cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Baseline factors predicting early resumption of driving after life-threatening arrhythmias in the Antiarrhythmics Versus Implantable Defibrillators (AVID) Trial.

Abstract Background In the Antiarrhythmics Versus Implantable Defibrillators (AVID) Trial, patients with ventricular fibrillation or hemodynamically unstable ventricular tachycardia were randomly assigned to receive either an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) or antiarrhythmic drug therapy. As part of the trial, patients were asked to participate in a prospective driving survey. The purpose of the survey was to determine what baseline factors and patient characteristics specifically predicted resumption of driving earlier than advised by current guidelines. Methods Patients were surveyed anonymously as to their driving habits in the initial period after random assignment and every 6 months thereafter. AVID study coordinators were independently asked to assess their patients' driving status as well. The relation between baseline factors and time to resumption of driving was explored by means of Kaplan-Meier estimates for univariate analyses and the stepwise Cox proportional hazards regression model for multivariate analyses. Results There were 802 patients who were eligible for assessment of driving status. The majority of patients (58%) resumed driving an automobile within 6 months of their index arrhythmia regardless of whether they received drug therapy or an ICD. By multivariate analysis, patients who were younger than 65 years of age, male, and college educated were more likely to drive early, as were patients whose index arrhythmia was ventricular tachycardia. Conclusions Younger, college-educated men and those whose index arrhythmia is ventricular tachycardia are most likely to resume driving
Resurrecting hope for antioxidant treatment of cardiovascular disease: focus on mitochondria.

Oxidative stress has been associated with cardiovascular disease and the development of hypertension in both humans and in animal models. Antioxidant therapy has been successful in ameliorating disease in animals, but the results from human studies have been largely disappointing. Despite these negative results, a wealth of evidence suggests that oxidative stress is involved in the development of cardiovascular disease both in humans and animal models. Because global attenuation of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) may not be advantageous, more recent therapeutic strategies target specific subcellular sources of oxidative stress. Most studies implicate plasmalemmal membrane-bound NADPH oxidase as a key mediator of ROS generation in cardiovascular disease. However, in the current issue of Circulation Research , Dikalova et al1 demonstrate that specific attenuation of mitochondrial derived oxidants prevents the development of angiotensin II–induced hypertension in the mouse. Perhaps more interesting is the mechanism: inhibition of a mitochondrial ROS-triggered activation of NADPH oxidase, interrupting a vicious cycle of ROS production. The novel approach of targeting the inciting source of ROS (mitochondria) to prevent accelerated oxidant production may hold more promise for humans by eliminating pathological but not homeostatic sources of ROS. Seminal observations by Harrison et al2 showed evidence of increased oxidative stress within the systemic vasculature in an Angiotensin II–induced rat model of hypertension, piquing interest in a possible etiologic role for ROS in this condition. In animal models, stimulating ROS production can induce hypertension,2,3 whereas treatment with a variety of antioxidants including vitamin C and E, or targeted inhibition of enzymatic oxidant production, can reduce blood pressure.3–6 Hypertensive patients demonstrate increased NAD(P)H oxidase activity7 with elevated levels of hydrogen peroxide in plasma.8 Antioxidant treatment leads to enhanced vasodilation in both forearm and coronary arteries of human hypertensive subjects,9,10 indicating a functional vasomotor …
An Interprofessional Consensus of Core Competencies for Prelicensure Education in Pain Management: Curriculum Application for Physical Therapy

Core competencies in pain management for prelicensure health professional education were recently established.1 These competencies represent the expectation of minimal capabilities for graduating health care students for pain management and include 4 domains: multidimensional nature of pain, pain assessment and measurement, management of pain, and context of pain (Appendix 1). The purpose of this article is to advocate for and identify how core competencies for pain can be applied to the professional (entry-level) physical therapist curriculum. By ensuring that core competencies in pain management are embedded within the foundation of physical therapist education, physical therapists will have the core knowledge necessary for offering best care for patients, and the profession of physical therapy will continue to stand with all health professions engaged in comprehensive pain management. One hundred million adults in America have chronic pain.2 This statistic is greater than the number of individuals affected by diabetes, cancer, and heart disease combined.2,3 Chronic pain management costs the United States more than $600 billion per year in health care costs and lost wages2 and creates major human and economic costs for patients, families, and society.1 Inadequate treatment or mismanagement of pain can cause delays in healing as well as long-lasting changes to the peripheral and central nervous systems.4 The Institute of Medicine published a report on pain in 2011 that highlighted it as a national challenge and recognized the need for a cultural transformation to effectively prevent, assess, treat, and understand pain of all types.2 This report addressed the deficit in pain education across all professions and promoted the inclusion of standardized information about pain within an “interprofessional setting.”2 Specific to physical therapy, a faculty survey of accredited physical therapist education programs in North America revealed 4 hours of pain education …
Development and realization of a hydrogen range extender hybrid city bus

Abstract Electric vehicles, equipped with electrochemical batteries, are expected to significantly penetrate the automotive market in the next few years. Though, the recharge time for battery pack and the autonomy range can constitute a limit. An appropriate use of fuel cell technology in electric vehicles can now represent an advantageous choice both from a technical and economic point of view. This paper reports the results of the development of a hybrid electric city bus, performed by the synergy between fuel cell and batteries. A pure electric city bus, equipped with eight Zebra batteries, was acquired and modified in a fuel cell and batteries hybrid vehicle. In the final version the bus was equipped with six batteries and a hydrogen plant with a proton exchange membrane fuel cell system. In particular an innovative powertrain management, where even the time required for the terminal stops is used to charge the batteries by the fuel cell, is described. Set-up tests on the fuel cell system acquired are presented. Further, tests were conducted also on the battery pack working on board in a real route to demonstrate the capability of the reduced battery pack to drive the vehicle.
A Novel Economical Method to Improve the Toughness of Carbon/Epoxy Long Fiber Components by the Integration of Tow Loops Cores

In this research, solid and sandwich carbon/epoxy composite plates were developed, fabricated, and tested at two different crosshead speeds of 10 and 500 mm/min, under monotonic penetration tests, which perpendicularly applied a concentrated load to the simply supported plates. The cores of sandwich plates were made of carbon prepreg (with epoxy resin), as well as glass tow loops (without resin). The plates’ lay-up configuration sequence was {[0/90]n }s , where n was 1, 2 or 4. The objectives of this study were to determine the general sandwich plate behavior, as well as to analyze the effects of the test rate, the number of internal loops and the number of plate facesheet plies on the failure mode, ultimate plate deflection, ultimate load, plate’s flexural rigidity, plate’s absorbed energy, and the extent of damage. The use of carbon fiber prepreg tow loops impregnated with epoxy resin, as well as dry glass tow loops without any resin provided information on the effect of resin presence in these core layers. For these purposes, the load versus plate deflection data were recorded and analyzed. The load-deflection curves were used to interpret the plate behavior in terms of flexural rigidity and absorbed energy. The plate’s absorbed energy values at both speeds were used to assist in the dynamic response analysis. The results of our experiments revealed that, at higher loading rates, the internal loops of carbon prepreg material with epoxy resin enhanced the energy absorption capability of the plates more significantly than those containing dry glass tow loops without resin impregnation.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
SecRout: a secure routing protocol for sensor networks

In this paper, we present a secure routing protocol for sensor networks (SecRout) to safeguard sensor networks under different types of attacks. The SecRout protocol uses the symmetric cryptography to secure messages, and uses a small cache in sensor nodes to record the partial routing path (previous and next nodes) to the destination. It guarantees that the destination will be able to identify and discard the tampered messages and ensure that the messages received are not tampered. Comparing the performance with non-secure routing protocol AODV (ad hoc on demand distance vector routing), the SecRout protocol only has a small byte overhead (less than 6%), but packet delivery ratio is almost same as AODV and packet latency is better than AODV after the route discovery.
CHARACTERIZATION OF A 5.4 KB CDNA FRAGMENT FROM THE Z-LINE REGION OF RABBIT CARDIAC TITIN REVEALS PHOSPHORYLATION SITES FOR PROLINE-DIRECTED KINASES

Titin is an approximately 3 MDa protein that spans from the M- to the Z-line in the sarcomeres of vertebrate striated muscle. The protein is presumably encoded by unusually large mRNAs of 70–80 kb. Although titin has been studied by several laboratories, barely more than half of the cDNA sequence (approximately 45 kb) has been published, most of it obtained from the A-band and M-line region (corresponding to the C-terminal half of the molecule). A special cDNA library was constructed using size selected total RNA from adult rabbit cardiac muscle in order to obtain sequence data from titin9s unknown N-terminal region. A monoclonal antibody (T12), which binds to an epitope close to the Z-line, was used to identify initial cDNA clones. Additional overlapping clones were isolated and sequenced yielding a 5.4 kb contig. The encoded polypeptide contains 16 Type-II domains and four unique intervening segments. Polyclonal sera, raised against an expressed protein fragment encoded by the 5′ end of the contig, strongly stained the Z-line of myofibrils of different species. However, the sequence of this fragment is 83% identical at the amino acid level with the previously reported C-terminal (i.e. M-line) end of chicken embryonic skeletal muscle titin. The expressed protein fragment could be phosphorylated in vitro by embryonic skeletal muscle extract and by the purified proline-directed kinase ERK1, presumably at the xSPxR recognition sites located in the first interdomain segment.
Joseph Mitchell and Names: A Postscript

Recent installments of Joseph Mitchell’s uncompleted memoir, published in The New Yorker, strongly support and extend claims made by Michael Adams in “‘The Course of a Particular’: Names and Narrative in the Works of Joseph Mitchell,” published in Names 63 (2015). Mitchell explicitly describes lists of names as possessing a lyrical quality, so that such lists — lyrical inserts — would exhibit prosodic features out of tempo with the surrounding narrative. And the fragment of memoir titled “Days in the Branch” suggests — in the dissonance between topographical and genealogical views of experience and personal history — why names had the epistemological, ontological, and finally affective significance Adams claimed they had for Mitchell.
Stochastic Analysis of Trickling Filter

In most conventional methods of analysis and design for wastewater processes the stochastic nature of the process inputs and parameters is ignored. Stochastic treatment of a process is more difficult than a deterministic treatment but can provide more significant information concerning the design parameters. A stochastic approach to trickling filter design is described based on a two-phase two-component model of the filter. Random variables were introduced to represent random BOD inputs and flow rates as well as uncertainty in the model coefficients. This study indicates under what circumstances the sample estimate of the expected value of the output of a stochastic model of the trickling filter differs from the output of the related deterministic model based on replacing the random variables by their expected values. It also shows how to use the measurements of sample dispersion of the output BOD to compute safety factors for design.
Effect of in-furrow treatments of three systemic insecticides on grain sorghum emergence.

Many workers have demonstrated that foliar-feeding insects can be controlled by applying systemic insecticides to the soil at planting. Absorbed by roots of the growing plants, systemics are translocated to foliage. A few of the more recent studies during the past decade are those of Beckham (1970), Gentry et al. (1970), Hagel (1970), Miller and Kring (1970), and Webb et al. (1970). Recently, much attention has heen directed toward controlling the greenbug, Schizaphis graminum (Rondani), on sorghum, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, with systemic insecticides applied as in-furrow soil treatments at planting. Newly emerged sorghum plants are very vulnerable to greenbug attack and may be seriously damaged or killed. However, application of soil systemics may have a phytotoxic effect on plant emergence, resulting in thin stands and uneven plant growth. In general, emulsifiable concentrates appear to be considerably more phytotoxic than granular formations when applied with seed in the furrow.
Seismic Imaging of Spur and Groove Structures in the San Andres Formation, Midland Basin, Texas.

The studied section corresponds to a fringing reef back barrier lagoon sequence .Spur and grooves structures form in the windward side of modern reefs (Wood and Oppenheimer, 2000) with their long axes normal to the refracted waves, which can make them good paleohydrodynamic indicators (Sneh and Friedman, 1980). They range from 8 to 65 m in width, up to 10 m in height and can form 45 m below sea level. Two processes are taking place in the formation of these reef structures: organic growth of the reefs and erosion owing to backsurge of refracted waves (Cloud, 1959).
Oxidatively Induced Carbon−Halogen Bond-Forming Reactions at Nickel

This communication describes the first reported example of carbon−halogen bond formation from an isolable nickel aryl halide precursor. In addition, oxidatively induced Ar−Br bond-forming reactions from the nickel(II) complex NiII(phpy)(Br)(pic) (phpy = 2-phenylpyridine; pic = 2-picoline) are demonstrated using CuBr2, Br2, ceric ammonium nitrate, and ferrocenium as oxidants. On the basis of several pieces of evidence, the intermediacy of Ni(III) species is proposed in these transformations.
Renal function in the choline deficient rat.

SummaryAbnormalities in renal concentrating ability and free water reabsorption, and a diminished sodium excretion, glomerular filtration rate, and effective renal plasma flow were observed in adolescent rats which ingested a lipotrope deficient diet for 10 months.The authors gratefully acknowledge the invaluable assistance of Peggy Cumby, Jan Kelley, and Charles McDonald. We would like to thank Drs. Vaamonde and Oster for their critical review of the manuscript.
Things as They Are: William Godwin on Sympathy and Punishment

William Godwin’s political philosophy positioned him as a key British radical during the French Revolution. And although his popularity was short-lived, his first novel, Things as They Are; or, the Adventures of Caleb Williams, was tremendously successful and influential in the 1790s. The novel illustrates how the humanities can contribute to our understanding of justice, advocating the Romantic virtue of “sympathy” to transform retributive justice to a more restorative and sustainable model, as many current sociologists promote. This article explores the intersection of three facets of the humanities and punishment: A direct engagement with Godwin’s novel Caleb Williams, its relevance to current punishment theory in America, and my own experience with sympathy and punishment in the prison system.
IMPOSSIBLE PROMISE: THE CHILD AND THE ANDROGYNE IN THOMAS KILROY'S THE SECRET FALL OF CONSTANCE WILDE AND MY SCANDALOUS LIFE

In The Secret Fall of Constance Wilde and My Scandalous Life, the impossible ideals of perfect harmony between the sexes and perfect innocence are symbolically represented by the figures of the Androgyne and the child. In a process that illustrates the Wildean paradox that "each man kills the thing he loves," Oscar and Constance Wilde on the one hand, Alfred Douglas and Olive Custance on the other, fight each other over possession of their children, in that very act destroying both the ideal of androgynous harmony and that of childish innocence. Only by performing their worst nightmares, embracing the darkness within themselves, and acknowledging that innocence contains its own corruption, can the characters restore some form of equilibrium.
Novel Structure and Unexpected RNA-Binding Ability of the C-Terminal Domain of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Tegument Protein UL21

UNLABELLED Proteins forming the tegument layers of herpesviral virions mediate many essential processes in the viral replication cycle, yet few have been characterized in detail. UL21 is one such multifunctional tegument protein and is conserved among alphaherpesviruses. While UL21 has been implicated in many processes in viral replication, ranging from nuclear egress to virion morphogenesis to cell-cell spread, its precise roles remain unclear. Here we report the 2.7-A crystal structure of the C-terminal domain of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) UL21 (UL21C), which has a unique α-helical fold resembling a dragonfly. Analysis of evolutionary conservation patterns and surface electrostatics pinpointed four regions of potential functional importance on the surface of UL21C to be pursued by mutagenesis. In combination with the previously determined structure of the N-terminal domain of UL21, the structure of UL21C provides a 3-dimensional framework for targeted exploration of the multiple roles of UL21 in the replication and pathogenesis of alphaherpesviruses. Additionally, we describe an unanticipated ability of UL21 to bind RNA, which may hint at a yet unexplored function. IMPORTANCE Due to the limited genomic coding capacity of viruses, viral proteins are often multifunctional, which makes them attractive antiviral targets. Such multifunctionality, however, complicates their study, which often involves constructing and characterizing null mutant viruses. Systematic exploration of these multifunctional proteins requires detailed road maps in the form of 3-dimensional structures. In this work, we determined the crystal structure of the C-terminal domain of UL21, a multifunctional tegument protein that is conserved among alphaherpesviruses. Structural analysis pinpointed surface areas of potential functional importance that provide a starting point for mutagenesis. In addition, the unexpected RNA-binding ability of UL21 may expand its functional repertoire. The structure of UL21C and the observation of its RNA-binding ability are the latest additions to the navigational chart that can guide the exploration of the multiple functions of UL21.
Position paper: Towards making block-based programming accessible for blind users

Block-based programming environments are not accessible to users who are visually impaired. The lack of access impacts students who are participating in computing outreach, in the classroom, or in informal settings that foster interest in computing. This paper will discuss accessibility design issues in block-based programming environments, as well as present research questions and current design revisions being undertaken in Blockly.
Eocene Adapidae, Paleobiogeography, and the Origin of South American Platyrrhini

The origin of South American platyrrhine monkeys or Ceboidea is among the most interesting problems in primatology. This problem is basically an historical one, and geological evidence has special importance for any solution. Fossil primates, mammalian faunas, and paleogeography have a direct bearing on the origin of South American monkeys. Fortunately, much has been learned in the past twenty years about the fossil record of primate evolution. Several recent discoveries are particularly important for understanding the origin of higher primates. Furthermore, new evidence about climatic history and faunal migration during the early Cenozoic provides an improved background for interpreting the primate fossil record. Much remains to be learned, but the evidence available at present is sufficient to suggest a reasonably detailed hypothesis of ceboid origins.
Size and Shape Effects on the Phase Diagrams of Nickel-Based Bimetallic Nanoalloys

Nickel-based bimetallic nanoalloys (nickel–palladium, nickel–platinum, nickel–rhodium, and nickel–iridium) play an important role in catalysis, electrocatalysis, and magnetic applications. To improve the performance of those materials at the nanoscale, the knowledge of their phase diagrams is critically needed. However, such knowledge is still lacking because calorimetry experiments are extremely challenging to perform at the nanoscale. Then, a smart and necessary alternative to those challenging and time-consuming experiments is to obtain this knowledge from theoretical predictions by using nanothermodynamics. The phase diagrams at the nanoscale for the considered alloys are therefore predicted for various polyhedral shapes, while the nature of the surface segregated element is established by using two segregation rules. Finally, the theoretical results are supported by advanced transmission electron microscopy characterization.
Russia's Banking Sector

In 2016, Russian banks’ total asset holdings contracted by 3.5% in nominal terms – from Rb 83.0 trillion as of January 1, 2016 to Rb 80.0 trillion as of January 1, 2017. In 2015, Russian banks’ total asset holdings increased 6.9%. The decline in the nominal value of banks’ asset holdings in 2016 was recorded for the first time since asset-holding data began to be published in 1998. An appreciating ruble had a substantial adverse effect on the asset-holding dynamics. In 2016, the ruble gained 16.8% and 19.9% against the US dollar and the euro respectively, and therefore the ruble equivalent of assets held in foreign currency dropped considerably during the year. Banks’ asset holdings, as adjusted for the revaluation of assets held in foreign currency, increased slightly by 2.1% in 2016 after a 1.5% fall in 2015. Thus, the value of banking sector’s asset holdings was steady over the past two years.
Prospects for Urban Morphology in Resilience Assessment

Recent attempts to develop resiliency indices for metropolitan areas have relied on coarse aggregate data that has little value in assessing the impacts of hazards on urban life. An examination of literature on three hazards (heat waves, flooding, and fires) reveals that it is essential to consider impacts, and how to mitigate and re-mediate them at multiple scales. The field of urban morphology offers a ready-made framework for the development of new resiliency assessment criteria at multiple-scales. While a few initial steps have been taken in this direction, an immense untapped potential remains.
Structural Plasticity in the C-Terminal Region of Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor-2 Is Associated with an Induced Fit Mechanism for a Selective Inhibitor

We report the first reversible and selective small molecule inhibitor of pro-inflammatory protein macrophage migration inhibitory factor-2 (also known as MIF-2 or d-DT). 4-(3-Carboxyphenyl)-2,5-pyridinedicarboxylic acid (4-CPPC) shows competitive binding with a 13-fold selectivity for human MIF-2 versus human MIF-1. The crystal structure of MIF-2 complexed with 4-CPPC reveals an induced fit mechanism that is not observed in the numerous MIF-1/inhibitor complexes. Crystallographic analysis demonstrates the structural source of 4-CPPC binding and selectivity for MIF-2. 4-CPPC can be employed to reveal previously unrecognized functions of MIF-1 in biological systems in which both MIF-1 and MIF-2 are expressed, to improve our knowledge of the MIF family of proteins, and to provide new mechanistic insights that can be utilized for the development of potent and selective pharmacological modulators of MIF-2.
Class 1 and Class 3 Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Levels in the Human Tumor Cell Lines Currently Used by the National Cancer Institute to Screen for Potentially Useful Antitumor Agents

With the ultimate goal of discovering new anticancer agents, the National Cancer Institute (NCI), through its Developmental Therapeutics Program, uses a semiautomatic procedure (Monks et al., 1991) to annually evaluate thousands of compounds for their ability to inhibit the growth of each of a panel of 60 human tumor cell lines (reviewed in Boyd and Pauli, 1995). The panel includes nine subpanels, each representing a specific tumor type, viz., leukemia, melanoma, and cancers of the brain, breast, colon, kidney, lung (non-small cell), ovary, and prostate, and each consisting of at least six tumor cell lines, except for the prostate cancer subpanel which consists of only two cell lines. The results of these tests, viz., GI50, TGI and LC50 values (the concentrations of an agent required to effect 50% growth inhibition, total growth inhibition and 50% cell-kill, respectively) have been, and are being, stored in an electronic database.
Design of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Systems for Road Vehicles

Hydrogen fuel cell systems (FCSs) represent very promising on-board power generators in hybrid electric vehicles, as they can effectively exploit both the environmental benefits of the fuel and the high efficiency of the electro-chemical device. In this chapter, FCSs based on PEM fuel cell stacks and fuelled by pure hydrogen are described taking into account the specific application in the transportation field. All sub-systems necessary to operate a PEM fuel cell stack (reactant feeding, water and thermal fluxes management) are detailed, evidencing the main design issues to be defined for a reliable working in conditions compatible with vehicular requirements. The role of the auxiliary components in reducing the stack efficiency and dynamic performance of the whole system is discussed, while a brief discussion about expected costs of FCS concludes this chapter.
Saving the Small Apes: Conservation Assessment of Gibbon Species at the 2006 Asian Primate Red List Workshop

The body of work assembled in this volume makes it clear that gibbons play an important ecological role in their environment, but unfortunately both gibbons and their habitats are in decline throughout their distribution range. Understanding the threats to wild populations is an important first step in conservation planning. In September 2006, several gibbon researchers were invited to participate in the Asian Primate Red List Workshop in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Thomas Geissmann has prepared an excellent report of the results of this workshop as it pertains to gibbons (Geissmann 2007), and I will only summarize the overall conclusions of the workshop in this chapter. The researchers who assessed the status of gibbons at theWorkshop included Noviar Andayani, Bill Bleisch, Warren Y. Brockelman, Thomas Geissmann, Colin P. Groves, Nguyen Manh Ha, Saw Htun, Long Yongcheng, Eric Meijaard, Sanjay Molur, Vincent Nijman, Ben Rawson, Matt Richardson, Jatna Supriatna,Carl Traeholt, RobTimmins, JoeWalston,Danielle J.Whittaker, and Jiang Xuelong. The assessments resulting from the Workshop appear in the 2008 version of the IUCN Red List. TheWorldConservationUnion’sRedList of Threatened Species (IUCN2008) is a comprehensive review of threatened taxa across the globe. The categories for taxa that have been evaluated and forwhich sufficient data exist are, in increasing order of risk, Least Concern (LC), Near Threatened (NT), Vulnerable (VU), Endangered (EN), Critically Endangered (CE), Extinct in theWild (EW), and Extinct (EX). The criteria used to define each category include small or declining population size and small or declining geographic range; details and guidelines are described in the IUCN’s Red List Categories and Criteria (version 3.1: IUCN 2001). Sixteen purported species of gibbons were assessed at the workshop, three of which were divided into a total of 12 subspecies. The new status assessments for each taxon are summarized in Table 24.1, with the previous assessments (2003
Glutamate Transmission to Ventral Tegmental Area GABA Neurons Is Altered by Acute and Chronic Ethanol.

Background Ventral tegmental area (VTA) GABA neurons have been heavily implicated in alcohol reinforcement and reward. In animals that self-administer alcohol, VTA GABA neurons exhibit increased excitability that may contribute to alcohol's rewarding effects. The present study investigated the effects of acute and chronic ethanol exposure on glutamate (GLU) synaptic transmission to VTA GABA neurons. Methods Whole-cell recordings of evoked, spontaneous, and miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (eEPSCs, sEPSCs, and mEPSCs, respectively) were performed on identified GABA neurons in the VTA of GAD67-GFP+ transgenic mice. Three ethanol exposure paradigms were used: acute ethanol superfusion; a single ethanol injection; and chronic vapor exposure. Results Acute ethanol superfusion increased the frequency of EPSCs but inhibited mEPSC frequency and amplitude. During withdrawal from a single injection of ethanol, the frequency of sEPSCs was lower than saline controls. There was no difference in α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA)/N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) ratio between neurons following withdrawal from a single exposure to ethanol. However, following withdrawal from chronic ethanol, sEPSCs and mEPSCs had a greater frequency than air controls. There was no difference in AMPA/NMDA ratio following chronic ethanol. Conclusions These results suggest that presynaptic mechanisms involving local circuit GLU neurons, and not GLU receptors, contribute to adaptations in VTA GABA neuron excitability that accrue to ethanol exposure, which may contribute to the rewarding properties of alcohol via their regulation of mesolimbic dopamine transmission.
In defence of transcendental idealism: reply to McWherter

I recently argued that critical realists ought to adopt transcendental idealism in favour of Bhaskar’s transcendental realism. In response, Dustin McWherter presents two arguments against transcend...
In Search of Characterizing Surgical Skill.

Objective This paper provides a literature review and detailed discussion of surgical skill terminology. Culminating in a novel model that proposes a set of unique definitions, this review is designed to facilitate shared understanding to study and develop metrics quantifying surgical skill. Design Objective surgical skill analysis depends on consistent definitions and shared understanding of terms like performance, expertise, experience, aptitude, ability, competency, and proficiency. Structure Each term is discussed in turn, drawing from existing literature and colloquial uses. Implications A new model of definitions is proposed to cement a common and consistent lexicon for future skills analysis, and to quantitatively describe a surgeon's performance throughout their career.
CAPRI: a common architecture for autonomous, distributed diagnosis of internet faults using probabilistic relational models

Internet fault diagnosis today is slow, costly, and error-prone because it requires humans to run diagnostic tests and interpret their results. A fully autonomous self-diagnosing network could greatly improve diagnostic accuracy and efficiency, but such a network requires a common language for expressing diagnostic knowledge and data, and a protocol for distributed probabilistic diagnostic reasoning. In this paper I show how the Common Architecture for Probabilistic Reasoning in the Internet (CAPRI) can satisfy these requirements using probabilistic relational models (PRMs). Preliminary results indicate that CAPRI agents can diagnose HTTP proxy connection failures with over 80% accuracy using TCP failure data collected using an updated version of Planetseer[11].
Contact stress at articular surfaces in total joint replacements. Part I: experimental methods

It is now widely accepted that both the design and the operating conditions at articular surfaces in total joint replacements influence the magnitude of the contact stress at those surfaces. In turn, such stress plays a pivotal role in the clinical performance of the prosthesis. Hence, a plethora of methods have been used by many workers not only to determine or estimate this stress but also to identify the main influencing factors. This literature is critically reviewed in the present study, which is in two parts. In this first part, the focus is on experimental methods. Two main recommendations emerge from this review. First, the pressure-sensitive film should be used. Second, more work is needed in many areas, an example of which is the effect of the method of sterilization of tibial inserts on the contact stress at the tibiofemoral interface in knee implants.
Simulating Non-accidental Trauma with Worsening Findings: Congenital Syphilis

This is a case report of a pediatric patient that presented to the emergency department following an un-witnessed trauma. The patient’s parent’s provided history was inconclusive with suspicion of non-accidental trauma. Review of the radiological images was performed. An initial radiographic skeletal survey was obtained and demonstrated radiographic findings suggestive of non-accidental trauma. The follow-up radiographic skeletal survey demonstrated a worsening of the prior radiographic findings rather than the expected healing in cases of non-accidental trauma. Specifically, the follow-up radiologic imaging demonstrated an abnormal lucency with medial down-sloping of the proximal tibial metaphysis, representing osseous destruction of the cortex with metaphyseal osteolysis, suggesting the possibility of infectious etiologies. Following review of the radiological images, serology was obtained. Serological markers were obtained and demonstrated active syphilis. Although syphilis has specific radiological findings, it can be initially misinterpreted as non-accidental trauma. This case report reviews the clinical picture, including the history, serology, and radiographic correlation and demonstrates the importance of considering alternative etiologies when evaluating the musculoskeletal system in the pediatric population.
The Lived Experience of Sisters With an Incarcerated Brother: A Phenomenological Study.

The major increase of incarcerated individuals in the United States has led to a variety of issues. The experience of incarceration has an impact on not only the individual but the entire family sy...
Press narratives of NSA domestic surveillance

The NSA’s vast domestic surveillance operations have brought to the forefront the age-old debate between the need to safeguard national security through extra-constitutional actions and the desire ...
Population Stratification at the Phenotypic Variance level and Implication for the Analysis of Whole Genome Sequencing Data from Multiple Studies

Summary In modern Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) epidemiological studies, participant-level data from multiple studies are often pooled and results are obtained from a single analysis. We consider the impact of differential phenotype variances by study, which we term ‘variance stratification’. Unaccounted for, variance stratification can lead to both decreased statistical power, and increased false positives rates, depending on how allele frequencies, sample sizes, and phenotypic variances vary across the studies that are pooled. We describe a WGS-appropriate analysis approach, implemented in freely-available software, which allows study-specific variances and thereby improves performance in practice. We also illustrate the variance stratification problem, its solutions, and a corresponding diagnostic procedure in data from the Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine Whole Genome Sequencing Program (TOPMed), used in association tests for hemoglobin concentrations and BMI.
Chapter 5 – Environmental Risks of Biotechnologies

This chapter discusses risk analysis, risk assessment, and risk management as they pertain to biotechnologies and synthetic biology. This begins with the traditional risk assessment process introduced by the National Research Council in the 1980s and how it applies and fails to apply to the unique risks associated with biological agents and ecosystems. Chemical and biological risks differ in both the hazards posed and the ways that humans and ecological systems are exposed to these hazards. Genetically modified and engineered organisms present risks that are in some ways similar to chemical hazards and biological hazards. Various risk classes are considered for these organisms. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the approaches used to communicate risk to various scientific and lay audiences.
Music Platforms and the Optimization of Culture

Drawing on Mark Katz’s notion of phonographic effects—where musicians, during the advent of early recording technology, altered their style of play to be better captured by microphones—this article...
Extended Horizon Tactical Lane Change Planning in Competing Autonomous Vehicles

The main challenge in autonomous driving is to adhere to traffic rules while ensuring safety and security. Lane Change Decisions - deciding how and when to change a traffic lane - are critical in determining traffic safety, travel efficiency and driving quality. Most works in existing literature focus on narrow horizon lane changes, include at most 1 or 2 lane changes, primary reasons being lack of sufficient information, uncertainty, and complexity in planning due to enormous size of possible trajectories of the surrounding vehicles. In this paper, we present a generalized extended horizon (multiple lane changes) tactical lane changing algorithm which 1) can take into account any mobility model for surrounding vehicles and more importantly, 2) also considers the scenario where the surrounding vehicles are also undertaking tactical lane changing in a “smart” way. We show that using a graph theoretic approach to elegantly capture all possible trajectories simplifies and reduces the complexity of the planning algorithm. We present extensive simulation results showing the effectiveness of the approach.
Ethical Evaluation of Environmental Stewardship in Sub-Saharan Africa

It is an indisputable fact that the global climate change crisis is equally affecting Sub-Saharan Africa. Africa is inundated with a lot of environmental problems. These problems include pollution, land degradation, deforestation, desertification, extinction of endangered plants and animals’ species, indiscriminate dumping of both domestic and industrial waste, drought, and so forth. Environmental problems cause a great ordeal for humans. They lead to the destruction of human habitation, the destruction of the habitat of plants and animals, the endangerment of water sources, the destruction of farmland and streams, etc. All these impacts the wellbeing of humans and other entities on the planet. Many environmental problems taking place in Africa are anthropogenic, which means that they are caused by human activities. This paper argues that in order for the Sub-Saharan population to overcome these environmental problems, they should believe and practice environmental stewardship or eco-stewardship. Through a hermeneutical and critical analytic method, the concept of eco-stewardship is examined and critiqued. Some of the causes of environmental problems in Sub-Saharan Africa are also presented. The paper finds and concludes that environmental stewardship can help to curb or mitigate the environmental crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Sovereign Defaults, External Debt and Real Exchange Rate Dynamics

Emerging countries experience real exchange rate depreciations around defaults. In this paper, we examine this observed pattern empirically and through the lens of a dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model. The theoretical model explicitly incorporates bond issuances in local and foreign currencies, and endogenous determination of real exchange rate and default risk. Our quantitative analysis, using the case of Argentinas default in 2001, replicates the link between real exchange rate depreciation and default probability around defaults and moments of the real exchange rate that match the data. Prior to default, interactions of real exchange rate depreciation, originated from a sequence of low tradable goods shocks with the sovereigns large share of foreign currency debt, trigger defaults. In post-default periods, the resulting output costs and loss of market access due to default lead to further real exchange rate depreciation. . JEL Classi cation Codes: E43; F32; F34; G12
Adults who use e-cigarettes have difficulty understanding nicotine concentrations presented as mg/ml and percent nicotine.

Abstract Introduction Nicotine in e-cigarettes typically is labeled as mg/ml or percent nicotine, but these metrics may be difficult to understand. We examined whether adults who use e-cigarettes accurately can compare nicotine concentrations presented as mg/ml and percent and/or can identify the strength of concentrations presented using these metrics. Methods 310 adults completed an online survey in 2020. Participants viewed nicotine concentration pairs (e.g., 24 mg/ml vs 3%) and indicated which concentration was stronger or if they were equal. Participants also categorized nicotine concentrations presented as mg/ml (0–60 mg/ml) and percent (0–6%) into strength categories (no nicotine, very low, low, medium, high, very high). “Correct” answers for the strength of each concentration (e.g., 30 mg/ml is “high” nicotine) were based on the subjective opinion of e-cigarette researchers. Results When making direct comparisons, adults correctly identified that one concentration was stronger or that both were equivalent about half of the time (8.30 [5.08] of 19). Adults answered correctly more often when the stronger concentration was presented in mg/ml (4.75 [2.74] of 8) than percent (2.54 [2.60] of 8), p Conclusions Adults had difficulty understanding nicotine concentrations labeled using the most common metrics, especially percent nicotine. A singular, easy-to-understand labeling system may increase public knowledge about the nicotine concentration/strength of vaping products.
Post-traumatic osteoarthritis progression is diminished by early mechanical unloading and anti-inflammatory treatment in mice

Summary Objective Post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) is a degenerative joint disease initiated by injury. Early phase (0–7 days) treatments often include rest (unloading) and anti-inflammatory medications, but how those early interventions impact PTOA progression is unknown. We hypothesized that early unloading and anti-inflammatory treatment would diminish joint inflammation and slow PTOA progression. Design Mice were injured with non-invasive ACL rupture followed by hindlimb unloading (HLU) or normal cage activity (ground control: GC) for 7 days, after which all mice were allowed normal cage activity. HLU and GC mice were treated with daily celecoxib (CXB; 10 mg/kg IP) or vehicle. Protease activity was evaluated using in vivo fluorescence imaging, osteophyte formation and epiphyseal trabecular bone were quantified using micro-computed tomography, and synovitis and articular cartilage were evaluated using whole-joint histology at 7, 14, 21, and 28 days post-injury. Results HLU significantly reduced protease activity (-22-30% compared to GC) and synovitis (-24-50% relative to GC) at day 7 post-injury (during unloading), but these differences were not maintained at later timepoints. Similarly, trabecular bone volume was partially preserved in HLU mice at during unloading (-14-15% BV/TV for HLU mice, -21-22% for GC mice relative to uninjured), but these differences were not maintained during reloading. Osteophyte volume was reduced by both HLU and CXB, but there was not an additive effect of these treatments (HLU: −46%, CXB: −30%, HLU + CXB: −35% relative to vehicle GC at day 28). Conclusions These data suggest that early unloading following joint injury can reduce inflammation and potentially slow PTOA progression.
Lipodystrophies and dyslipidemias

Lipodystrophies are inherited or acquired disorders characterized by selective, but variable, loss of adipose tissue. These patients are predisposed to developing insulin resistance and its complications such as premature diabetes mellitus, hypertriglyceridemia, low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis. The severity of metabolic complications in general parallels the extent of body fat loss, and patients with generalized lipodystrophies have more severe metabolic derangements compared to those with partial lipodystrophies. Advances have been made in elucidating the molecular basis of many inherited lipodystrophies and defects in genes involved in adipocyte development, differentiation, and death pathways as well as in triglyceride biosynthesis and lipid droplet formation are implicated. On the other hand, acquired lipodystrophies are mainly due to the destruction of adipocytes due to autoimmune mechanisms, drugs, or other unknown factors. Many patients develop extreme hypertriglyceridemia and chylomicronemia predisposing them to acute pancreatitis and thus need to be differentiated from those with type 1 hyperlipoproteinemia. Others with accumulation of very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) and remnant lipoproteins may be predisposed to develop coronary heart disease. Leptin replacement therapy has been recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for improving metabolic complications in patients with generalized lipodystrophies. Improvement of diabetes control, use of fibrates and fish oil, and avoidance of estrogen preparations in females are key strategies to improve dyslipidemias in patients with lipodystrophies.
[20] Probing RNA structure and function by circular permutation

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the way for applying circular permutation (CP) to probe the structure and function of RNA. Five examples are provided that describe the application of CP analysis (CPA) in the analysis of RNA folding, protein–RNA interaction, substrate binding, and catalysis by a bacterial RNase P RNA. These examples illustrate the feasibility of using circular permutation to analyze the structure and function of biologically relevant RNAs. Circular permutation implies covalent linkage of the normal 5´ and 3´ ends of an RNA. Circular RNA can be synthesized by linking the normal 5´ and 3´ ends of RNA with either T4 RNA ligase or T4 DNA ligase and DNA oligonucleotide splint or through the action of a ribozyme. The efficiency and the choice of ligase depend on the structure and the sequence of the 5´ and 3´ ends. T4 RNA ligase is very efficient for RNAs with one unstructured 5´ nucleotide and three unstructured 3´ nucleotides. If the 5´ nucleotide is located in a helix, then the method with T4 DNA ligase should be used. A basic protocol for using T4 RNA ligase to generate circular RNA is described in the chapter; this protocol works well for the circularization of RNAs containing more than 70 nucleotides. A modified protocol using T4 RNA ligase and a DNA template works well for circularization of RNAs containing fewer than 30 nucleotides.