cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THE ABILITY OF FRACTIONATED SERA FROM ANIMALS VACCINATED WITH IRRADIATED CERCARIAE OF SCHISTOSOMA MANSONI TO TRANSFER IMMUNITY TO MICE

r: To study the role of IgG and IgM isotypes found in sera of mice or rabbits immunized with irradiated cercariae in schistosome immunity, the respective sera were fractionated by protein A chromatography. Both the protein A-bound and unbound fractions of vaccinated mouse serum (VMS) showed reactivities in ELISA assay using NP-40 membrane extracts of 3-hr schistosomula as antigens and in indirect immunofluorescence assay (IIF) using live 3-hr schistosomula. Both the protein A-bound and unbound fractions possessed high levels (84% and 76%, respectively) of complement-mediated cytotoxicity against schistosomula in vitro. The IgG- and IgM-containing fractions each conferred passive protection (30% and 20%) against challenge infection, although at a lower level when compared to unfractionated VMS (42%). These data demonstrate that in the mouse model both IgG and IgM can recognize epitopes on the surface of schistosomula, mediate cytotoxicity in vitro, and provide passive protection in vivo. Similarly, the protein A-bound and unbound fractions of vaccinated rabbit serum (VRS) were also shown to be positive in ELISA and IIF. The IgG- and IgM-containing fractions each possessed high levels (95% and 85%, respectively) of complement-dependent cytotoxicity against schistosomula in vitro. In contrast to VMS fractions, the IgG fraction of VRS conferred a similar level (28%) of in vivo protection as unfractioned VRS when injected into mice no later than 6 days after challenge. Moreover, the IgG fraction of VRS was still able to provide passive protection to mice when given as late as 15 days postinfection, but failed to confer protection when injected at 24 or 35 days postinfection. When VRS was fractionated with Sepharose 4B gel conjugated with schistosomula NP-40 membrane extracts, the bound fraction was IIF positive on both living and acetone-fixed schistosomula, whereas the unbound fraction was IIF positive only on acetone- fixed parasites. However, both fractions demonstrated high levels of complement-dependent cytotoxicity in vitro. These data suggest that epitopes present in and absent from NP-40 membrane extracts of schistosomula recognized by antibodies found in VRS might be involved in the cytotoxicity in vitro. Acquired resistance to Schistosoma mansoni
Analysis on epidemic of Tsutsugamushi disease during 2006 and 2012 in Yunfu

Objective To analyze the epidemiological trend and features of Tsutsugamushi disease in Yunfu and provide scientific evidence for setting control and prevention countermeasures. Method All data from 2006 to 2012 were collected and analyzed with descriptive epidemiological method. Result 567 people in Yunfu suffered from Tsutsugamushi during 2006-2012, and 3 died. The average morbidity was 3.42 / 105. From 2006 to 2012, the annual morbidity rate were0.13 / 105,0.26 / 105,2.70 / 105,2.67 / 105,3.30 / 105,5.21 / 105and 9.54 / 105,respectively. The infection rate was on the rise, with peak time from May to November. The cases were found mainly in Yunan(346) and Yuncheng(176), which was 90.06percent. Cases reported in female were 1.30 times of that of male and the most cases occurred among age 40 year-old people and above and mainly of peasants. Conclusions The number of Tsutsugamushi cases was increasing. The control and prevention measures should be strengthened especially for people at high risk.
Admission variables predictive of gangrenous cholecystitis

The objective of the present study was to identify admission clinical factors associated with gangrenous cholecystitis (GC) and factors associated with conversion to open cholecystectomy. We retrospectively evaluated 391 patients over a 17-month period who underwent urgent laparoscopic cholecystectomy for a diagnosis of acute cholecystitis. Eighty-nine patients with pathologically proven GC were compared with 302 patients without GC. On multivariable logistic regression, predictors of GC included male gender, white blood cell count greater than 14,000/mm3, heart rate greater than 90 beats per minute, and sodium 135 mg/dL or less. Conversion rate to open cholecystectomy was 7.9 per cent overall, 4 per cent for non-GC, and 19 per cent for GC (odds ratio, 0.2; 95% confidence interval, 0.1 to 0.4; P<0.00001). Conversion was predicted by increasing number of days to surgery, total bilirubin, and white blood cell count. Complication rate was higher in the GC group (10.1 vs 3.6% in the acute cholecystitis group, P=0.01). The increased rate of conversion observed with surgery delay suggests that early laparoscopic cholecystectomy may be preferable in most patients.
Alternative pork carcass evaluation techniques: II. Statistical analysis of error attributable to sex, genotype, and weight.

Carcasses of 154 hogs representing seven genotypes with substantial variation in carcass composition and percentage of lean were completely dissected and analyzed. Measurements from a ruler, Hennessy probe, and electromagnetic scanner were each used to predict wholesale and lean boneless carcass value. Error, defined as dissected value minus predicted value, due to the omission of sex, genotype, weight, and their interactions was estimated for each model. The errors were significantly different from zero for the models using ruler and electromagnetic scanning measurements separately (P<.01). Errors due to sex, genotype, weight, and their interactions were greatest for the less lean barrows. A combination of probe and electromagnetic scanner measurements resulted in the least error. The value of barrows with low percentage of lean was consistently overpredicted, whereas the value of leaner gilts was underpredicted for the models using ruler and electromagnetic scanning separately (P<.001)
Emotor control: Computations underlying bodily resource allocation, emotions, and confidence

Emotional processes are central to behavior, yet their deeply subjective nature has been a challenge for neuroscientific study as well as for psychiatric diagnosis. Here we explore the relationships between subjective feelings and their underlying brain circuits from a computational perspective. We apply recent insights from systems neuroscience-approaching subjective behavior as the result of mental computations instantiated in the brain-to the study of emotions. We develop the hypothesis that emotions are the product of neural computations whose motor role is to reallocate bodily resources mostly gated by smooth muscles. This "emotor" control system is analagous to the more familiar motor control computations that coordinate skeletal muscle movements. To illustrate this framework, we review recent research on "confidence." Although familiar as a feeling, confidence is also an objective statistical quantity: an estimate of the probability that a hypothesis is correct. This model-based approach helped reveal the neural basis of decision confidence in mammals and provides a bridge to the subjective feeling of confidence in humans. These results have important implications for psychiatry, since disorders of confidence computations appear to contribute to a number of psychopathologies. More broadly, this computational approach to emotions resonates with the emerging view that psychiatric nosology may be best parameterized in terms of disorders of the cognitive computations underlying complex behavior.
Peer review of group therapy: Washington, D.C., 1972-1977.

The author discusses the evolution of psychiatric peer review in Washington, D.C. In its first six years (1972- 1977) the Washington Psychiatric Society Peer Review Committee evaluated 146 cases, 2...
Protecting Financially Successful Youth’s Incomes

Children have been part of the American work force for centuries, and while there has been significant progress in implementing laws to protect children from exploitation there has not been a corresponding increase in protection with respect to protecting children’s rights with respect to their earnings. Some states have addressed this issue, but have only made minor concessions to the premise that children are not entitled to their earnings. But most states have not enacted any substantial protective laws in this area. To remedy this oversight, this chapter argues that states should implement legal reform that would address the three major flaws in the current approach, which are the lack of ownership rights for children under the age of eighteen, the under inclusiveness of the current laws, and the lack of gradation in financial responsibility. Current research suggests that children as young as sixteen demonstrate comparable decision-making skills to adults in situations where there are not significant emotional circumstances; situations not likely to be present when children are making financial decisions. By instituting laws that include all types of employment, not just high-income occupations, granting children over sixteen absolute ownership rights to their earnings, and graduating the amount of access children have to their money, the responsibilities a child bears by entering the workforce will more closely correspond with the benefits of being in appropriate control of their money.
Cadaveric Investigation of Active Finger Range of Motion for Detection of Intratendinous Needle Placement.

Background The authors' purpose was to determine if investigators can predict whether a needle is within a finger's flexor tendon by postinsertion tactile and visualization evaluation in an active range-of-motion cadaver model. Methods In 48 cadaver fingers, a 25-gauge needle, with a 1-cc syringe attached, was placed into one of three randomly assigned positions at the A2 pulley level: within the flexor digitorum profundus, within the flexor digitorum superficialis, or outside both flexors and the sheath. Each finger was cycled through full active range of motion as three hand surgeons, blinded to each other's responses and needle position, recorded whether they thought the needle was intratendinous. The initial investigator confirmed needle position after each surgeon's assessment. Results Active cadaver finger range of motion did not allow surgeons to accurately determine whether a needle was in a flexor tendon. There was no statistically significant agreement among the surgeons about whether the needle was intratendinous. Conclusion Because of poor interobserver agreement, sensitivity, and negative predictive value, we conclude that finger range of motion is not a reliable test to detect intratendinous needle placement in this cadaver model.
Tactical innovation at the point of consumption: Workers and consumers in the anti-sweatshop movement

Dans cet article, les AA. font part de l'expansion du mouvement anti-exploitation des travailleurs aux Etats-Unis. Les AA. decrivent ici l'essor d'un mouvement qui combine defense des droits de l'homme et du consommateur. Ce mouvement combat les conditions de travail deplorables de la main d'oeuvre employee dans les pays du tiers-monde et boycotte les multinationales telles que Nike qui participent a la mondialisation de l'exploitation humaine. Les AA. analysent les interactions existantes entre etudiants, universites et villes et engagement pour la lutte contre l'appareil industriel americain
PATHWAYS OF DNA REPAIR IN YEAST

ABSTRACT The RAD1 excision-repair pathway of yeast consists of three additional genes, RAD7, RAD14 and MMS19 , all of which are shown to be defective in excision of pyrimidine dimers. In addition, two genes, MMS3 and CDC8 are discussed in terms of their effect on UV-induced mutations.
Hemp Dogbane (Apocynum cannabinum) Control in Corn (Zea mays) with Selective Postemergence Herbicides

Field studies were conducted from 1994 to 1996 in Michigan to evaluate postemergence (POST) herbicides for hemp dogbane control in corn. Studies were initiated at no-tillage and chiselplowed sites each of the three years. Nicosulfuron and primisulfuron were evaluated alone and in combination with 2,4-D amine or dicamba. In 1995 and 1996, CGA-152005 plus primisulfuron was also applied alone and in combination with 2,4-D or dicamba. Control varied among years and sites. Nicosulfuron, primisulfuron, and CGA-152005 plus primisulfuron applied alone controlled 30% of the hemp dogbane, and dicamba or 2,4-D alone controlled 42 and 66%, respectively. Tank mixtures of nicosulfuron, primisulfuron, or CGA-152005 plus primisulfuron with dicamba were more effective and more consistent than dicamba alone. Combinations of nicosulfuron, primisulfuron, or CGA-152005 plus primisulfuron with 2,4-D gave the most effective and consistent control across sites, with an average of 93% control. In general, treatments controlled only shoots that had emerged at the time of application. New shoots emerged following herbicide application at the chisel-tillage sites in 1994 and 1995 but not at the no-tillage sites. However, in 1996, shoot emergence following treatment occurred in both no-tillage and chisel-tillage sites.
COMPLICATIONS OF UNCONSTRAINED SHOULDER REPLACEMENTS: SLIPPERY SLOPES

Total shoulder arthroplasty has been shown to be a very effective means of restoring function in all forms of arthritic shoulders. However, much as with any form of arthroplasty, problems and complications can and do occur. These include infection, nerve injury, anesthetic complications, peri-prosthetic fracture, instability and dislocation, nerve and vascular injury, loosening, loss of mobility, and contracture or stiffness, and implant related failures. Careful pre-operative planning, intra-operative technical execution, and post-operative rehabilitation all designed to meet the needs and demands of the specific patient can help identify potential sources of complications pre-operatively and avoid them post-operatively. Understanding the specific complexities of the type of arthritis being addressed, the strengths and weaknesses, limitations and need for adjustments to the local anatomy can help the surgeon execute the total shoulder arthroplasty with minimal likelihood for post-operative complications. Awareness of patient9s own flora and application of appropriate antibiotic prophylaxis can help identify patients at risk for infection. Although it is impossible to fully eliminate the occurrence of complications, a majority can be avoided through attention to detail.
Ocean worlds exploration

Abstract Ocean worlds is the label given to objects in the solar system that host stable, globe-girdling bodies of liquid water—“oceans”. Of these, the Earth is the only one to support its oceans on the surface, making it a model for habitable planets around other stars but not for habitable worlds elsewhere in the solar system. Elsewhere in the solar system, three objects—Jupiter's moon Europa, and Saturn's moons Enceladus and Titan—have subsurface oceans whose existence has been detected or inferred by two independent spacecraft techniques. A host of other bodies in the outer solar system are inferred by a single type of observation or by theoretical modeling to have subsurface oceans. This paper focusses on the three best-documented water oceans beyond Earth: those within Europa, Titan and Enceladus. Of these, Europa's is closest to the surface (less than 10 km and possibly less than 1 km in places), and hence potentially best suited for eventual direct exploration. Enceladus’ ocean is deeper—5–40 km below its surface—but fractures beneath the south pole of this moon allow ice and gas from the ocean to escape to space where it has been sampled by mass spectrometers aboard the Cassini Saturn Orbiter. Titan's ocean is the deepest—perhaps 50–100 km—and no evidence for plumes or ice volcanism exist on the surface. In terms of the search for evidence of life within these oceans, the plume of ice and gas emanating from Enceladus makes this the moon of choice for a fast-track program to search for life. If plumes exist on Europa—yet to be confirmed—or places can be located where ocean water is extruded onto the surface, then the search for life on this lunar-sized body can also be accomplished quickly by the standards of outer solar system exploration.
Integration of Quality and Safety Education for Nurses Into Nursing Curriculum: Small Steps or Comprehensive Redesign

International heath and nursing organizations have called for significant changes in nursing education to improve health outcomes. In the United States, a national initiative of Quality and Safety in Nursing Education (QSEN) has been underway to articulate competencies to improve patient safety and health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the integration of QSEN competencies into an undergraduate nursing curriculum. Student self-reports of QSEN competencies were evaluated with the Student Evaluation Survey. Data was collected at baseline, and after Year 1 and Year 2 following implementation of a QSEN integrated curricular intervention. Two-sample T-tests, was used to analyze data from comparable groups. Although the findings were not statistically significant, this is an important area of inquiry as it represents one undergraduate program’s efforts to quantify and measure QSEN integration through curricular changes. Suggestions are made to quantify curricular change and lessons learned are discussed.
Mechanisms of DNA replication termination

Genome duplication is carried out by pairs of replication forks that assemble at origins of replication and then move in opposite directions. DNA replication ends when converging replication forks meet. During this process, which is known as replication termination, DNA synthesis is completed, the replication machinery is disassembled and daughter molecules are resolved. In this Review, we outline the steps that are likely to be common to replication termination in most organisms, namely, fork convergence, synthesis completion, replisome disassembly and decatenation. We briefly review the mechanism of termination in the bacterium Escherichia coli and in simian virus 40 (SV40) and also focus on recent advances in eukaryotic replication termination. In particular, we discuss the recently discovered E3 ubiquitin ligases that control replisome disassembly in yeast and higher eukaryotes, and how their activity is regulated to avoid genome instability.
Two Issues Concerning Surface Frontogenesis

AbstractWith the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model specifically configured to simulate the intensification and evolution of an extratropical baroclinic wave, this study first investigates why cold fronts are characteristically longer, narrower, and more intense than warm fronts in the extratropical atmosphere. It is found that the differential thermal advection by the geostrophic and ageostrophic wind components in the two frontal regions results in a greater thermal contrast across the cold front. The length of the cold front is essentially the length scale of the intensifying baroclinic wave (i.e., on the order of radius of deformation). The frontal system as a whole moves eastward under the influence of a steering flow. In addition, the cold front outpaces the warm front eastward, making the western portion of the warm front progressively occluded and the eastern portion of the warm front shorter. The dynamical processes tend to move the cold front eastward, whereas the diabatic heating proc...
Pediatric Intraoperative Neuromonitoring

Intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) has transformed the fields of pediatric surgery and anesthesia since its introduction in 1979, and is an important diagnostic and preventative tool to potentially decrease neurological complications in children after surgical procedures. Its value in minimizing neurological injury during surgery has been well established in adults, with a 10–30% difference in injury rates in neurosurgical historical cohorts, but this risk reduction has yet to be systematically studied in children. The goal of neuromonitoring during surgery is to detect changes in neural signaling as early as possible, allow surgical teams to prevent further injury by monitoring for and potentially reversing the electrophysiological changes that are detected. The adaptation of various neuromonitoring techniques from the adult population to pediatrics has proved crucial in assessing and optimizing surgical outcomes across numerous subspecialty fields. Early uses of IONM included the use of brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAERs) and monitoring effects on the spinal cord during spine deformity correction. These early applications demonstrated the powerful utility of IONM and its applicability to children.
Reviews of Science for Science Librarians: Metal Recycling Overview for Librarians

ABSTRACTMetals are a finite resource, and the retrieval of metals from the earth is labor intensive, expensive, and often an environmentally destructive process. One method of limiting this cost is to recycle metals, already retrieved from the earth, and in use at the end of their life-cycle such as wiring, vehicle parts, construction I-beams, etc. As it becomes more difficult to find ore deposits that are economically feasible to extract from the earth, recycling is increasing in its importance in order to maintain the level of technological development that humans currently enjoy. Recycling, however, is not without its problems and complications, only some of these problems can be solved by recent technological advances in metallurgy. There is still a lot more work to be done before recycling can become a truly efficient process. Therefore, one can safely presume that both economic and environmental pressure will increase the amount of research scientists dedicate to recycling. Thus, a basic understandi...
Genomic analyses identify multiple Asian origins and deeply diverged mitochondrial clades in inbred brown rats (Rattus norvegicus)

Over 500 strains of inbred brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) have been developed for use as a biomedical model organism. Most of these inbred lines were derived from the colony established at the Wistar Institute in 1906 or its descendants following worldwide distribution to research and breeding centers. The geographic source of the animals that founded the Wistar colony has been lost to history; thus, we compared 25 inbred rat strains to 326 wild rats from a global diversity dataset at 32 k SNPs, and 47 mitochondrial genomes to identify the source populations. We analyzed nuclear genomic data using principal component analyses and co-ancestry heat maps, and mitogenomes using phylogenetic trees and networks. In the nuclear genome, inbred rats clustered together indicating a single geographic origin for the strains studied and showed admixed ancestral variation with wild rats in eastern Asia and western North America. The Sprague Dawley derived, Wistar derived, and Brown Norway strains each had mitogenomes from different clades which diverged between 13 and 139 kya. Thus, we posit that rats originally collected for captive breeding had high mitochondrial diversity that became fixed through genetic drift and/or artificial selection. Our results show that these important medical models share common genomic ancestry from a few source populations, and opportunities exist to create new strains with diverse genomic backgrounds to provide novel insight into the genomic basis of disease phenotypes.
Artificial light at night decreases metamorphic duration and juvenile growth in a widespread amphibian.

Artificial light at night (ALAN) affects over 20% of the earth's surface and is estimated to increase 6% per year. Most studies of ALAN have focused on a single mechanism or life stage. We tested f...
Format Matters in the Mental Accounting of Funds: The Case of Gift Cards and Cash Gifts

Monetary gifts in the form of a gift card can lead one to spend and conceive of these funds differently than if the gift is given as cash. Across four experiments, the presentation of a gift card rather than cash led to both intended and actual spending beyond the amount of the original gift, and also influenced the types of purchases that consumers made. Even when features of the gift card payment mechanism that restrict fungibility of funds were removed, receiving a gift card led to greater spending than when an equivalent cash gift was received.
Understanding Email Writers: Personality Prediction from Email Messages

Email is a ubiquitous communication tool and constitutes a significant portion of social interactions. In this paper, we attempt to infer the personality of users based on the content of their emails. Such inference can enable valuable applications such as better personalization, recommendation, and targeted advertising. Considering the private and sensitive nature of email content, we propose a privacy-preserving approach for collecting email and personality data. We then frame personality prediction based on the well-known Big Five personality model and train predictors based on extracted email features. We report prediction performance of 3 generative models with different assumptions. Our results show that personality prediction is feasible, and our email feature set can predict personality with reasonable accuracies.
Coupled diffusion-dissolution around a fracture channel : The solute congestion phenomenon

The paper studies the coupled diffusion-dissolution process in reactive porous media, separated by a fracture channel. An aggressive solute, corresponding for e.g., to a complete demineralization that dissolves the solid skeleton of the surrounding porous material, is prescribed at the inlet of the fracture. By means of asymptotic dimensional analysis it is shown that for large times the diffusion length in the fracture develops with the quadratic root of time. In comparison with the 1D-Stefan Problem, in which the dissolution front evolves with the square root of time, this indicates that the overall solute evacuation through the structure slows down in time. This phenomenon is referred to as a diffusive solute congestion in the fracture. This asymptotic behavior is confirmed by means of model-based simulation, and the relevant material parameters, related to only the chemical equilibrium condition, are identified. The obtained results suggest that the presence of a small crack does not significantly increase the propagation of the dissolution front in the porous bulk, and hence the overall chemical degradation of the porous material. The same applies to other diffusion induced demineralization, mineralization, sorption and melting processes, provided that the convective transport of the solute in the crack is small in comparison with the solute diffusion. The result is relevant for several problems in durability mechanics: calcium leaching of concrete in nuclear waste containment, mineralization and demineralization in bone remodeling, chloride penetration, etc.
A test of a primary bias in twin studies with respect to measured ability.

It has been suggested that the twin method for investigating hereditary and environmental sources of variation in measured traits is biased by the unique prenatal environments of identical twins. MZ twins derived from eggs which split into two individuals early in their prenatal development, indicated by concordant handedness within sets, most likely developed with separate placentas, chorions, and amnions. Later-splitting eggs, indicated by discordant handedness within MZ pairs, more likely produced twins who shared the same placenta, chorion, and amnion, and experienced more severe prenatal competition. Greater prenatal competition was hypothesized to produce greater twin differences in measured ability. A group of 482 sets of MZ twins who took the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test in 1962 were used to test this hypothesis. No difference between handedness groups on the set of NMSQT scales was found, indicating that the unique prenatal environment of MZ twins does not appreciably bias heritability estimates of ability.
Optimized simulation of breast anatomy for virtual clinical trials

Virtual clinical trials (VCTs), computer simulations of clinical trials, can take many forms. In the field of breast imaging, VCTs often involve simulations of breast anatomy, which are used to produce simulated images of the breast with or without lesions. Our breast anatomy model consists of an array of voxels labeled to denote specific tissue types; the voxel labels are arrayed spatially so as to simulation various anatomic structures. Our most recent breast model includes numerous innovations in the anatomy simulation and data representation. The breast model has been revised in size and shape to better reflect the range of women seen clinically; the breast is divided into three breast regions (subcutaneous, interior, and posterior) with different rules to guide tissue arrangement; and tissue microstructure has been added to reflect a hierarchy of Cooper’s ligaments. The lesion simulation has been enhanced to support lesions with various shapes (e.g., spherical lesions with tapered periphery, circumscribed non-spherical lesions, and single or clustered microcalcifications) and lesion placement that follows the clinical prevalence. Finally, the data representation has been formalized to support large VCTs using the VCT pipeline software previously developed in our lab. These innovations have resulted in breast phantoms that are more realistic and more widely applicable.
Cognitive Limitations in Aging and Psychopathology: Cognitive Control and Schizophrenia: Psychological and Neural Mechanisms

Schizophrenia is a complex and debilitating psychiatric disorder that affects approximately one percent of the population. Lay conceptions of schizophrenia typically focus on symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized speech, which are often considered the hallmark features of this disorder. However, clinicians, researchers, and theorists have long noted that individuals with schizophrenia also commonly suffer from disturbances in memory and cognition, often severely so. Interestingly, recent research suggests that disturbances in social and occupational functioning in individuals with schizophrenia may be more influenced by the severity of their cognitive deficits than the severity of symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions (Green, Kern, Braff, & Mintz, 2000). Such findings have led to a resurgence of interest in identifying the nature of cognitive abnormalities in schizophrenia. A close examination of the types of symptoms and cognitive disturbances displayed by individuals suggests that many of these disturbances appear to reflect an inability to control or regulate their cognitive and emotional states. In this chapter, we review the evidence that one of the core cognitive disturbances in schizophrenia is a deficit in one or more components of executive function, which leads to disturbances in the ability to appropriately regulate thoughts and behavior in accordance with internal goals. More specifically, we suggest that individuals with schizophrenia suffer from a disturbance in a specific type of executive control process that we refer to as a deficit in the ability to represent and maintain context.
Genetic Alterations Detected in Cell-Free DNA Are Associated With Enzalutamide and Abiraterone Resistance in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer.

PURPOSEAndrogen receptor (AR) gene alterations, including ligand-binding domain mutations and copy number (CN) gain, have yet to be fully established as predictive markers of resistance to enzaluta...
A comparison of foraging behavior in two percher dragonflies, Pachydiplax longipennis and Erythemis simplicicollis (Odonata: Libellulidae)

Feeding behaviors of two adult libellulid percher dragonflies, Pachydiplax longipennis and Erythemis simplicicollis, were compared. All results pertain to feeding from natural perches located some distance away from reproductive rendezvous sites. Compared to P. longipennis, E. simplicicollis chose broader and less structurally discrete perches, moved more frequently and over a larger area, and took, on average, much larger prey, although diet overlapped broadly in the two species. Erythemis made more frequent feeding flights but with a much lower success rate than Pachydiplax; consequently the prey capture rate was similar in the two species. Gut contents of mature, but not of immature, E. simplicicollis comprised a significantly greater proportion of body mass than in P. longipennis, apparently confirming the importance of larger prey in the diet of the former.
Improved recovery of galloyl metabolites from mango (Mangifera indica L.) in human plasma using protein precipitation with sodium dodecyl sulfate and methanol.

Abstract Extraction of polyphenolic metabolites from blood fractions can be challenging since compound recovery can be limited by chemical structure, polarity, and protein-binding affinity of analytes. Gallic acid and its metabolites exhibit particularly low recoveries from plasma and can lead to an underestimation of their bioavailability from foods. A modified method to extract free gallic acid and its metabolites from human plasma aided by sodium dodecyl sulfate and acidified methanol (SDS-MeOH) was applied to extract free gallic acid and its metabolites from human plasma after a single consumption of 400 g of mango (cv. Ataulfo) pulp by 10 healthy male and female subjects. The use of SDS-MeOH facilitated extraction of significantly (p
An ontology of weak entity realism for HPC kinds

This paper defends an ontology of weak entity realism for homeostatic property cluster (HPC) theories of natural kinds, adapted from Bird’s (Synthese 195(4):1397–1426, 2018) taxonomy of such theories. Weak entity realism about HPC kinds accepts the existence of natural kinds. Weak entity realism denies two theses: that (1) HPC kinds have mind-independent essences, and that (2) HPC kinds reduce to entities, such as complex universals, posited only by metaphysical theories. Strong entity realism accepts (1) and (2), whereas moderate entity realism accepts only (1). Given its commitment to (2), strong entity realism is more theoretically complex than weak entity realism, with little explanatory payoff. Given their commitment to (1), moderate and strong entity realisms cannot explain how the identity conditions of HPC kinds are to be straightforwardly knowable. I argue that weak entity realism avoids such epistemic difficulties. I further rebut two plausible criticisms of weak entity realism, namely that weak entity realism cannot account for quantification over kinds, and that weak entity realism cannot provide identity conditions for HPC kinds which are both scientifically useful and objective. Given the theoretical costs of strong and moderate entity realism, and weak entity realism’s adequate response to its most plausible challenges, weak entity realism about HPCs is to be preferred, especially for biological and chemical kinds.
The POSITIONED Study: Prone Positioning in Nonventilated Coronavirus Disease 2019 Patients-A Retrospective Analysis

Given perceived similarities between coronavirus disease 2019 pneumonia and the acute respiratory distress syndrome, we explored whether awake self-proning improved outcomes in coronavirus disease 2019-infected patients treated in a rural medical center with limited resources during a significant local coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected clinical data SETTING: Single-center rural community-based medical center in Grand Island, NE PATIENTS: One hundred five nonintubated, coronavirus disease-infected patients INTERVENTIONS: None MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: After patients were educated on the benefits of awake self-proning, compliance was voluntary The primary outcome was need for intubation during the hospital stay;secondary outcomes included serial peripheral capillary oxygen saturation measured by pulse oximetry to the Fio(2) ratios, in-hospital mortality, and discharge disposition Of 105 nonintubated, coronavirus disease-infected patients, 40 tolerated awake self-proning Patients who were able to prone were younger and had lower disease severity The risk of intubation was lower in proned patients after adjusting for disease severity using Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores (adjusted hazard ratio, 0 30;95% CI, 0 09-0 96;p = 0 043) or Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores (adjusted hazard ratio, 0 30;95% CI, 0 10-0 91;p = 0 034) No prone patient died compared with 24 6% of patients who were not prone (p < 0 001;number needed to treat = 5;95% CI, 3-8) The probability of being discharged alive and peripheral capillary oxygen saturation measured by pulse oximetry to the Fio(2) ratios were statistically similar for both groups CONCLUSIONS: Awake self-proning was associated with lower mortality and intubation rates in coronavirus disease 2019-infected patients Prone positioning appears to be a safe and inexpensive strategy to improve outcomes and spare limited resources Prospective efforts are needed to better delineate the effect of awake proning on oxygenation and to improve patients' ability to tolerate this intervention
A Review of Bank Liquidations and Consolidations in Nigerian Banks

Since the emergence of banks in Nigeria in 1892, the Nigerian Banking sector has undergone a restructuring series. Before the 2006 banking consolidation exercise, many banks have gone under primarily due to poor management and inadequate financial reporting. The consolidation of banks in 2006 became necessary to forestall the sector's systemic collapse since many of the banks were distressed and unable to meet their customers' expectations. This qualitative review of the Nigerian banks focused on what transpired in the sector from 2006 to date. Archival and content analysis methods were used in the data collection and analysis process mainly because some banks have been liquidated while others have been merged or acquired by other banks. Findings revealed that some banks that survived the post-2006 consolidation exercise had been liquidated; some have merged with others while the banks are still operating as standalone. The CBN has introduced the bridge banks' concept to acquire and manage distressed banks pending new buyers' time. The amended code of corporate governance of 2016 has drastically improved the CBN's regulatory and monitoring activities. Accordingly, the CBN is better equipped. Lasting measures are in place to forestall any unanticipated disruptions in the Nigerian banking sector.
A Homotopic Method to Solve the Lasso Problems with an Improved Upper Bound of Convergence Rate.

In optimization, it is known that when the objective functions are strictly convex and well-conditioned, gradient based approaches can be extremely effective, e.g., achieving the exponential rate in convergence. On the other hand, the existing Lasso-type of estimator in general cannot achieve the optimal rate due to the undesirable behavior of the absolute function at the origin. A homotopic method is to use a sequence of surrogate functions to approximate the $\ell_1$ penalty that is used in the Lasso-type of estimators. The surrogate functions will converge to the $\ell_1$ penalty in the Lasso estimator. At the same time, each surrogate function is strictly convex, which enables provable faster numerical rate of convergence. In this paper, we demonstrate that by meticulously defining the surrogate functions, one can prove faster numerical convergence rate than any existing methods in computing for the Lasso-type of estimators. Namely, the state-of-the-art algorithms can only guarantee $O(1/\epsilon)$ or $O(1/\sqrt{\epsilon})$ convergence rates, while we can prove an $O([\log(1/\epsilon)]^2)$ for the newly proposed algorithm. Our numerical simulations show that the new algorithm also performs better empirically.
All the Math You Missed: (But Need to Know for Graduate School)

Beginning graduate students in mathematical sciences and related areas in physical and computer sciences and engineering are expected to be familiar with a daunting breadth of mathematics, but few have such a background. This bestselling book helps students fill in the gaps in their knowledge. Thomas A. Garrity explains the basic points and a few key results of all the most important undergraduate topics in mathematics, emphasizing the intuitions behind the subject. The explanations are accompanied by numerous examples, exercises and suggestions for further reading that allow the reader to test and develop their understanding of these core topics. Featuring four new chapters and many other improvements, this second edition of All the Math You Missed is an essential resource for advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students who need to learn some serious mathematics quickly.
Learning in the Time of Covid-19: Some Preliminary Findings

Abstract In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, universities closed to face-to-face learning, shifting entirely to online instruction midway through the spring 2020 semester. In this paper, we compare student performance in the Covid-19 affected semester to that of the previous three unaffected semesters. We consider both student grades and student performance on standardized post-tests in introductory macroeconomics, microeconomics, and statistics courses. We conclude that there were no significant differences in performance across the semesters. Despite concerns that low-income, first-generation, and minority students could suffer disproportionately, we identify no measurable effect for these population subgroups. Women are found to overperform in the Covid-affected semester when compared to previous terms. Women at our institution could be expected to earn 0.15 of a grade-point less in introductory economics courses than otherwise comparable men in pre-Covid semesters. In the Covid-affected semester, this difference disappeared, with women earning higher grades, on average, than men.
Modular synthesis of non-conjugated N-(quinolin-8-yl) alkenyl amides via cross-metathesis.

Abstract We report a direct and modular method to access non-conjugated alkenyl amides containing the 8-aminoquinoline (AQ) directing auxiliary and related groups via cross-metathesis. In this way, readily available, AQ-containing, terminal β,γ-unsaturated amides can be coupled with various terminal alkenes to furnish internal alkene products that are otherwise difficult to prepare. The value of this family of products stems from their ability to participate in a number of directed alkene functionalization reactions.
Trends in Dietary Supplement Use Among US Adults Between 2009 and 2018

Objectives A previous study reported that overall use of dietary supplements among United States (U.S.) adults remained stable from 1999 to 2012. However, little is known about trends over the last ten years. We examined trends in dietary supplement use in recent cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
Comprehensive Genomic Characterization of A Case of Granular Cell Tumor of the Posterior Pituitary Gland: A Case Report

Granular cell tumors of the pituitary belong to a rare family of neoplasms, arising from the posterior pituitary gland. Although considered benign, they may cause significant morbidity and residual disease after resection can lead to poor clinical outcomes. Currently, there is no known medical therapy for any posterior pituitary gland tumor, in part due to sparse molecular characterization of these lesions. We report data from whole exome sequencing of a case of granular cell tumor of the pituitary, performed under an institutional review board approved protocol. A 77 year-old female underwent resection of an incidentally diagnosed pituitary mass that was causing radiographic compression of the optic nerves with a subclinical temporal field defect and central hypothyroidism. The pathology of the resected specimen demonstrated a granular cell tumor of the posterior pituitary gland. Whole-exome sequencing revealed mutations predicted to be deleterious in key oncogenes, SETD2 and PAX8, both of which have been described in other cancers and could potentially be amenable to targeted therapies with existing approved drugs, including immune checkpoint inhibitors and histone deacetylase inhibitors, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive genomic characterization of granular cell tumor of the posterior pituitary gland. We report mutations in oncogenes predicted to be deleterious and reported in other cancers with potential for therapeutic targeting with existing pharmacologic agents. These data provide new insights into the molecular pathogenesis of GCT of the pituitary and may warrant further investigation.
Health and Safety Adaptive Skill Area

Publisher Summary Individuals with disabilities need to know how to identify potential risks and hazards and to perform safety skills appropriate to them. Many individuals with disabilities can acquire a repertoire of safety skills when such skills are taught systematically and through the use of sound instructional practices. Their sustained importance at home, school, work, and community should continue through their lifetime. This chapter describes skills that represent a sample of those needed by individuals to lead safe and independent lives. It advocates for and describes a health and safety curriculum for people with significant disabilities. Issues discussed include home and community living, work, fire prevention, crime prevention, HIV/AIDS prevention, substance use, and health care. Additionally, the value of the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System-II, including the health and safety adaptive skill area, is discussed. A case study illustrates the application of the educational recommendations presented in this chapter.
Effects of ethinyl estradiol and phenobarbital on bile acid synthesis and biliary bile acid and cholesterol excretion.

Bile acid synthesis calculated from respiratory 14CO2 derived from the catabolism of[26 or 27-14C ]cholesterol to bile acids in rats with intact enterohepatic circulations decreased 50% after 5 days of ethinyl estradiol treatment (5 mg per kg per day). Maximal derepressed bile acid synthesis, measured as biliary bile acid excretion after bile acid pool depletion, was also reduced 50% by ethinyl estradiol treatment. Because ethinyl estradiol did not alter biliary cholesterol excretion, bile contained less bile acid relative to cholesterol. Hepatic bile acid concentration was not increased by ethinyl estradiol treatment. Because the inhibitory effect of ethinyl estradiol on bile acid synthesis required 5 days of treatment it is concluded that bile acid synthesis probably was not reduced by negative feedback repression of 7 α-hydroxylase, the rate-limiting enzyme in bile acid synthesis, which has a half-life of 2 to 3 hr. During the first 14 hr after bile duct cannulation, before bile acid pool depletion, ethinyl estradiol-treated rats excreted less than one-half as much bile acid and the same amount of cholesterol as controls. The bile acid to cholesterol ratio was therefore decreased. Rats treated simultaneously with phenobarbital and ethinyl estradiol excreted significantly more bile acid than rats treated with ethinyl estradiol alone, but biliary cholesterol excretion was not increased. The proportion of biliary bile acid relative to cholesterol was thereby restored to the control value. In contrast, after 14 hr of bile drainage and depletion of the bile acid pool, rats treated with ethinyl estradiol and those treated with phenobarbital-ethinyl estradiol excreted the same amount of bile acid. Thus, when phenobarbital is administered with ethinyl estradiol, it increases the bile acid pool size and biliary bile acid excretion, but it does not increase bile acid synthesis. The increase in pool size and biliary bile acid excretion might be due to the phenobarbital-induced increase in ileal absorption of bile acids.
Depressive Symptoms in Older African‐American and White Adults with Functional Difficulties: The Role of Control Strategies

OBJECTIVES To examine whether control-oriented strategies buffer effects of functional difficulties on depressive symptoms over time in older African-American and white adults with disability.
A High Density Bipolar Static Memory Cell for 256K and Beyond

Using an advanced bipolar trench technology, a high density I2L type memory cell has been fabricated in a 1K static RAM test vehicle. By maximizing the utility of the trench, the 1K RAM contains a cell with high density and large signal for extension to 256K.