cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Myocardial Response to Milrinone in Single Right Ventricle Heart Disease

Objectives Empiric treatment with milrinone, a phosphodiesterase (PDE) 3 inhibitor, has become increasingly common in patients with single ventricle heart disease of right ventricular (RV) morphology (SRV); our objective was to characterize the myocardial response to PDE3 inhibition (PDE3i) in the pediatric population with SRV. Study design Cyclic adenosine monophosphate levels, PDE activity, and phosphorylated phospholamban (PLN) were determined in explanted human ventricular myocardium from nonfailing pediatric donors (n = 10) and pediatric patients transplanted secondary to SRV. Subjects with SRV were further classified by PDE3i treatment (n = 13 with PDE3i and n = 12 without PDE3i). Results In comparison with nonfailing RV myocardium (n = 8), cyclic adenosine monophosphate levels are lower in patients with SRV treated with PDE3i (n = 12, P = .021). Chronic PDE3i does not alter total PDE or PDE3 activity in SRV myocardium. Compared with nonfailing RV myocardium, SRV myocardium (both with and without PDE3i) demonstrates equivalent phosphorylated PLN at the protein kinase A phosphorylation site. Conclusions As evidenced by preserved phosphorylated PLN, the molecular adaptation associated with SRV differs significantly from that demonstrated in pediatric heart failure because of dilated cardiomyopathy. These alterations support a pathophysiologically distinct mechanism of heart failure in pediatric patients with SRV, which has direct implications regarding the presumed response to PDE3i treatment in this population.
Risk Assessment on Group Debris flows in Siguniang Mountain Scenic Region

In order to prevent debris flow hazards in Siguniang Mountain Scenic Region,this paper,based on deep investigation,carried out overall analysis and risk assessment in relation to the group debris flows there.The result shows that the debris flows therein are characterized of typically group-occurring with high activity and large dangerousness,leading to large possibility of disaster,therefore,it must be treated comprehensively and timely.
An Archaeological Survey of Casa Grande National Monument, Arizona

ABSTRACTA reconnaissance of Casa Grande National Monument, Arizona, in 1956 and 1957, revealed a heavy occupation during prehistoric times. For purposes of analysis the cultural remains were grouped into 30 sites. Examination of the surface pottery shows that a few of the sites were occupied as early as the beginning of the Colonial period, but most were occupied largely during the Classic period. Some of the sites had been previously excavated, and the information derived from those sites is briefly reviewed. Gaps in our knowledge of Hohokam archaeology are pointed out, and several sites recommended for excavation.
Trends in childhood leukemia incidence over two decades from 1992 to 2013.

Incidence rates of childhood leukemia in the United States have steadily increased over the last several decades, but only recently have disparities in the increase in incidence been recognized. In the current analysis, Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) data were used to evaluate recent trends in the incidence of childhood leukemia diagnosed at age 0-19 years from 1992 to 2013, overall and by age, race/ethnicity, gender and histologic subtype. Hispanic White children were more likely than non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black or non-Hispanic Asian children to be diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) from 2009 to 2013. From 1992 to 2013, a significant increase in ALL incidence was observed for Hispanic White children [annual percent change (APC)Hispanic = 1.08, 95% CI: 0.59, 1.58]; no significant increase was observed for non-Hispanic White, Black or Asian children. ALL incidence increased by about 3% per year from 1992 to 2013 for Hispanic White children diagnosed from 15 to 19 years (APC = 2.67; 95% CI: 0.88, 4.49) and by 2% for those 10-14 years (APC = 2.09; 95% CI: 0.57, 3.63), while no significant increases in incidence were observed in non-Hispanic White, Black, or Asian children of the same age. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) incidence increased among non-Hispanic White children under 1 year at diagnosis, and among Hispanic White children diagnosed at age 1-4. The increase in incidence rates of childhood ALL appears to be driven by rising rates in older Hispanic children (10-14, and 15-19 years). Future studies are needed to evaluate reasons for the increase in ALL among older Hispanic children.
Does Hypergammaglobulinemia Predispose to Secondary Solid Tumors in Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Abstract Background:Occurrence of second hematological malignancies in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is well known but development of secondary solid tumors has not been well documented. Isolated case reports indicate, CLL patients may have a predisposition to develop solid tumors. There is not enough literature available to support this hypothesis. We here intend to study the incidence of secondary solid tumors in CLL patients with regard to their treatment and immunoglobulin levels. Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 323 CLL patients over the last 20 years at Veteran Affairs Medical Center, Kansas City. Broadly the patients were divided into two groups; the group who received chemotherapy for CLL(74/323) versus the group who did not receive treatment (249/323) and their median immunoglobulin levels were also documented. Patients who developed secondary hematological malignancies were excluded from this study. Results: The overall incidence of solid tumors was found to be 14.8% (48/323). In the chemotherapy treated CLL, the incidence of solid tumors was 18%(14/74) as compared to 13.6% (34/249) in the non-therapeutic group(P value 0.12). The most common malignancies noted were gastro-intestinal malignancies, genitor-urinary tumors and skin cancers including melanomas. Interestingly CLL patients who developed secondary solid tumors had a higher median IgG levels (1010 g/L) when compared to those who did not develop secondary tumors (738 g/L, P value Conclusion: Our study shows that there is a higher overall incidence of secondary solid tumors in patients with CLL when compared with incidence in the general population. There is no significant increase in the incidence of therapy related solid tumors in CLL patients. Upward drift in immunoglobulin levels should raise a suspicion for diagnosis of secondary solid tumors in patients with CLL. More studies are warranted to confirm this finding.
Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry Assay of Leukocyte Acid α-Glucosidase for Post-Newborn Screening Evaluation of Pompe Disease

BACKGROUND: Pompe disease (PD) is the first lysosomal storage disorder to be added to the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel for newborn screening. This condition has a broad phenotypic spectrum, ranging from an infantile form (IOPD), with severe morbidity and mortality in infancy, to a late-onset form (LOPD) with variable onset and progressive weakness and respiratory failure. Because the prognosis and treatment options are different for IOPD and LOPD, it is important to accurately determine an individual9s phenotype. To date, no enzyme assay of acid α-glucosidase (GAA) has been described that can differentiate IOPD vs LOPD using blood samples. METHODS: We incubated 10 μL leukocyte lysate and 25 μL GAA substrate and internal standard (IS) assay cocktail for 1 h. The reaction was purified by a liquid–liquid extraction. The extracts were evaporated and reconstituted in 200 μL methanol and analyzed by LC-MS/MS for GAA activity. RESULTS: A 700-fold higher analytical range was observed with the LC-MS/MS assay compared to the fluorometric method. When GAA-null and GAA-containing fibroblast lysates were mixed, GAA activity could be measured accurately even in the range of 0%–1% of normal. The leukocyte GAA activity in IOPD (n = 4) and LOPD (n = 19) was 0.44–1.75 nmol · h −1 · mg −1 and 2.0–6.5 nmol · h −1 · mg −1 , respectively, with no overlap. The GAA activity of pseudodeficiency patients ranged from 3.0–28.1 nmol · h −1 · mg −1 , showing substantial but incomplete separation from the LOPD group. CONCLUSIONS: This assay allows determination of low residual GAA activity in leukocytes. IOPD, LOPD, and pseudodeficiency patients can be partially differentiated by measuring GAA using blood samples.
Incorporating Effect Size Variation into Meta-Analytic Structural Equation Modeling

Scholars are increasingly recognizing the potential of meta-analytic structural equation modeling (MASEM) as a way to build and test theory (Bergh et al., 2014). Yet, as MASEM is currently applied,...
Computer Programming with Pre-K through First-Grade Students with Intellectual Disabilities.

Researchers suggest students in early elementary grade levels are active learners and creators and need to be exposed to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum. The nee...
Recoupling Founders with Their IP – Improving Innovation by Rationalizing IRC Section 351 (Licensing vs. Assignment of Founders’ IP in VC Backed Start-Ups)

This Article questions the conventional wisdom of the U.S. practice of early assignment of founder’s intellectual property to the venture capital backed startup-company. The Article shows that certain U.S. tax rules motivate founders to rush to assign their individually owned intellectual property to the startup-company rather than license it to the company. This tax enhanced distortion of the founders’ choice may have socially inefficient effects that under certain circumstances hinder innovation by decoupling the intellectual property from those who are most apt to exploit it. Thus, this Article offers for consideration, proposals to reform the current tax treatment of intellectual property transfers. The proposed reform will level the playing field from a tax perspective and prevent distorting the founders’ choice between intellectual property assignment and intellectual property licensing.
Glial Cells Shape Pathology and Repair After Spinal Cord Injury

Glial cell types were classified less than 100 years ago by del Rio-Hortega. For instance, he correctly surmised that microglia in pathologic central nervous system (CNS) were “voracious monsters” that helped clean the tissue. Although these historical predictions were remarkably accurate, innovative technologies have revealed novel molecular, cellular, and dynamic physiologic aspects of CNS glia. In this review, we integrate recent findings regarding the roles of glia and glial interactions in healthy and injured spinal cord. The three major glial cell types are considered in healthy CNS and after spinal cord injury (SCI). Astrocytes, which in the healthy CNS regulate neurotransmitter and neurovascular dynamics, respond to SCI by becoming reactive and forming a glial scar that limits pathology and plasticity. Microglia, which in the healthy CNS scan for infection/damage, respond to SCI by promoting axon growth and remyelination—but also with hyperactivation and cytotoxic effects. Oligodendrocytes and their precursors, which in healthy tissue speed axon conduction and support axonal function, respond to SCI by differentiating and producing myelin, but are susceptible to death. Thus, post-SCI responses of each glial cell can simultaneously stimulate and stifle repair. Interestingly, potential therapies could also target interactions between these cells. Astrocyte–microglia cross-talk creates a feed-forward loop, so shifting the response of either cell could amplify repair. Astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes/precursors also influence post-SCI cell survival, differentiation, and remyelination, as well as axon sparing. Therefore, optimizing post-SCI responses of glial cells—and interactions between these CNS cells—could benefit neuroprotection, axon plasticity, and functional recovery.
An Integrated, Developmental Four-Year Medical School Curriculum in Palliative Care: A Longitudinal Content Evaluation Based on National Competency Standards

Abstract Background: While palliative care (PC) competencies for medical school graduates have been defined, the lack of established curriculum models and assessment tools hampers curricular evalua...
PFG NMR DIFFUSION STUDIES OF NANOPOROUS MATERIALS

around the direction of the applied magnetic field . B The direction of this field is usually used to define the z axis of the laboratory–fixed coordinate system. In PFG NMR a large constant magnetic field with the amplitude B0 is superimposed by an inhomogeneous field with the amplitude Bgrad=gz during two short time intervals , with g denoting the amplitude of the filed gradients (Fig.1). The directions of both fields coincide with each other (and also with the z-direction). The resulting dependence of L on z
Breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) and excision repair cross complement-1 (ERCC1) expression in esophageal cancers and response to cisplatin and irinotecan based chemotherapy

Background: Esophageal cancer patients face a dismal outcome despite tri-modality management and median survival remains 15-18 months. Breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) is an ATP-dependent efflux protein associated with chemotherapy resistance. The role of BCRP expression in esophageal cancer and normal esophageal cells is not known. Excision repair cross complement-1 (ERCC1) overexpression has been correlated with poorer response to cisplatin based chemotherapy. We examined the expression of BCRP and ERCC1 in patients with esophageal cancer and correlated it with survival in patients receiving irinotecan and cisplatin based chemotherapy. Methods: With IRB approval, 40 cases of esophageal cancer diagnosed from 2004-2008, were stained for BCRP and ERCC1 expression by immunohistochemistry and scored by a pathologist blinded to clinical data. Baseline demographics, therapy given and survival data were collected and correlated with BCRP and ERCC1 expression. Fisher’s exact test was used to determine association between BCRP and ERCC1 expression and demographics. Cox proportional hazards model was used for association of BCRP and ERCC1 with survival. Results: On immunohistochemistry, 30/40 cancers (75%) expressed BCRP. Interestingly, down-regulation of BCRP expression in tumor compared with normal cells was seen in 40% of patients. ERCC1 positivity was seen in 15/30 cases (50%). Median overall survival (OS) was 19 months with no difference in survival between BCRP positive and negative patients (P=0.13) or ERCC1 positive and negative patients (P=0.85). Estimated hazard ratio (HR) of death for BRCP positive patients was 2.29 (95% CI: 0.79-6.64) and for ERCC1 positive patients was 1.09 (95% CI: 0.46-2.56). There was no association of BCRP and ERCC1 expression with disease stage, age, gender or histology. For patients who received cisplatin and irinotecan as first line chemotherapy, there was no difference in survival based on BCRP or ERCC1 status. Conclusions: BCRP expression is seen in a majority of esophageal cancers and normal esophageal mucosa. ERCC1 expression is seen in about half of the patients with esophageal cancer. Irinotecan based studies with esophageal and gastric cancer suggest response rates of 14-65%. Whether the 40% of tumors in our study found with down regulation of BCRP expression, constitute a majority of these responders needs to be prospectively validated in a larger data set. It should include markers such as ERCC1 predicting response to 5-fluorouracil and platinum based chemotherapy, to enable individualizing therapy for this cancer.
Protein kinases and phosphatases: regulation by autoinhibitory domains

Numerous enzymes which can be activated by allosteric ligands appear to contain autoinhibitory domains which, through interaction with the catalytic domains, maintain the enzymes in their inactive states. Binding of activator ligands alters the conformation of the autoinhibitory domain and neutralizes its inhibitory potency, thereby producing enzyme activation. Such autoinhibitory domains have been intensively studied in several protein kinases and phosphatases. This review summarizes our current understanding of these autoinhibitory domains in selected protein kinases and phosphatases
A Review of Medical Family Therapy: 30 Years of History, Growth, and Research

Medical family therapists are emerging as collaborative care innovators, clinicians, researchers, administrators, policy makers, and educators. This chapter will cover 30 years of scholarly literature on the history, growth, and available research on Medical Family Therapy (MedFT). Ninety-six articles met specific inclusion criteria and were reviewed and categorized into four distinct themes: (a) emergence of MedFT in the literature, (b) contemporary MedFT skills and applications, (c) punctuating the “family therapy” in MedFT, and (d) MedFT effectiveness and efficacy research. The results of this chapter reflect that MedFT is growing so rapidly that there is a need for a universal definition of what MedFT is, effectiveness and efficacy research to advocate for it, as well as core competencies to help determine the behaviors and skills that MedFTs need to be successful when integrating into clinical and research healthcare contexts, qualified training settings, and policy think tanks. Recommendations to advance efforts in MedFT across all foci are offered as a way to move the dialogue forward.
5.29 Inadvertent Disclosure

This article addresses waiver of the attorney-client privilege by inadvertent disclosure, usually during discovery. It discusses the protections provided by FRE 502 when an attorney has taken “reasonable steps” to prevent the inadvertent disclosure and “reasonable steps” to rectify the error.
A Recursive Bayesian Model for Extreme Values

In this paper, we propose a new approach for analyzing extreme values such as large losses in financial markets. Our goal is to compute the predictive distribution of extreme events that are clustered in time. We apply a stochastic parametrization of the generalized extreme value distribution to model the asymptotic behavior of the block-maximum and derive a Rao-Blackwellized particle filter. This reduces the parameter space, and we derive a concise, recursive solution. Using the filter, the predictive distribution, conditioned on the past data, is computed at each sample-time. We introduce a new risk-measure, ${p_{{\text{Va}}{{\text{R}}_\alpha }}}$, that is a more robust estimate of the true nature of value-at-risk, and illustrate our results using both simulated data and actual stock market returns from 1928-2017.
Laser linewidth measurements using digital holography

This paper measures the mixing efficiency of a digital holography system at various optical path differences and hologram integrations times. From the measurements, the master oscillator (MO) laser spectral lineshape and linewidth is estimated. The lineshape was Gaussian, which is indicative of laser frequency flicker noise or 1/f noise, and the linewidth decreased by 65% when the integration time was decreased from 100 ms to 0.1 ms. This reduction in the observed MO laser linewidth yields an increased coherence length and time of 280%. A flicker noise model for the linewidth and integration time is used and approximates the measurements to within 17%.
The Claytonia arctica Complex in Alaska—Analyzing a Beringian Taxonomic Puzzle Using Taxonomic Concepts

Trans-Beringia taxa often present complex puzzles for taxonomists, a reflection of differing traditions and opinions, taxonomic approaches, and access to material from both sides of the Bering Strait. There is wide biological variation in perceived or circumscribed taxa whose populations are widespread within the regions and yet biogeographically isolated in Asia and/or America. The Claytonia arctica complex is one such example; it illustrates these issues well and has been dealt with by North American and Russian botanists in decidedly different ways. We reviewed specimens and examined the various taxonomic concepts of C. arctica through time and source publications. The relationships (alignments) among taxonomic concepts are presented in a graphical format. We found that much of the confusion related to C. arctica in Beringia stems from overlooking C. scammaniana Hulten sensu Hulten (1939), and placing too much emphasis on the woody caudex and perennation structures, during the creation of two taxonomic concepts: C. arctica Adams sensu Porsild and C. porsildii Jurtzev sensu Yurtsev. The C. arctica complex (in our current sense) is an evolutionary work in progress, resulting in partially differentiated races with much overlapping variability and intergradation of characters (particularly in C. scammaniana according to our current sense) that have not reached the level of stability (i.e., individuals may still intergrade freely) usually associated with the concept of species in other arctic lineages.
Spiritual and religious journeys over the lifespan: challenging stereotypes

Spiritual and religious development in aging was studied through interviews with 152 adults age 50 and older (n = 152) who described themselves as spiritual and/or religious. Quantitative responses...
1512-P: Severe Hypoglycemia and Hyperglycemia among U.S. Adults with Diabetes and ESRD on Dialysis, 2010-2015

Glycemic management in patients with diabetes and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is challenging. There is limited evidence about the incidence of severe hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia in this population. Here, we examine rates of emergency department visits and hospitalizations for severe hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia (ascertained using validated ICD-9/10 codes) in a national cohort of adults with diabetes and incident ESRD, included in the United States Renal Data System, between 2010-2015. We then examine risk factors for these events using logistic regression. Among 678,376 patients with ESRD, 59.5% (n=403,490) had diabetes (63.6±13.0 years, 56.4% male, 26.8% Black, and 18.0% Hispanic). Rates of severe hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia were 126.2 and 35.5 per 1000 person-years, respectively. Strongest risk factors for hypoglycemia were insulin therapy (OR 4.5 [95% CI, 4.4-4.6] vs. no medications) and non-insulin diabetes medications (OR 3.7 [3.6-3.8]); Black race (OR 1.3 [1.3-1.4] vs. Caucasian); older age: 65-74 years (OR 1.2 [1.1-1.3] and ≥75 years OR 1.1 [1.1-1.1] vs. 18-44 years); and history of amputation (OR 1.4 [1.4-1.5]) or retinopathy (OR 1.2 [1.2-1.3]). Strongest risk factors for hyperglycemia were insulin (OR 7.7 [7.4-8.2]) and non-insulin diabetes medication use (OR 2.8 [2.6-3.1]) and retinopathy (OR 1.5 [1.4-1.5]). Older age was protective for hyperglycemia (OR 0.1 [0.1-0.1] for age ≥75 and 0.2 [0.2-0.2] for age 65-74 vs. 18-44 years). Patients on peritoneal dialysis had a lower risk (OR 0.8 [0.8-0.9]) of hypoglycemia, but no difference in odds of hyperglycemia, compared to patients on hemodialysis. Hypoglycemia requiring ED/hospital care was 3.6-fold more prevalent than severe hyperglycemia, greatly exceeding rates previously reported for older adults and those with non-end stage chronic kidney disease. There is a critical need for proactive interventions to reduce hypoglycemia and related ED/hospital use in this high-risk population. Disclosure R.J. Galindo: Advisory Panel; Self; Lilly Diabetes. Consultant; Self; Valeritas, Inc. Research Support; Self; Novo Nordisk Inc. Other Relationship; Self; UpToDate. M.K. Ali: Research Support; Self; Merck & Co., Inc. N. Shah: None. S. Funni: None. G.E. Umpierrez: None. R.G. McCoy: None. Funding National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (P30DK111024)
Telehealth and Physical Therapy Clinical Decision Making in a Patient with a Falcine Meningioma

Telehealth utilizes information technologies and communication networks to deliver healthcare and education with lower costs and improved access, quality, and efficiency of healthcare services. This report describes the application of telehealth for medical screening, clinical decision making, and medical referral in a physical therapy practice. The patient described was a 50-year old man who contacted his physical therapist via telephone for a chief complaint of worsening left sided numbness and tingling that began insidiously 2 days prior. Further questioning revealed that the patient also complained of left ankle weakness, and slight unsteadiness with walking. He had not been feeling well and had been experiencing increasing bouts of unexplained fatigue over the previous two months that were now interfering with his work and recreational activities. The patient was evaluated by his physician the next day. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed a large (4 cm) falcine meningioma in the right parietal region. The patient was immediately referred to a neurosurgeon and underwent a craniotomy and tumor resection ten days later and subsequent gamma knife radiosurgery of the residual tumor bed two months after craniotomy and tumor resection. Follow-up imaging one year later revealed no evidence of recurrence or residual tumor. This patient case underscores the importance of recognizing signs and symptoms of serious disease, and how referral following telehealth via telephone can inform diagnosis.
Intimate Justice through Abolition

The pandemic is a preview. COVID-19 is the strobe of a flash bulb, smoke and stink, and glare giving glimpse to the global warming future already trajected. Each moment of crisis filled with regret...
How the Internet Lowers Prices: Evidence from Matched Survey and Automobile Transaction Data

Abstract Although research has shown that the Internet has lowered the prices in some established industries, little is known about how use of the Internet lowers prices. The authors address this issue for the automobile retailing industry with matched survey and transaction data on 1500 car purchases in California. They show that the Internet lowers prices for two distinct reasons: First, the Internet informs consumers about dealers' invoice prices. Second, the referral process of online buying services helps consumers obtain lower prices. The combined information and referral price effects are −1.5%, or 22% of dealers' average gross vehicle profit. The authors also find that the benefits of gathering information differ by consumer type. Buyers who have a high disutility of bargaining but who have collected information on the specific car they eventually purchase pay 1.5% less than they otherwise would. In contrast, buyers who like the bargaining process do not benefit from such information.
Catalysis of mRNA Capping with GDP Polyribonucleotidyltransferase Activity of Rabies Virus L Protein

Rabies virus (RABV) causes a lethal neurological disease in humans, posing threats to human health particularly in developing countries. RABV possesses a nonsegmented negative-strand (NNS) RNA genome, which is transcribed and replicated by a viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) complex composed of a catalytic large (L) protein and its co-factor phospho-(P) protein in host cells. The L protein co-transcriptionally modifies viral pre-mRNAs into mature mRNAs to imitate higher eukaryotic mRNAs with the 5′-cap 1 structure and 3′-poly(A) tail. Our studies revealed that the mechanism of pre-mRNA capping by a GDP polyribonucleotidyltransferase (PRNTase) domain of the RABV L protein is fundamentally different from that by eukaryotic mRNA capping enzyme. Furthermore, a unique structural element, named the “priming-capping loop”, in the PRNTase domain was recently found to be required for transcription initiation as well as pre-mRNA capping. Thus, the virus-specific PRNTase domain represents a potential target for developing anti-RABV agents. This chapter focuses on the catalytic and regulatory roles of the RABV PRNTase domain in viral RNA biosynthesis.
Investigating associations between COVID-19 mortality and population-level health and socioeconomic indicators in the United States: A modeling study.

Background With the availability of multiple Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines and the predicted shortages in supply for the near future, it is necessary to allocate vaccines in a manner that minimizes severe outcomes, particularly deaths. To date, vaccination strategies in the United States have focused on individual characteristics such as age and occupation. Here, we assess the utility of population-level health and socioeconomic indicators as additional criteria for geographical allocation of vaccines. Methods and findings County-level estimates of 14 indicators associated with COVID-19 mortality were extracted from public data sources. Effect estimates of the individual indicators were calculated with univariate models. Presence of spatial autocorrelation was established using Moran’s I statistic. Spatial simultaneous autoregressive (SAR) models that account for spatial autocorrelation in response and predictors were used to assess (i) the proportion of variance in county-level COVID-19 mortality that can explained by identified health/socioeconomic indicators (R2); and (ii) effect estimates of each predictor. Adjusting for case rates, the selected indicators individually explain 24%–29% of the variability in mortality. Prevalence of chronic kidney disease and proportion of population residing in nursing homes have the highest R2. Mortality is estimated to increase by 43 per thousand residents (95% CI: 37–49; p < 0.001) with a 1% increase in the prevalence of chronic kidney disease and by 39 deaths per thousand (95% CI: 34–44; p < 0.001) with 1% increase in population living in nursing homes. SAR models using multiple health/socioeconomic indicators explain 43% of the variability in COVID-19 mortality in US counties, adjusting for case rates. R2 was found to be not sensitive to the choice of SAR model form. Study limitations include the use of mortality rates that are not age standardized, a spatial adjacency matrix that does not capture human flows among counties, and insufficient accounting for interaction among predictors. Conclusions Significant spatial autocorrelation exists in COVID-19 mortality in the US, and population health/socioeconomic indicators account for a considerable variability in county-level mortality. In the context of vaccine rollout in the US and globally, national and subnational estimates of burden of disease could inform optimal geographical allocation of vaccines.
Brief Mindfulness Practice Course for Healthcare Providers.

Objective The aim of this study was to examine the short-term and sustained effect on well-being, burnout, and mindful awareness of an abbreviated mindfulness practice course designed for nurses and other healthcare professionals. Background Most mindfulness programs are impractical for frontline healthcare providers because of the intensive, off-site initial training and prolonged practice commitment. A psychiatric nurse educator developed a brief training program tailored for healthcare providers. Methods Two institutional review board-approved studies examined the abbreviated mindfulness practice course for healthcare providers: the first, a single-group pretest-posttest design with 25 nursing employees in an academic medical center, and the second, a randomized controlled trial with 83 healthcare professionals. Results Significant improvement in mindful awareness and at least 1 indicator of burnout were demonstrated. Improvements in quality of life were noted with nurses. Conclusions Findings support the short-term and sustained impact of this brief mindfulness curriculum on mindful awareness, quality of life, and aspects of burnout for healthcare professionals.
Corona: a high performance publish-subscribe system for the world wide web

Despite the abundance of frequently changing information, the Web lacks a publish-subscribe interface for delivering updates to clients. The use of naive polling for detecting updates leads to poor performance and limited scalability as clients do not detect updates quickly and servers face high loads imposed by active polling. This paper describes a novel publish-subscribe system for the Web called Corona, which provides high performance and scalability through optimal resource allocation. Users register interest in Web pages through existing instant messaging services. Corona monitors the subscribed Web pages, detects updates efficiently by allocating polling load among cooperating peers, and disseminates updates quickly to users. Allocation of resources for polling is driven by a distributed optimization engine that achieves the best update performance without exceeding load limits on content servers. Large-scale simulations and measurements from PlanetLab deployment demonstrate that Corona achieves orders of magnitude improvement in update performance at a modest cost.
Autonomic and vasomotor regulation

The cerebellum not only modulates the systemic circulation, but also profoundly influences cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and metabolism (rCGU), and initiates long-term protection of the brain from ischemia. Electrical stimulation of the rostral ventral pole of the fastigial nucleus (FN), elevates arterial pressure (AP), releases vasoactive hormones, elicits consummatory behavioral and other autonomic events and site specifically elevates rCBF independently of changes in rCGU. Cerebral vasodilation results from the antidromic excitation of axons of brain stem neurons which innervate cerebellum and, through their collaterals, neurons in the rostral ventrolateral reticular nucleus (RVL). RVL neurons initiate cerebral vasodilation over polysynaptic vasodilator pathways which engage a population of vasodilator neurons in the cerebral cortex. In contrast, intrinsic neurons of FN, when excited, elicit widespread reductions in rCGU and, secondarily, rCBF, along with sympathetic inhibition. Electrical stimulation of FN can reduce the volume of a focal cerebral infarction produced by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery by 50%. This central neurogenic neuroprotection is long lasting (weeks) and is not due to changes in rCBF or rCGU. Rather, it appears to reflect alterations in neuronal excitability and/or downregulation of inflammatory responses in cerebral vessels. The FN, therefore, appears to be involved in widespread autonomic, metabolic, and behavioral control, independent of motor control. The findings imply that the FN receives inputs from neurons, probably widely represented in the central autonomic core, which may provide continuing information processing of autonomic and behavioral states. The cerebellum may also widely modulate the state of cortical reactivity to ischemia, hypoxia, and possibly other neurodegenerative events.
Comparison of the disposition of diethylstilbestrol and estradiol in the fetal rat correlation with teratogenic potency

The dispositions of radiolabeled diethylstilbestrol (DES) and estradiol (E2) in the fetal rat were compared to determine whether kinetic differences accounted for their differences in teratogenic potency. 14C (from DES) was concentrated in fetal tissues relative to plasma, whereas 3H (from E2) was largely retained protein-bound in fetal plasma. Both compounds were rapidly metabolized in the fetus (and mother) to less or non-estrogenic products. Fetal levels of E2 declined faster than those of DES (E1 was the primary circulating estrogen within 1-3 hr of E2 injection) so that exposure to unchanged DES was of longer duration than to E2. The unchanged compounds were retained longer and at higher concentrations in the target genital tissue compared to other tissues. Although these differences were consistent with the potencies, the concentration of the unchanged estrogen in fetal genital tract was lower after a teratogenic dose of DES than after a threshold teratogenic dose of E2. However, the 3H in fetal plasma and genital tract cytosol at 1 hr after injection of [3H]E2 at 2 ng or 10 micrograms/fetus was found to be highly protein-bound. DES competed poorly for these binding sites. It is suggested that the concentration of E2 which is "free" in the cell (as DES is), rather than the total content, correlates with its teratogenicity. Thus, in the rat, rapid metabolism and extensive protein-binding, both extra- and intracellularly, reduce the teratogenicity of the natural estrogen compared to the synthetic estrogen.
Ubiquitin fusion technique and its descendants.

Publisher Summary The ubiquitin (Ub) fusion technique was developed through experiments in which a segment of DNA encoding the 76-residue Ub was joined to DNA encoding Escherichia coli β-galactosidase ( β gal). A major application of the Ub fusion technique is its use to augment the yields of recombinant proteins. This approach increases the yield of short peptides as well. The Ub-mediated increase in total yield is often accompanied by an even greater increase in the solubility of overexpressed protein. The Ub fusion technique is made possible by the ability of deubiquitylating enzymes (DUBs) to cleave a Ub fusion in vivo or in vitro after the last residue of Ub irrespective of the flanking sequence context. The Ub fusion technique has given rise to a number of applications whose common feature is utilization of the rapid and highly UPR (ubiquitin/protein/reference) technique that increases the accuracy of pulse-chase and analogous measurements. The Ub sandwich technique, a descendant of UPR, has made it possible to determine the extent of cotranslational protein degradation in vivo for any protein of interest.
Higher Education Finance in Ghana

The diminishing financial resources and the growing demand for participation remain the biggest threat to higher education in Ghana. Cognizant of these quagmires and realizing the impact of higher education on national development, the National Union of Ghanaian Students proposed and the government established a special education trust fund called the Ghana Education Trust Fund bill (GETFund) in 2000. Despite these challenges, the GETFund is making significant contributions toward higher education development in Ghana in infrastructure, student development, faculty research, and staff support.
Multiclass Classification with Pairwise Coupled Neural Networks or Support Vector Machines

Support Vector Machines (SVMs) are traditionally used for multi-class classification by introducing for each class one SVM trained to distinguish the associated class from all the others. In a recent experiment, we attempted to solve a K-class problem using a similar decomposition with K feedforward binary neural networks. The disappointing results were explained by the fact that neural networks suffer from datasets with a strongly unbalanced class distribution. By opposition to one-per-class, pairwise coupling introduces one binary classifier for each pair of classes and does not degrade the original class distribution. A few papers report evidences that pairwise coupling gives better results for SVMs than one-per-class. This issue is revisited in this paper where oneper-class class and pairwise coupling decomposition schemes used with both, SVMs and neural networks, are compared on a real life problem. Various methods for aggregating the results of pairwise classifiers are experimented. Beside our online handwriting application, experiments on some databases of the Irvine repository are also reported.
Baglets: adding hierarchical scheduling to Aglets

A significant number of new Java-based technologies for mobile code (aka agents) have recently emerged. The 'Aglets' system, from IBM's research labs, provides an elegant mechanism for creating mobile code, but lacks a native scheduling mechanism for determining where code should be executed. We present the results of an investigation into adding sophisticated scheduling capabilities to Aglets (which we refer to as brilliant Aglets, or Baglets) from the H-SWEB project, which provides hierarchical scheduling across sets of WWW server clusters. H-SWEB uses scheduling techniques in monitoring and adapting to workload variation at distributed server clusters for supporting distributed computation. We show how the two systems can be integrated, and present several algorithms indicating a major advantage (over 350%) can be achieved through the use of dynamic scheduling information. We provide a detailed discussion of our system architecture and implementation, and briefly summarize the experimental results which have been achieved.
Two variations to the mCESG pollsterless e-voting scheme

Over the past several years, the UK government has piloted several new voting technologies during local authority elections. The mCESG pollsterless Remote Electronic Voting (REV) system, which was designed with the UK electoral context in mind, is described in detail by Storer and Duncan (2004). Here, we describe two variations to the mCESG scheme which (a) improve its suitability for the variety of electoral systems in use in the UK and (b) provide a means for resisting coercion attacks to which the original scheme was vulnerable.
Ab initio vibrational analysis of isotopic derivatives of aqueous hydrogen-bonded trans-N-methylacetamide

Abstract Normal modes have been calculated for a CH 3 CONHCH 3 (H 2 O) 2 [NMA(H 2 O) 2 ] system and its CCD 3 , NCD 3 , 13 C 15 N, and ND derivatives. Fully optimized structures were obtained with the 6–31+ G ∗ basis set. The scale factors for the NMA force constants were obtained by optimizing the scale factors for the isolated molecule to experimental frequencies of aqueous NMA. HOH bend scale factors were found that are consistent with observed resonance Raman enhancements and infrared intensities of the components of the amide I doublet. Its frequency splitting can be reproduced quantitatively by a reaction field calculation. The calculated frequency difference between the two allowed NMA conformers confirms the assignment of the two observed amide II bands to the presence of these conformers in aqueous solution. An evaluation is made of the assignments of other bands.
High-Dose Topotecan, Melphalan, and Cyclophosphamide (TMC) with Stem Cell Support: A New Regimen for the Treatment of Advanced Ovarian Cancer

Abstract Objective. The goal of this study was to determine the optimal dose of topotecan when used in combination with high-dose melphalan and cyclophosphamide (TMC), and to assess the toxicity and efficacy of the regimen in patients with advanced ovarian cancer. Methods. Fifty-three patients with persistent or recurrent ovarian cancer were treated. Disease status at study entry included: platinum-sensitive recurrent disease (15 patients), platinum-resistant or refractory recurrent disease (15 patients), positive second-look surgery (16 patients), failure to achieve a primary clinical complete response (CR) (7 patients). Following stem cell mobilization and collection, patients were given cyclophosphamide 1 g/m 2 /day on Days −6, −5, −4; melphalan 70 mg/m 2 /day on Days −3, −2; and topotecan at escalating doses from 1.25 to 4.0 mg/m 2 /day on Days −6 to −2. Peripheral blood stem cells were infused on Day 0. Results. The optimal topotecan dose selected for future trials was 4.0 mg/m 2 /day × 5 days. The regimen had acceptable toxicity with no regimen-related death. Toxicity (Bearman toxicity criteria) was limited mostly to grade 1–2 mucositis and diarrhea. The overall response rate of patients with measurable or evaluable disease was 93%. Median survival has not yet been reached, but with a median follow up of 18 months (range: 11–37) 77% of patients are alive. Conclusion. With a topotecan dose of 4.0 mg/m 2 /day × 5 days, the TMC regimen has acceptable toxicity and produces high response rates. In the setting of ovarian cancer, high-dose chemotherapy should be administered only as part of well-designed clinical trials. TMC should be considered a potential regimen for future randomized trials in patients with advanced ovarian cancer.
A Statistical Approach to Thermal Zone Mapping

Although in most buildings the spatial allocation of cooling resources can be managed using multiple air handling units and an air ducting system, it can be challenging for an operator to leverage this capability, partially because of the complex interdependencies between the different control options. This is in particular important for data centers, where cooling is a major cost while the sufficient allocation of cooling resources has to ensure the reliable operation of mission-critical information processing equipment. It has been shown that thermal zones can provide valuable decision support for optimizing cooling. Such Thermal zones are generally defined as the region of influence of a particular cooling unit or cooling “source” (such as an air condition unit (ACU)). In this paper we show results using a statistical approach, where we leverage real-time sensor data to obtain thermal zones in realtime. Specifically, we model the correlations between temperatures observed from sensors located at the discharge of an ACU and the other sensors located in the room. Outputs from the statistical solution can be used to optimize the placement of equipment in a data center, investigate failure scenarios, and make sure that a proper cooling solution has been achieved.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
The transformylase enzymes in de novo purine biosynthesis

Abstract The two transformylase enzymes in de novo purine biosynthesis require 10-formyl-H 4 folate as a cofactor, but can utilize efficiently differing synthetic analogs allowing their selective assay or inhibition. They, with a multifunctional enzyme responsible for cofactor synthesis, constitute a unique and possibly interacting subset within the de novo pathway.
Helix–coil transition kinetics in aqueous poly(α,L‐glutamic acid)

A polarimetric electric-field-jump relaxation apparatus is described and used to determine the relaxation spectrum for the helix–coil transition of poly(α,L-glutamic acid) in water at 24°C. A maximum relaxation time of 1.7 μc occurs at the transition midpoint (pH = 5.9) yielding a rate constant for helical growth of 6 × 107 sec−1.
The Corrected QT Interval Before and After Heart Transplantation

Heart donor candidates have severe neurologic injuries that have been associated with significant prolongation of the corrected QT (QTc) interval. Screening for an underlying abnormality of cardiac repolarization such as the long-QT syndrome thus becomes difficult. The aims of this study were to establish normal values and determine factors associated with prolongation of pre- and post-transplantation QTc intervals in a large cohort of heart transplantation donors and recipients. The medical records of 179 donors and 112 recipients were reviewed for historical, electrocardiographic, and neuroimaging data. After linear regression analysis, gunshot wounds were associated with the shortest mean pre-transplantation QTc interval of 447 ± 51 ms (p = 0.016), whereas all other mechanisms of brain injury were associated with markedly prolonged QTc intervals. Overall, the mean QTc interval decreased from 467 ± 58 to 446 ± 47 ms (p
Food of the Black Crappie Pomoxis Nigro-Maculatus (LeSueur), in Orange Lake, Florida

Abstract Orange Lake in north central Florida has an area of approximately 14,000 acres and is surrounded by extensive marshes. During a 12-month period, stomach contents of 902 black crappie (Pomoxis nigro-maculatus) ranging in size from 31 to 291 millimeters, standard length, were analyzed. The frequency of occurrence of various food organisms, seasonal trends in the consumption of food items, and the average volume of food per stomach are presented. Gizzard shad are the most important food item of the adult crappie except during the spring months of February, March, and April when their frequency is exceeded or equalled by Malacostraca. In summer and fall crappies feed largely upon fishes and, to a lesser extent, upon Malacostraca, dipterous larvae, pupae and adults, and Entomostraca. During the winter months fishes constitute the main food of the crappie, all other food items occurring in less than 50 percent of the stomachs. The chief food of young crappies is Entomostraca. The consumption of larger ...