cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Is Surgery Indicated for Asymptomatic Giant Hepatic Hemangioma

Liver hemangiomas are the most common benign neoplasms of the liver and are often diagnosed incidentally on abdominal imaging. Most liver hemangiomas are small ( 4 cm), however, remains controversial. The natural progression of giant hemangiomas is not well defined and the risk of life-threatening complications, namely rupture and bleeding, is not clearly established. The development of symptoms such as abdominal pain, mass effects or life-threatening events such as rupture, bleeding or consumptive coagulopathy is an indication for surgical resection or intervention. Asymptomatic giant hemangiomas present a management dilemma as the risk of life-threatening complications is unknown. Several single centers studies have demonstrated the safety of expectant management of even very large asymptomatic hemangiomas. There is no evidence to support using size alone as an indication for resection. Although morbidity and mortality of liver resection for hemangioma has improved, the risks of surgical intervention need to be balanced against the rare risk of adverse events during expectant observation.
Aminoglycoside induced ototoxicity associated with mitochondrial DNA mutations

Despite the risk of permanent ototoxic effects, aminoglycosides remain commonly utilized antibiotics worldwide due to low cost and efficiency in treating severe infections. Over the last two decades, mitochondrial mutations have been shown to enhance the likelihood of ototoxic injury. In particular the 1555A>G mutation in the mitochondrial gene MTRNR1 has been strongly associated with the onset of aminoglycoside-induced deafness; though pinning down the exact mechanism of action has thus far been elusive. Clinically aminoglycoside-induced deafness has been characterized by variation in the degree of hearing loss, which has prompted an investigation into genetic modifiers. To date, several putative mutations have been categorized as contributing factors to the onset of deafness with no single variation being sufficient to bring about hearing loss. Meanwhile current methods to mitigate the risk of ototoxic injury are in various stages of development. Efforts to alter the molecular structure of aminoglycosides have shown a potential path to reducing ototoxicity while preserving antibacterial properties, but these drugs are not clinically available. On the other hand, application of preemptive audiometry provides the most readily available method to both monitor and reduce the extent of aminoglycoside-induced deafness.
AXAA: adaptive approximate anti-aliasing

Post-processing anti-aliasing algorithms are widely used now for real-time rendering because of their simplicity, performance, and suitability for deferred shading. Fast approximate anti-aliasing (FXAA) [Lottes 2009] is the fastest method among them, so many games support FXAA to get anti-aliased images. However, FXAA can easily lose texture details and text sharpness due to its excessive blurring. To alleviate those problems of FXAA, we present adaptive approximate anti-aliasing (AXAA). Our approach adds three contributions to FXAA in order to avoid unnecessary filtering. First, we stop further anti-aliasing processes if the current pixel or its neighbors are judged as pixels on already filtered textures or fonts. Second, we try to maintain thin lines as much as possible in order to avoid blurring fonts and lines. Third, for higher performance, we adaptively set the search range of each pixel according to luma contrast. Our experiments show that AXAA provides significantly better image quality than FXAA, in terms of texture, text, and geometry details. Nevertheless, processing overhead of AXAA is still similar to that of FXAA.
Methodology to Study Firms’ Strategies and Performance Over Time

The authors have previously studied technology firms’ strategies and perfonnance over time. New statistical methodology was developed and reported in a prior study. The objectives of this research were to develop classification schemes for strategies to better compare them; to identify new statistical methodologies for the longitudinal study of strategy; and to then apply the methodology in order to identify the relationships between Grand, Porter and Ansoff strategies to Miles and Snow typologies and firm performance.
“Kinda Like a Man and a Woman Thing”: The Construction and Reification of Gender Hegemony in a Women’s Prison

This article examines how a hegemonic gender regime is constructed and maintained by persons with bodies marked as female. Using semistructured interviews with prisoners in a women’s prison, I demonstrate how a gender dichotomy is replicated among a population of primarily women in which certain styles of masculinity and femininity are posited as complimentary and situated within a gender hierarchy. Prisoners cocreated and maintained an ideal definition of masculinity—“studs”—that centered on status, resources, and heteronormative sexual patterns, whereas femininities—“femmes”—were subordinated and their gender practices devalued. Studs were subjected to greater levels of social control and were stigmatized for stepping out of the prescribed bounds of normative stud behavior. Although several respondents also contested or challenged hypermasculinities in the prison, this contestation often reified gender and sexual expectations for studs. The presence of such a gender regime in a women’s prison suggests t...
A next-generation sequencing approach to capturing CEBPA: A hematologic malignancy sequencing panel capturing clinically useful targets.

7096 Background: The use of next generation sequencing (NGS) for clinical diagnosis of cancer promises to improve diagnosis and lead to more precise cancer care. However, this methodology does not ...
Interfragmentary Compression Forces Vary Based on Scaphoid Bone Screw Type and Fracture Location.

Background: The objective of this study was to determine the interfragmentary compression forces generated in a foam model as a function of headless compression screw type (fully threaded and central threadless) and fracture location. Methods: Eighty-eight polyurethane foam models were fixed across a simulated transverse fracture with either a fully threaded screw or a central threadless screw. The location of the transverse fracture varied along the length of the foam model in 2 mm increments for 11 fracture locations. The force generated at the fracture site upon fixation was utilized to determine the interfragmentary compression. Interfragmentary compression was compared using a paired t test and 2-way analysis of variance, with significance set at P < .05. Results: Interfragmentary compression was found to vary based on fracture location and screw type. The fully threaded screw generated significantly greater compression for fracture locations at 12 mm and 18 mm from the top edge of the foam model, wh...
Psychotherapeutic approaches for post-traumatic stress disorder nightmares

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can affect individuals in both their waking and sleeping life and psychotherapists can utilize interventions towards either wakefulness or sleep. This article reviews the history of PTSD, its socio-cultural contexts, as well as incidence and treatment. We then discuss a multilevel cognitive model of PTSD nightmares and research-supported treatments. Such treatments range from waking exposure, pre-sleep rescripting, to lucid dreaming exposure. The authors conclude with a discussion of Time Perspective Therapy.
The relationship between caregivers' subjective social status and asthma symptoms and management for urban children.

Objective Subjective social status (SSS) is a person's perception of his/her social standing among others. We explored the relationship between caregivers' SSS and asthma symptoms, visits, and medication use among children with persistent asthma. Methods We analyzed baseline data of children (3-10 years) from the SB-TEAM trial in Rochester, NY. Using a modified MacArthur Scale of SSS, caregivers rated themselves "a lot worse off" to "a lot better off" compared to 4 groups (e.g., neighbors). "Low SSS" was defined by a response of "a lot worse off" or "somewhat worse off" for any of the referent groups. Caregivers reported their child's asthma symptoms, healthcare visits for asthma, and medication use. Bivariate and multivariate statistics were used. Results We found that, of the 230 children enrolled (participation rate:78%, 62% Black, 72% Medicaid), 29% of caregivers had low SSS. Caregivers with low SSS had more depressive symptoms (46% vs. 28%) and lower social support (69.1 vs. 77.7). In multivariable analyses, children of caregivers with low SSS had fewer symptom-free days/2 weeks (5.8 vs. 7.9, p = .01). While they were more likely to have a routine asthma visit in the past year (35% vs. 23%, adjusted p = .03), there was no difference in their use of preventive medication. Conclusions Many caregivers of children with persistent asthma report low SSS. While children of these caregivers had fewer symptom-free days, they were not more likely to use preventive medications. Efforts are needed to support these caregivers to ensure optimal preventive care and reduce morbidity.
EcoMOD: Integrating Computational Thinking into Ecosystems Science Education via Modeling in Immersive Virtual Worlds (Abstract Only)

In recent years, the field of education has challenged researchers and practitioners to incorporate computing as an essential focus of K12 STEM education. Widely recognized as a "basic skill" necessary for economic opportunity and social mobility, integrating computing within K12 STEM supports learners of all ages in applying computational thinking within established and accessible contexts while co-developing practices essential to mathematical and scientific expertise. The EcoMOD project is an example of such an integration. In EcoMOD, immersive virtual environments are blended with interactive computational modeling tools designed specifically for younger children in an attempt to support ecological knowledge, complex causal reasoning and computational creation in third grade students. Our curricular design is grounded in the Science-as-Practice perspective and literature on young children's computing. In this proposal, we present outcomes from early pilot work with 35 third graders across the greater Boston area. This work has implications for designers of educational technologies by illuminating aspects of children's understanding that researchers and designers can leverage to support deeper and earlier understandings of ecological dynamics and computational practices.
FlyXCDB-A Resource for Drosophila Cell Surface and Secreted Proteins and Their Extracellular Domains.

Abstract Genomes of metazoan organisms possess a large number of genes encoding cell surface and secreted (CSS) proteins that carry out crucial functions in cell adhesion and communication, signal transduction, extracellular matrix establishment, nutrient digestion and uptake, immunity, and developmental processes. We developed the FlyXCDB database ( http://prodata.swmed.edu/FlyXCDB ) that provides a comprehensive resource to investigate extracellular (XC) domains in CSS proteins of Drosophila melanogaster, the most studied insect model organism in various aspects of animal biology. More than 300 Drosophila XC domains were discovered in Drosophila CSS proteins encoded by over 2500 genes through analyses of computational predictions of signal peptide, transmembrane (TM) segment, and GPI-anchor signal sequence, profile-based sequence similarity searches, gene ontology, and literature. These domains were classified into six classes mainly based on their molecular functions, including protein–protein interactions (class P), signaling molecules (class S), binding of non-protein molecules or groups (class B), enzyme homologs (class E), enzyme regulation and inhibition (class R), and unknown molecular function (class U). Main cellular functions such as cell adhesion, cell signaling, and extracellular matrix composition were described for the most abundant domains in each functional class. We assigned cell membrane topology categories (E, secreted; S, type I/III single-pass TM; T, type II single-pass TM; M, multi-pass TM; and G, GPI-anchored) to the products of genes with XC domains and investigated their regulation by mechanisms such as alternative splicing and stop codon readthrough.
Visual Neurons in the Superior Colliculus Discriminate Many Objects by Their Historical Values.

The superior colliculus (SC) is an important structure in the mammalian brain that orients the animal towards distinct visual events. Visually-responsive neurons in SC are modulated by visual object features, including size, motion, and color. However, it remains unclear whether SC activity is modulated by non-visual object features, such as the reward value associated with the object. To address this question, three monkeys were trained (>10 days) to saccade to multiple fractal objects, half of which were consistently associated with large reward while other half were associated with small reward. This created historically high-valued (‘good’) and low-valued (‘bad’) objects. During the neuronal recordings from the SC, the monkeys maintained fixation at the center while the objects were flashed in the receptive field of the neuron without any reward. We found that approximately half of the visual neurons responded more strongly to the good than bad objects. In some neurons, this value-coding remained intact for a long time (>1 year) after the last object-reward association learning. Notably, the neuronal discrimination of reward values started about 100 ms after the appearance of visual objects and lasted for more than 100 ms. These results provide evidence that SC neurons can discriminate objects by their historical (long-term) values. This object value information may be provided by the basal ganglia, especially the circuit originating from the tail of the caudate nucleus. The information may be used by the neural circuits inside SC for motor (saccade) output or may be sent to the circuits outside SC for future behavior.
Scalable linear and nonlinear algorithms for multiphase flow in porous media

The efficient simulation of immiscible fluid displacements in underground porous media remains an important and challenging problem in reservoir engineering. First, the governing PDEs exhibit a mixed hyperbolic-parabolic character due to the coupling between the global flow and the local transport of the different phases. The transport problem is highly nonlinear, leading to the formation of shock fronts and steep gradients in the saturation profile. In addition, rock properties such as porosity and permeability are highly heterogeneous, leading to poor numerical conditioning of the resulting linear systems. Finally, fluid velocities vary greatly across the domain, with near-well regions experiencing fast flows and some far away regions experiencing almost no flow at all. Consequently, the use of explicit integrators would entail a time-step restriction that is much more severe than the global reservoir time scales. For this reason, implicit time-stepping is the preferred temporal discretization in the reservoir simulation community, but this requires the solution of a very large system of nonlinear algebraic equations (often on the order of millions of unknowns) at each time step. Our main algorithmic contribution is the ordering of equations and unknowns in such a way that flow directions are exploited. This leads to improvements in both the linear and nonlinear solvers. In the nonlinear setting, the ordering leads to a reduced-order Newton method, which numerical experiments have shown to have a much more robust convergence behavior than the usual Newton's method. We also prove, for 1D incompressible two-phase flow, that the reduced Newton method converges for any time-step size. In the linear solver, ordering improves the convergence of the Constrained Pressure Residual (CPR) preconditioner and reduces its sensitivity to flow configurations. We also present a rigorous analysis of phase-based upstream discretization, which is different from the classical Godunov and Engquist-Osher schemes for nonlinear conservation laws. We show, based on a fully nonlinear analysis, that the fully implicit scheme is well-defined, stable, monotonic and converges to the entropy solution for arbitrary CFL numbers. Thus, unlike the existing linear stability analysis, our results provide a rigorous justification for the empirical observation that fully-implicit solutions are always stable and yield monotonic profiles.
Evidence for Gamow-Teller Strength in Broad Bumps in (p,n) and ( 3 He,t) Spectra

Following the discovery by Anderson and Wong of isobaric analog states1 in (p,n) reactions (equivalent to superallowed or giant Fermi transitions in β decay) a giant Gamow-Teller(G-T), or spin-flip, transition in charge-exchange reactions was predicted.2 Subsequently, a broad, structured peak in the 90Zr(p,n)90Nb reacion was interpreted as verifying the predicted transition,3 a 0+ → 1+, T = 5 → T = 4 transition from the ground state of 90Zr to an excitation energy in 90Nb centered at 8.4 MeV. Some of the neutron spectra of Doering, et al.4 are shown in Fig. 1. In each spectrum the isobaric analog of the ground state (IAS) of 90Zr is represented by the narrow peak at En = 33 MeV and the 1+ state by the broad peak around 30 MeV. If generalized to other nuclei, concentration of G-T strength at such excitation energies could account for the generally low rates of G-T decay from the ground states of radioactive nuclei.
Synergistic factors for stem cell proliferation: further studies of the target stem cells and the mechanism of stimulation by interleukin-1, interleukin-6, and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor.

Serial observations of blast cell colony development from spleen cells of mice treated with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) four days earlier revealed that either form of human interleukin-1 (IL-1 alpha or IL-1 beta) hastens the emergence of interleukin-3 (IL-3)-dependent blast cell colonies. This activity was essentially indistinguishable from the effect of interleukin-6 (IL-6) or granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in the same system, an effect that we have ascribed previously to a shortening of the G0 period of the dormant stem cells. We also analyzed the time courses of colony formation from cultures of day-2 post-5-FU marrow cells supported by IL-1 alpha, IL-6, or G-CSF alone or in combination with IL-3. In the presence of IL-3, G-CSF and IL-6 but not IL-1 alpha hastened the development of colonies and increased the numbers of multilineage colonies relative to cultures of IL-3 alone. This observation, together with our previous data from the human system, suggests that the synergistic effect of IL-1 is likely due to induction of secondary growth factors, including IL-6 and G-CSF, by accessory cells in culture. The effect of IL-6 on G0 was confirmed by analysis of the cycling status of progenitor cells in short-term culture. While neither IL-3 nor IL-6 alone had any effect on the cycling status, the combination of factors resulted in a rapid recruitment of quiescent cells into cell cycle (within 48 hours) as represented by a twofold increase in the numbers of multipotential progenitors and a significant increase in the sensitivity of these cells to 3H-thymidine with high specific activity. Combinational testing of all of these synergistic factors revealed that the target cell populations for the IL-1, IL-6, and G-CSF overlap considerably, suggesting that they all may act through a common mechanism. This is further supported by our finding that cells from blast cell colonies grown in the presence of a combination of any one of the synergistic factors with IL-3 replate with higher efficiency and yield more multilineage secondary colonies than those from colonies grown in IL-3 alone. These findings provide further evidence that IL-1, IL-6, and G- CSF serve to integrate the immediate host responses to infection through augmentation of effector cells and antibody production as well as the longer term host responses by recruitment of dormant hemopoietic stem cells into active cell cycling.
Connecticut's new abortion statute.

Amid the raging controversy on whether minors should have the same access to abortion as adults the Connecticut legislature has passed a compromise statues that recognizes a minors right seek an abortion while imposing certain requirements. Those who seek to regulate access argue that because minors may lack the maturity to make a valid decision parental notification is necessary; advocates of minors right to access hold that it should be the minor who makes such personal decision. In an effort to resolve the conflict Connecticuts law says that young women under the age of 16 must receive pregnancy-related information before an abortion can take place. Specifically. a physician or counselor is required to: 1) explain to the minor that the information provided is not intended to coerce or persuade her into making a particular choice; 2) explain that she may consider her decision any time prior to the operation or during the time period when abortion is legally permitted; 3) explain the alternatives of either carrying out the pregnancy or getting an abortion including information on public and private agencies that may assist in carrying out the decision; 4) inform her that pubic and private agencies provide information on birth control; 5) discuss the possibility of involving the minors parents(s) guardian(s) or other adult family member in the decision; and 6) allow the minor to ask questions and to obtain useful information. After the completion of the process the minor must sign a form that attests that the requirements have been met and -- if applicable -- that the minor has decided to involve a parent or relative. In cases where the health or safety of a minor requires and abortion the Connecticut statute allows for the provisions to be waived.
“On this goode wyf he leith on soore”: The Brutal Chauceroticism of The Reeve’s Tale

This chapter presents the second test case for the prospective meanings of Chaucerotics by examining The Reeve’s Tale. In this poem, the “cloak of language” is shown to veil a far different, darker variety of Chauceroticism that has made many critics uneasy. Recalling that early forms of pornography were commonly satirical rather than overtly sensual, Gust demonstrates that The Reeve’s Tale is a work in which Chaucer thoroughly pushes social boundaries through bold and brazen erotic content, revealing—if not reveling in—the illicit underside of medieval sexuality. This is the dark side of Chaucerian sex, as the poet forces readers to acknowledge deviant sexual behaviors that may not be morally acceptable to many, but are a viable part of sexual endeavor for some.
The Separation of Gases Using Conducting Polymer Films

We have recently reported a potentially useful application for conducting polymer films in the field of gas separations [1]. Here we report additional findings that show how selective control of gas permeability is facilitated by the doping, undoping and redoping process of emeraldine films. Specifically, permeability data for H2, He, CO2, O2, N2 and CH4 are given for films treated with varying concentrations of acid and base. There is a large decrease in gas permeation after fully doping the as-cast film. The permeability of the gases are increased when fully doped films are immersed in base to remove all dopant ions. Controlled redoping of the undoped films as a function of acid concentration results in large separation factors for the gas pairs H2/N2, He/N2, CO2/CH4 and O2/N2. These results are partially explained by a model based on size selective control of diffusion pathways. Here we include considerations of dopant induced enhancement of oxygen solubility in redoped membranes to further elucidate the mechanism behind large O2/N2 separation factors.
Venous return, mean systemic pressure and getting the right answer for the wrong reason

Berger and Takala, in their recent article in this journal (1), adhere to the view that venous return (VR), determines cardiac output (CO) because the heart can only pump out what it receives1. They see VR as driven by mean systemic pressure (Pms), which is opposed by the pressure at the right atrium (Pra).
Effect of the Anti-Inflammatory Diet in People with Diabetes and Pre-Diabetes: A Randomized Controlled Feeding Study.

Introduction Inflammation underlies a variety of chronic medical conditions, including diabetes. The anti-inflammatory diet, one that excludes foods that may stimulate inflammation and includes foods that reduce inflammation, may improve inflammatory biomarkers in people with diabetes and pre-diabetes. Study design Thirty participants with diabetes or pre-diabetes were randomized (2:1) in a controlled feeding study that compared the anti-inflammatory diet (n=20) to a control diet (n=10) based on the American Diabetes Association recommendations. Diets were matched for protein, carbohydrate, fat, and fiber content as closely as possible. Participants were fed an isocaloric diet for 2 weeks, followed by continued ad libitum feeding in their dietary group assignment for an additional 4 weeks. All meals were prepared by the study team. Outcomes Primary outcomes included inflammatory markers, including cytokines and hsCRP. Secondary outcomes included body weight and biomarkers for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Results Both diets resulted in trends in reduced markers of inflammation, especially with weight loss. In addition, glucose, lipids, and triglycerides all trended downward, also non-significantly and equally in both groups. Conclusion Dietary change can improve inflammation as well as other cardiometabolic risk factors. In this study, the anti-inflammatory diet did not affect markers of inflammation more than the control diet.
What if the Huns Come? Imperial Britain’s Attitude Towards Nigerians’ Enthusiasm for Military Service During the Second World War, 1939–1942:

In this article, Britain’s attitude towards Nigerians’ voluntary enlistment as combatants during the Second World War is studied. The historical method is deployed to interrogate previously untappe...
Evaluation of Taroni et al.: Understanding Rare Diseases by MultiPLIER.

One snapshot of the peer review process for "MultiPLIER: A Transfer Learning Framework for Transcriptomics Reveals Systemic Features of Rare Disease" (Taroni et al., 2019).
SRS-22r legacy scores can be accurately translated to PROMIS scores in adult spinal deformity patients.

Abstract BACKGROUND CONTEXT Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) facilitates comparisons of treatment effectiveness across populations and diseases. In adult spinal deformity (ASD), the disease-specific Scoliosis Research Society-22r (SRS-22r) tool assesses outcomes. Existing data must be translated to PROMIS to make comparisons. PURPOSE To develop and validate a method to translate SRS-22r scores to PROMIS scores in surgical ASD patients. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. PATIENT SAMPLE A total of 158 ASD surgery patients from an ongoing registry of patients who underwent spine surgery at a tertiary care center from 2015 to 2017 were included. OUTCOME MEASURES PROMIS and SRS-22r questionnaires were completed at 387 visits (150 preoperative [derivation sample]; 237 postoperative [validation sample]). METHODS Using the derivation sample, we modeled PROMIS domains as functions of age and SRS-22r domains using linear regression. The most parsimonious model was selected. In the validation cohort, we used the derived regression equations to estimate PROMIS scores from SRS-22r scores. RESULTS The following significant associations were found (p CONCLUSIONS PROMIS scores estimated from SRS-22r scores using our model correlate strongly with actual PROMIS scores. SRS-22r scores may be translated to PROMIS scores in all evaluated domains for ASD patients. Orthopedic surgeons can use this method to compare legacy measures with PROMIS scores.
72 Special project #1: the tobacco industry, alvan feinstein and lung cancer overdiagnosis

In 1964 the notorious Council for Tobacco Research (CTR) began to fund a young epidemiologist at Yale University named Alvan Feinstein PhD. During the course of his long and illustrious career, Feinstein received more than two million dollars in research funding from CTR and also received undocumented amounts for consulting and legal and legislative testimony.. Feinstein became a highly influential individual; considered by many to be the ‘father of American epidemiology’ and one of the three pillars of evidence based medicine. Feinstein’s work relevant to lung cancer overdiagnosis (LCOD) consists of four articles published in the late 1980s describing his investigations on ‘post-mortem surprise’ lung cancers. Although he did not use the term overdiagnosis in these articles, the first mention of LCOD occurred in a publication from the Mayo Lung Trial and citing Feinstein. Feinstein’s research has subsequently been cited consistently by tobacco industry expert witnesses in multiple medical monitoring lawsuits and is routinely cited in scholarly publications on putative LCOD. Later research from Duke University - also from authors with undisclosed tobacco industry conflicts of interest- cloned Feinstein’s necropsy surprise research that has also been used in courtrooms by tobacco industry lawyers. Objectives Special Project #1 was invaluable to Philip Morris and other tobacco companies in defending themselves against medical monitoring lawsuits attempting to compel them to pay for lung cancer screening of their former and current customers. Method Search of documents relevant to the topic among the papers contained in the Tobacco Document library at the University of California San Francisco. https://www.industrydocuments.ucsf.edu/tobacco/ Results The tobacco industry played a major role in fostering the idea that there is a substantial ‘reservoir’ of undiagnosed lung cancers in the U.S. population that is unlikely to cause sysmptoms or kill. Conclusions The tobacco industry has played an important role in promulgating and disseminating the false idea that many lung cancers are non-lethal. Few people involved in policy decisions on population lung cancer screening are aware of this enormous conflict of interest.
Multiscale Evaluation of Satellite Precipitation Products: Effective Resolution of IMERG

Satellite precipitation products are essential for global analysis of water cycle dynamics as well as for regional analyses in regions where no ground observations are available. For any climatic or hydrologic application, it is important to know down to which scale a gridded satellite precipitation product can accurately resolve the spatial patterns of precipitation. This scale, which we call “effective resolution”, is a complex combination of the instrument resolution (especially so for multisensor products such as IMERG), the multi-sensor retrieval or merging algorithm, and the type of the precipitating system, and it can differ substantially from the grid size of the satellite product. Here, we use a wavelet-based framework to quantitatively define the effective resolution of the IMERG multi-satellite product by comparison with the MRMS ground radar product at the hourly time scale over the continental United States. Our findings show that the effective resolution varies across geographical areas, seasons and types of precipitation and provide insight for the use of those products in hydrologic applications and for algorithmic improvements.
Association of Political Party Affiliation With Physical Distancing Among Young Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This cross-sectional study estimates the association of political party affiliation with physical distancing behaviors among young adults during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
Hospital-based health systems 20 years later: A taxonomy for policy research and analysis.

Objective Building on the original taxonomy of hospital-based health systems from 20 years ago, we develop a new taxonomy to inform emerging public policy and practice developments. Data sources The 2016 American Hospital Association's (AHA) Annual Survey; the 2016 IQVIA Healthcare Organizations and Systems (HCOS) database; and the 2017-2018 National Survey of Healthcare Organizations and Systems (NSHOS). Study design Cluster analysis of the 2016 AHA Annual Survey data to derive measures of differentiation, centralization, and integration to create categories or types of hospital-based health systems. Data collection Principal components factor analysis with varimax rotation generating the factors used in the cluster algorithms. Principal findings Among the four cluster types, 54% (N = 202) of systems are decentralized (-0.35) and relatively less differentiated (-0.37); 23% of systems (N = 85) are highly differentiated (1.28) but relatively decentralized (-0.29); 15% (N = 57) are highly centralized (2.04) and highly differentiated (0.65); and approximately 9 percent (N = 33) are least differentiated (-1.35) and most decentralized (-0.64). Despite differences in calculation, the Highly Centralized, Highly Differentiated System Cluster and the Undifferentiated, Decentralized System Cluster were similar to those identified 20 years ago. The other two system clusters contained similarities as well as differences from those 20 years ago. Overall, 82 percent of the systems remain relatively decentralized suggesting they operate largely as holding companies allowing autonomy to individual hospitals operating within the system. Conclusions The new taxonomy of hospital-based health systems bears similarities as well as differences from 20 years ago. Important applications of the taxonomy for addressing current challenges facing the healthcare system, such as the transition to value-based payment models, continued consolidation, and the growing importance of the social determinants of health, are highlighted.
The Distributional Impact of Unification and the 1992-93 Recession on West German Households

The 1992-93 recession in the western states of Germany has been attributed, in substantial measure, to the macroeconomic consequences of policies to finance unification. Studies of the costs of unification have not attempted to measure the burden of the recession. We estimate a dynamic, panel model of household incomes using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP) and use it to forecast what these incomes would have been in 1992-94 without a recession. Using a ratio of actual to forecast incomes, we compare the relative burden of the recession across households. Our findings suggest that western households below the median income bore the brunt of the combined impact of unification and the recession of 1992-93.
Lymphocytic myocarditis with suspected granulomatosis with polyangiitis presenting as cardiogenic shock, restrictive cardiomyopathy and complete heart block.

Abstract We report a case of restrictive cardiomyopathy from lymphocytic myocarditis in a patient with suspected granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA). The case was complicated by complete heart block and renal failure. The diagnosis was supported by upper airway involvement, elevated serum serine proteinase 3 antibodies, and endomyocardial biopsy with lymphocytic infiltration. The patient responded appropriately to aggressive immunosuppressive therapy.
Thermomechanical activation achieving orthogonal working/healing conditions of nanostructured tri-block copolymer thermosets

Summary Conventional thermosets, despite their technological significance in today’s materials economy, present a modern sustainability challenge because of their lack of end-of-life options for recyclability or reprocessability. Emerging covalent adaptable networks (CANs) offer sustainable alternatives to permanently crosslinked materials, but ideal orthogonal working/reprocessing conditions are hardly achievable by the current thermochemical activation mechanism. Here we report a CAN system of additive/catalyst-free, fully reprocessable, crosslinked, tri-block copolymer (tri-BCP) thermoplastic elastomer networks based on acid-anhydride bond exchange operated on a thermomechanical activation mechanism. The unique functionality of the tri-BCP architecture enables self-assembly into inter-linked, hexagonally packed cylinder nanostructures that preclude any productive inter-cylinder bond exchange (and, thus, creep) without cooperative thermal and mechanical (heating and compression) processing conditions.
Comparison Between the IPCC Reporting Framework and Country Practice

This study examines national GHG inventories prepared by Australia, China, Germany, Japan, and the United States, and highlights how the inventories of different countries—though following the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories—reflect different choices of GHG accounting methodologies and approaches, emission factors, and categories and gases reported. These choices, allowed under the IPCC Guidelines, result in significant differences in reported GHG emissions, reinforcing the case for adopting a harmonized GHG accounting framework.
Far Infrared Spectroscopy of In 1-x Ga X As y P 1-y

The far infrared reflection spectrum of In 1-x Ga X As y P 1-y is analyzed for lattice effects. The main features of the spectrum are interpreted on the basis of an impurity mode model.
PEPT1 is essential for the growth of pancreatic cancer cells: A viable drug target

PEPT1 is a proton-coupled peptide transporter that is up-regulated in PDAC cell lines and PDXs, with little expression in the normal pancreas. However, the relevance of this up-regulation to cancer progression and the mechanism of up-regulation have not been investigated. Herein, we show that PEPT1 is not just up-regulated in a large panel of PDAC cell lines and PDXs but is also functional and transport-competent. PEPT2, another proton-coupled peptide transporter, is also overexpressed in PDAC cell lines and PDXs, but is not functional due to its intracellular localization. Using glibenclamide as a pharmacological inhibitor of PEPT1, we demonstrate in cell lines in vitro and mouse xenografts in vivo that inhibition of PEPT1 reduces the proliferation of the cancer cells. These findings are supported by genetic knockdown of PEPT1 with shRNA, wherein the absence of the transporter significantly attenuates the growth of cancer cells, both in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that PEPT1 is critical for the survival of cancer cells. We also establish that the tumor-derived lactic acid (Warburg effect) in the tumor microenvironment supports the transport function of PEPT1 in the maintenance of amino acid nutrition in cancer cells by inducing MMPs and DPPIV to generate peptide substrates for PEPT1 and by generating a H+ gradient across the plasma membrane to energize PEPT1. Taken collectively, these studies demonstrate a functional link between PEPT1 and extracellular protein breakdown in the tumor microenvironment as a key determinant of pancreatic cancer growth, thus identifying PEPT1 as a potential therapeutic target for PDAC.
Behind the Music: Exploring the Dynamic Relationship between Rap Music, Civic Engagement, and Black Youth

The political gains of the civil rights era lead many to believe that African- Americans had received a decisive measure of justice, and, in effect, ushered the United States into the dawn of a new era; a post-racial America. Rap music was born during this faux post-racial era. Much like its soul music predecessors, rap has acted as “Black America’s CNN”; a lens into the life of ontological "other" we know as the Black underclass. Much unlike its predecessors, however, rap music has had to dismantle America’s notion of amnesia and delusion regarding racial integration, collaboration, and race neutrality. Some critics argue that, due to the changing landscape and global success of hip-hop culture at large, rap music is a general youth phenomenon and that it may now have equal influence on youth of all races. In this paper, I use the 2005 Black Youth Project survey data to push back on that theory. I argue that, although a significant number of white youth listen to rap music, they do not tend to pose the same strong relationships to various forms of political participation and attitudes when compared to Black youth listeners. Black youth who listen to rap music regularly are more likely to engage political attitudes and types of civic participation that fall in line with political rhetoric eschewed in popular rap music during that time period, controlling for socioeconomic factors.Rap music extends the tradition of Black soul music in communicating racial iniquities in the American context while battling a new era of institutional racism masked as race neutrality. As more and more politicians join hands with hip-hop artists with the intended hope of activating attitudes and civic engagement amongst youth and people of color, it is more important than ever to know the relationship young Black constituents have with rap music. Rap music, despite global success, seems to still suggest a unique influence on Black youth worth noting.
Iron acquisition within host cells and the pathogenicity of Leishmania

Iron is an essential cofactor for several enzymes and metabolic pathways, in both microbes and in their eukaryotic hosts. To avoid toxicity, iron acquisition is tightly regulated. This represents a particular challenge for pathogens that reside within the endocytic pathway of mammalian cells, because endosomes and lysosomes are gradually depleted in iron by host transporters. An important player in this process is Nramp1 (Slc11a1), a proton efflux pump that translocates Fe(2+) and Mn(2+) ions from macrophage lysosomes/phagolysosomes into the cytosol. Mutations in Nramp1 cause susceptibility to infection with the bacteria Salmonella and Mycobacteria and the protozoan Leishmania, indicating that an available pool of intraphagosomal iron is critical for the intracellular survival and replication of these pathogens. Salmonella and Mycobacteria are known to express iron transporter systems that effectively compete with host transporters for iron. Until recently, however, very little was known about the molecular strategy used by Leishmania for survival in the iron-poor environment of macrophage phagolysosomes. It is now clear that intracellular residence induces Leishmania amazonensis to express LIT1, a ZIP family membrane Fe(2+) transporter that is required for intracellular growth and virulence.
AFFECT AND REARTICULATING THE RACIAL “UN‐SAYABLES”

I approach the question of whither race studies in the context of teaching a firstyear seminar here at Duke, “Prison, the U.S., and the Citizen”: a course that has, as part of its curricular mission in Duke-specific institutional terms, ethical inquiry. This course has driven home for me in particular ways the inability of general public discussion—what my students are aware of in abundance but which they understand as “natural”—to accommodate elaborated and unelaborated discourses for cathected critical engagement, e.g., white supremacy and its connection to prison, the history of the U.S. state, and the idea of the citizen. If those of us who participate in teaching, research, and public intellectualism frequently take as our object of critique the limitations of the liberal bourgeois subject, we must also run up against the difficulty of moving our students from that hegemonic subjectivity to something more specifically critical. But this semester, I have run into another form of difficulty. Since there seems to be no location for even the much-derided liberal bourgeois subject to exist, the obstacle looms before me of helping to move my students from their internalization of the dominant narrative that explicitly and implicitly structures their active and passive acceptance of the massive carceral state, to a position of awareness: first, that they are living out such a state of affairs; and then, a realization that this state of affairs is in no way natural or inevitable; i.e., I nostalgically long for the simple presence of a liberal bourgeois subjectivity as a starting point in the classroom, as an
DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT: ACUTE RENAL FAILURE.

ACUTE RENAL FAILURE is an uncommon emergency which faces pediatricians. It is usually easy to recognize. The management in the early phase is critical to the survival potential of the patient. The purpose of this review is to cite the causes, characteristics, and principally the management of acute renal failure. Renal failure is defined as a state in which there is not sufficient kidney function to prevent the development of severe uremia or to maintain plasma electrolyte values in a range compatible with ordinary activities. Clinically the condition is associated with mental confusion, stupor, and frequently convulsions. Persistent hiccoughs, irregular respirations, and muscle cramps also may occur. Usually though not always, there is obvious oliguria. Since urine flow is ordinarily but 0.2-2,0% of glomerular filtration rate, and since glomerular filtration rate reduction to 5-10% may be associated with uremia, it is possible to have renal failure without oliguria. It is also possible to have physiological oliguria ( The presence of certain clinical conditions known to result in acute renal failure should alert the physician. These include: nephrotoxie agents; hemoglobinuria or myoglobinuria; shock with anoxic damage; acute, diffuse renal disease; acute dehydration in patients with chronic advanced renal disease; and acute obstructive uropathy. Nephrotoxic agents, hemoglobinuria, and shock all result in acute tubular necrosis, and recovery depends upon the capacity of the nephron to regenerate on an intact basement membrane.
“Find their Level”. African American Roots Tourism in Sierra Leone and Ghana

In many "developing" and post-conflict African nations, cultural tourism has been touted as a vital source of foreign exchange revenue for jumpstarting national devel­opment. This trend has led to a scramble in Africa by African state officials seeking to "package" their nations in order to attract the patronage of Diasporan "returnees"— descendants of the Middle Passage who travel to Africa in search of cultural and historical "roots". This situation is further complicated by the fact that the planning and execution of national "packaging" frequently bypasses the ordinary citizen. Thus the official agenda of these nation states is sometimes at odds with the aspirations of local citizens and pan-African sojourners. Moreover, this trend has contributed to considerable conceptual slippage and, consequently, vociferous debates over the meaning of and criteria for asserting Africanness. In other instances, these conjunc­tures have transformed and enhanced received notions of African identity. An ethno­graphic comparison of a developing nation (Ghana) and a post-conflict nation (Sierra Leone) can both deepen and complicate our understandings of this emerging pan-African phenomenon and its attendant possibilities and limitations. We consider how these complimentary and conflicting interests, beliefs, and practices converge to shape novel modes of pilgrimage, nationhood, transnational dialogue, and globalization.