates after therapeutic de-escalation. Secondary outcomes were relapse rates in ulcerative colitis [UC] and Crohn's disease [CD], relapse after anti-tumour necrosis factor-α [anti-TNFα] de-escalation, and the rate of disease response recapture following re-escalation. RESULTS Thirteen studies encompassing 837 patients were identified. The cumulative relapse rate after therapeutic de-escalation was 28.7% within 1 year [12 studies], and 38.4% within 2 years [eight studies]. Relapse rates within 1 year and 2 years were comparable between UC [five studies; 25.4% and 37.4%] and CD [seven studies; 34.1% and 39.9%]. Ten studies reported de-escalation of anti-TNFα, of which 29.8% patients relapsed within 1 year and 41.4% within 2 years. Response recapture following re-escalation [eight studies] was 75.4%. CONCLUSIONS Despite achieving deep remission, therapeutic de-escalation in this patient population is associated with significant relapse risk within 1 year and 2 years. This risk is more pronounced in patients requiring anti-TNFα for management, likely because of more severe disease. Similar rates of relapse were reported among UC and CD within these time periods. These findings suggest that combined clinical and endoscopic remission should not be an impetus to consider therapeutic de-escalation.
Assessing Patient Experience and Healthcare Quality of Dental Care Using Patient Online Reviews in the United States: Mixed Methods Study.

Background: Over the last two decades, patient review websites have emerged as an essential online platform for doctor ratings and reviews. Recent studies suggested the significance of such websites as a data source for patients to choose doctors for healthcare providers to learn and improve from patient feedback and to foster a culture of trust and transparency between patients and healthcare providers. However, as compared to other medical specialties, studies of online patient reviews that focus on dentists in the United States remain absent. Objective: This study sought to understand to what extent online patient reviews can provide performance feedbacks that reflect dental care quality and patient experience. Methods: Using mixed informatics methods incorporating statistics, natural language processing, and domain expert evaluation, we analyzed the online patient reviews of 204,751 dentists extracted from HealthGrades with two specific aims. First, we examined the associations between patient ratings and a variety of dentist characteristics. Second, we identified topics from patient reviews that can be mapped to the national assessment of dental patient experience measured by the Patient Experience Measures from the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Dental Plan Survey. Results: Higher ratings were associated with female dentists (t71881=2.45, P<.01, g=0.01), dentists at a younger age (F7, 107128=246.97, P<.001, g=0.11), and those whose patients experienced a short wait time (F4, 150055=10417.77, P<0.001, g=0.18). We also identified several topics that corresponded to CAHPS measures, including discomfort (eg, painful/painless root canal or deep cleaning), and ethics (eg, high-pressure sales, and unnecessary dental work). Conclusions: These findings suggest that online patient reviews could be used as a data source for understanding the patient experience and healthcare quality in dentistry.
Effect of Lidocaine on Comfort and Swallowing Pressures During Pharyngeal High-Resolution Manometry.

The purpose of this study is to determine the level of patient comfort during pharyngeal high-resolution manometry (HRM) with and without the use of atomized lidocaine. A secondary aim of the study was to explore whether differences in pharyngeal pressure measurements exist between HRM conducted with the use of atomized lidocaine verses HRM conducted without. Twenty-nine participants underwent two HRM procedures under two conditions, 5–7 days apart: 2% viscous lidocaine to nares or 0.4 mL 4% atomized and 2% viscous lidocaine to nares. During each procedure, participants received six boluses of water. Following catheter removal, participants were asked to rate comfort using a visual analog scale (VAS) and upon completion of both conditions, participants indicated which procedure they preferred. A paired t-test was used to compare pharyngeal pressure measurements at the velopharynx, tongue base region and during upper esophageal sphincter opening. Pharyngeal pressures were categorized as normal or outside of normal limits and compared using a McNemar’s test. Twenty-eight of the 29 participants indicated they preferred the use of atomized lidocaine. VAS ratings yielded a significant difference (p = 0.001). No significant difference in pharyngeal pressures were detected between the two groups. Patients prefer atomized lidocaine when undergoing HRM. The use of atomized lidocaine did not affect measurement outcomes.
Geometric recursion from polytope triangulations and twisted homology

A geometric approach to understanding recursion relations for scattering amplitudes is developed. We achieve this by studying intersection numbers of triangulated accordiohedra presented as hyperplane arrangements. The cancellation of spurious divergences is subsequently realized as a topological no-boundary condition.
[Fall]ing [Out] of Line: The Sundial’s Apocalyptic Queer Futurity

In recent years, the renewed popularity of Shirley Jackson’s fiction has undoubtedly been sparked by increased anxieties regarding the treatment of women in America and by our current position of u...
In-Cu alloy substrates for low-temperature chemical vapor deposition of Mo2C

Two-dimensional transition metal carbides are promising materials because of their potential for combining the favorable properties of transition metal carbides with the high aspect ratio of two-dimensional materials. Though commonly produced by top-down wet-chemical synthesis methods, synthesis by chemical vapor deposition is being considered because of its ability to achieve large areas, controlled layer thickness, and reduced defect density. Typically, liquid Cu is used as a synthesis substrate, though the high melting temperature of Cu (1085 °C) requires high synthesis temperatures. Thus, alternative substrates have been studied in order to reduce the necessary melting temperature. This work systematically studies the impact of synthesis parameters and substrate composition on the growth of ultrathin Mo2C (∼4–120 nm thick) by chemical vapor deposition on an In-Cu alloy. Mo2C flake size increases, and graphene/Mo2C heterostructures form with an increase in the methane flow rates. Increasing the In composition slightly decreases surface coverage and coalescence but does not appreciably impact the Mo2C flake size. Increasing In content also decreases the alloy substrate melting temperature so that a lower temperature synthesis (800 °C) can be performed. However, the necessary high temperatures for pyrolysis of methane lead to a lower limit for the synthesis temperature, similar to graphene.
COVID-19 vaccine intentions in the United States, a social-ecological framework.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is a major obstacle for pandemic mitigation. As vaccine hesitancy occurs along multiple dimensions, we used a social-ecological framework to guide the examination of COVID-19 vaccine intentions. METHODS: Using an online survey in the US conducted in July 2020, we examined intentions to obtain a COVID-19 vaccine, once available. 592 respondents provided data, including measures of demographics, vaccine history, social norms, perceived risk, and trust in sources of COVID-19 information. Bivariate and multivariate multinomial models were used to compare respondents who intended to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to respondents who did not intend or were ambivalent about COVID-19 vaccination. RESULTS: Only 59.1% of the sample reported that they intended to obtain a COVID-19 vaccine. In the multivariate multinomial model, those respondents who did not intend to be vaccinated, as compared to those who did, had significantly lower levels of trust in the CDC as a source of COVID-19 information (aOR = 0.29, CI = 0.17-0.50), reported lower social norms of COVID-19 preventive behaviors (aOR = 0.67, CI 0.51-0.88), scored higher on COVID-19 Skepticism (aOR = 1.44, CI = 1.28-1.61), identified as more politically conservative (aOR = 1.23, CI = 1.05-1.45), were less likely to have obtained a flu vaccine in the prior year (aOR = 0.21, CI = 0.11-0.39), were less likely to be female (aOR = 0.51, CI = 0.29-0.87), and were much more likely to be Black compared to White (aOR = 10.70, CI = 4.09-28.1). A highly similar pattern was observed among those who were ambivalent about receiving a COVID-19 vaccine compared to those who intended to receive one. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest several avenues for COVID-19 vaccine promotion campaigns, including social network diffusion strategies and cross-partisan messaging, to promote vaccine trust. The racial and gender differences in vaccine intentions also suggest the need to tailor campaigns based on gender and race.
Excess or Paucity: Making Sense of Movements

A movement disorder is not just a matter of discomfort or disability. More worrisome is that movement disorders lead to a host of secondary complications. Dystonic involvement of the chest wall, neck, and respiratory muscles may cause acute respiratory compromise requiring mechanical ventilation. Excess (hyperkinetic) movements sustained over a period of time increase the risk of muscle breakdown. If patients experience paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity, profound dysautonomia often accompanies the uncontrolled movements. It is therefore necessary to recognize these movements and treat some of them urgently. In this chapter, the clinical semiology of movement disorders seen in intensive care units is described to aid recognition. Moreover, we will discuss when they are relevant for day-to-day critical care management.
Rodent allergens

Rodent allergens play a significant role in the pathogenesis of asthma and allergic rhinitis, and are potent causes of acute and chronic symptoms. This has long been apparent in occupational settings, particularly in the laboratory, but has been most recently studied and found to be important in home environments. These allergens have been suggested as uniquely important among inner-city children with asthma. Furthermore, rodents have become increasingly popular as pets. With recent awareness of significant exposure in a variety of settings, hypersensitivity to rodents has become increasingly important. This review focuses on the importance of rodent allergens, concentrating on mouse and rat, but including other potentially important rodents such as gerbil, hamster, and rabbit. It also discusses the pathogenesis, diagnosis, prevention, and management of rodent allergy.