cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fluorescence spectroscopy for non-invasive measurement of mechanical stiffness after photo-crosslinking of rabbit cornea

Background and Objectives: Keratoconus is a disease characterized by progressive steepening and thinning of the cornea, altering visual acuity and sometimes potentiating the need for corneal transplant if the disease progresses.1–3 Corneal crosslinking, a procedure that uses topical riboflavin and UV light to increase the stiffness of the cornea through the creation of collagen crosslinks was recently approved by the FDA for use in the U.S. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether endogenous collagen fluorescence changes following treatment can be correlated to alterations in the stiffness of the cornea, thereby guiding treatment parameters. Study Design and Results: 78 ex-vivo rabbit eyes divided into three groups: riboflavin solution plus UV irradiation, dextran solution plus UV irradiation, and riboflavin solution only. An additional group of eyes received no treatment. The epithelium was removed from each sample and topical riboflavin was applied. Eyes were irradiated with a 365 nm black ray UV lamp for various treatment times, ranging from half the clinical treatment time to three times the length. Mechanical testing was performed to determine the force/displacement relationship for the various treatment times. Fluorescence spectral changes following treatment corresponded with changes in stiffness. In particular, a decrease in the value of fluorescence intensity at 290/340 nm excitation/emission wavelengths corresponded to an increase in corneal stiffness following treatment. It may be possible to use fluorescence spectral changes of endogenous corneal crosslinks to evaluate mechanical stiffness changes non-invasively.
Attention, processing speed, and executive functioning in pediatric brain tumor survivors treated with proton beam radiation therapy

Abstract Background and purpose This study examines attention, processing speed, and executive functioning in pediatric brain tumor survivors treated with proton beam radiation therapy (PBRT). Material and methods We examined 39 survivors (age 6–19 years) who were 3.61 years post-PBRT on average. Craniospinal (CSI; n = 21) and focal (n = 18) subgroups were analyzed. Attention, processing speed, and executive functioning scores were compared to population norms, and clinical/demographic risk factors were examined. Results As a group, survivors treated with focal PBRT exhibited attention, processing speed, and executive functioning that did not differ from population norms (all p > 0.05). Performance in the CSI group across attention scales was normative (all p > 0.05), but areas of relative weakness were identified on one executive functioning subtest and several processing speed subtests (all p Conclusions Survivors treated with PBRT may exhibit relative resilience in cognitive domains traditionally associated with radiation late effects. Attention, processing speed, and executive functioning remained intact and within normal limits for survivors treated with focal PBRT. Among survivors treated with CSI, a score pattern emerged that was suggestive of difficulties in underlying component skills (i.e., processing speed) rather than true executive dysfunction. No evidence of profound cognitive impairment was found in either group.
Problems with Interval Estimation When Data are Adjusted via Calibration

The analysis of adjusted data arising from a linear calibration curve is considered. Although it is obvious that adjusted values contain errors due to estimation of the calibration curve, some investigators may be tempted to analyze such data as if they..
Loss integration in ATILA software

Abstract: Finite element analysis can be applied to smart structures with piezoelectric or magnetostrictive materials rather successfully when neither the applying electric field nor the generating AC strain is very large and when the linear relation can be supposed in the strain vs electric field or the strain vs stress. However, further improvement in the FEM algorithm is required for high field or high power drive of the piezoelectric system, where nonlinear and hysteretic characteristics should be taken into account, as well as heat generation. In this chapter, we will discuss the high power issues. There are three hysteresis loss components for piezoelectric vibrators, i.e., dielectric, elastic and piezoelectric losses. Mechanical quality factors play a significant role in the loss study of piezoelectrics, and they are basically related to all dielectric, elastic and piezoelectric loss factors. Besides, a higher quality factor at the antiresonance is usually observed in the PZT based experiments, in comparison with that at the resonance. ATILA is the unique software for adopting dielectric, elastic and piezoelectric losses separately to calculate the impedance/admittance curve.
Beyond positive or negative: variability in daily parent-adolescent interaction quality is associated with adolescent emotion dysregulation

Previous work on the contribution of family environments to adolescent emotion dysregulation has tended to focus on broad parenting characteristics (such as warmth); however, it is possible that day-to-day variability in parenting may also relate to emotion dysregulation. The current study sought to test whether inconsistency in the quality of daily parent-youth interactions related to multiple indices of emotion dysregulation in adolescents. Two-hundred-twenty-two adolescents (ages 13-16; 53% female) participated with one parent. Adolescents completed 14-days of diary reporting on the quality of interactions with their parent (negative/neutral/positive) and their emotion dysregulation experiences for each day. Analyses reveal that, beyond the effects of average interaction quality, adolescents with greater variability in the quality of their interactions with their parent reported greater average emotion dysregulation across the days of diary recording and demonstrated greater variability in their ratings of daily emotion dysregulation. Findings were not accounted for by parental warmth or hostility, parent-reported trait-level emotion regulation, or day-level associations between study variables. In these ways, greater variability - and not merely greater negativity - during interactions between parents and adolescents was related to adolescent emotion dysregulation, suggesting that consistency in parent-adolescent relationships may be an important dimension of psychosocial risk to consider within families.
Neural routing circuits for forming invariant representations of visual objects

This thesis presents a biologically plausible model of an attentional mechanism for forming position- and scale-invariant representations of objects in the visual world. The model relies on a set of control neurons to dynamically modify the synaptic strengths of intra-cortical connections so that information from a windowed region of primary visual cortex (V1) is selectively routed to higher cortical areas. Local spatial relationships (i.e., topography) within the attentional window are preserved as information is routed through the cortex, thus enabling attended objects to be represented in higher cortical areas within an object-centered reference frame that is position and scale invariant. The representation in V1 is modeled as a multiscale stack of sample nodes with progressively lower resolution at higher eccentricities. Large changes in the size of the attentional window are accomplished by switching between different levels of the multiscale stack, while positional shifts and small changes in scale are accomplished by translating and rescaling the window within a single level of the stack. The control signals for setting the position and size of the attentional window are hypothesized to originate from neurons in the pulvinar and in the deep layers of visual cortex. The dynamics of these control neurons are governed by simple differential equations that can be realized by neurobiologically plausible circuits. In pre-attentive mode, the control neurons receive their input from a low-level "saliency map" representing potentially interesting regions of a scene. During the pattern recognition phase, control neurons are driven by the interaction between top-down (memory) and bottom-up (retinal input) sources. The model respects key neurophysiological, neuroanatomical, and psychophysical data relating to attention, and it makes a variety of experimentally testable predictions.
Use of benzodiazepines in panic disorder

Over the past 15 years, benzodiazepines have been used successfully to treat panic disorder with agoraphobia, but not without some controversy. Efficacy and side effect data from the principal benzodiazepine outcome studies of panic disorder demonstrate that alprazolam, lorazepam, and clonazepam are all clinically effective. Clonazepam has several advantages over other benzodiazepines and can be considered a first-line agent for panic disorder. Benzodiazepines in general are therapeutically effective for a broad range of panic disorder symptoms. Their effect is rapid and maintained without dose increase over a 7- to 8-month period. Discontinuation-related difficulties can occur in a considerable number of patients, but these can be decreased in several ways.
Symptom-Specific Threat Perception Mediates the Relationship Between Obsessive Beliefs and OCD Symptoms

Cognitive theories of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) propose that obsessive beliefs bias individuals’ perception of OC-relevant threats, which in turn maintain OCD symptoms. However, no prior research has directly tested this mediational model in a clinical sample. The current study bridges this gap in the literature. Sixty adults with OCD completed a diagnostic interview, self-report questionnaires and a threat perception task. More specifically, participants rated the perceived threat associated with (a) OC-specific stimuli (e.g., toilet) that matched their most interfering symptom dimension (e.g., contamination) and (b) generally negative terms (e.g., pain). Results supported hypotheses, in that the threat associated with OC-specific—but not generally negative—terms significantly mediated the relationship between obsessive beliefs and the severity of participants’ most interfering OCD symptom dimension. Findings underscore the importance of targeting inflated perceptions of OC-specific threats in the treatment of OCD. Limitations and future directions are discussed.
Minimal Non-Uniform Sampling For Multi-Dimensional Period Identification

This paper addresses a fundamental question in the context of multi-dimensional periodicity. Namely, to distinguish between two N-dimensional periodic patterns, what is the least number of (possibly non-contiguous) samples that need to be observed? This question was only recently addressed for one-dimensional signals. This paper generalizes those results to N-dimensional signals. It will be shown that the optimal sampling pattern takes the form of sparse and uniformly separated bunches. Apart from new theoretical insights, this paper’s results may provide the foundation for fast N-dimensional period recognition algorithms that use minimal number of samples1.
Price convergence among Indian cities: The role of linguistic differences, topography, and aggregation

Abstract This study examines the validity of the Law of One Price (LOP) by using monthly retail price data for 24 commodities across 78 locations for the period January 2007–December 2017 in the linguistically and topographically diverse India. We focus on the influence of communication costs and transportation costs on market integration and price convergence. Using panel unit root tests, we find that lower communication costs, due to commonly spoken languages, and lower transportation costs, resulting either from shorter geographic distances or from lower variations in topographical features across locations, yield faster rates of price convergence. Furthermore, the level of aggregation of data is crucial in testing the LOP. “Aggregation bias” refers to empirical findings of goods-level data yielding faster convergence than aggregate price indices. We observe signs of aggregation bias in price convergence in India.
Diverse Cycloaddition Chemistry Leading to Overall Michael Addition in the Reactions of 1,1-Bis(dimethylamino)-2,2-difluoroethene with α,β-Unsaturated Aldehydes, Ketones, Esters, and Nitriles

Difluoro ketene aminal 1 undergoes [2 + 4] cycloadditions with α,β-unsaturated aldehydes and ketones and [2 + 2] cycloadditions with α,β-unsaturated esters and nitriles. Both types of adducts can be readily converted, by mild hydrolysis, to the respective Michael addition products.
The recognition of nothingness

I describe a distinctive kind of fear that is generated by a vivid recognition of one’s mortal nature. I name it ‘existential shock’. This special fear does not take our future annihilation as any kind of harm, whether intrinsic or extrinsic. One puzzling feature of existential shock is that it is experienced as disclosing an important truth, yet attempts to specify this revelatory content bring us back to familiar facts about one’s inevitable death. But how can I discover something that I already knew? I argue that in our everyday lives, we are in the grip of deeply entrenched patterns of thought and feeling that prevent the knowledge of our mortality from being fully assimilated. Rather, we merely ‘pay lip service’ to the facts of our mortality. I propose that existential shock involves a distinctive mode of presentation of oneself as a mortal being, in a way that cuts through subtle layers of denial that govern our lives. I develop this thesis by utilizing and synthesizing ideas from several traditions, including the work of Samuel Scheffler, Mark Johnston, Martin Heidegger, and Jay L. Garfield.
Hierarchy of Desire: Partner Preferences and Social Identities of Men Who Have Sex with Men on Geosocial Networks

Men who have sex with men (MSM) increasingly rely on geosocial networking (GSN) smartphone applications (“apps”), such as Grindr and Scruff, to form sexual networks. Using social identity theory as a framework, the present study employed images to offer a quantitative assessment of bias in favor of masculinity (heteronormative, effeminate) and ethnicity (Asian, Black, Latino, White). Participants (N = 395) completed a survey that simulated the use of GSN apps and measured social identity salience. A mixed-subjects ANOVA revealed main effects for masculinity and ethnicity. The interaction was significant, but a small effect size suggests MSM appraise each construct separately during partner selection. Pairwise comparisons demonstrated that White and Latino heteronormative photos were the most preferred prototypes among all participants, regardless of their self-reported ethnicity. Thus, in-demand identities are more masculine and lighter-appearing, with European features, even among Black and Asian MSM. Asian participants scored highest on social identity salience, which was statistically equivalent among other ethnicities. Additionally, race-based stereotypes about sexual position were not associated with social identity salience. That is, Asian MSM were as likely as Black MSM to identify as tops, bottoms, or versatile. Although ethnic minority MSM do not define their sexual positions in terms of stereotypes, their ability to be desirable objects may hinge on the stereotypical expectations of potential partners.
Heat shock protein 47 (HSP47) binds to discoidin domain–containing receptor 2 (DDR2) and regulates its protein stability

Cell–collagen interactions are crucial for cell migration and invasion during cancer development and progression. Heat shock protein 47 (HSP47) is an endoplasmic reticulum–resident molecular chaperone that facilitates collagen maturation and deposition. It has been previously shown that HSP47 expression in cancer cells is crucial for cancer invasiveness. However, exogenous collagen cannot rescue cell invasion in HSP47-silenced cancer cells, suggesting that other HSP47 targets contribute to cancer cell invasion. Here, we show that HSP47 expression is required for the stability and cell-surface expression of discoidin domain–containing receptor 2 (DDR2) in breast cancer tissues. HSP47 silencing reduced DDR2 protein stability, accompanied by suppressed cell migration and invasion. Co-immunoprecipitation results revealed that HSP47 binds to the DDR2 ectodomain. Using a photoconvertible technique and total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy, we further demonstrate that HSP47 expression significantly sustains the membrane localization of the DDR2 protein. These results suggest that binding of HSP47 to DDR2 increases DDR2 stability and regulates its membrane dynamics and thereby enhances cancer cell migration and invasion. Given that DDR2 has a crucial role in the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and cancer progression, targeting the HSP47–DDR2 interaction might be a potential strategy for inhibiting DDR2-dependent cancer progression.
43 Actions of colony-stimulating factor 3 on the maturing oocyte and developing embryo in cattle

Colony-stimulating factor 3 (CSF3), also known as granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, has been reported to improve blastocyst yield when administered during oocyte maturation in the pig and to increase pregnancy outcomes in specific IVF patient populations when infused transvaginally. Here, we tested whether recombinant bovine CSF3 can act on the bovine oocyte during maturation or on the developing embryo to modify competence for development to the blastocyst stage. For Experiment 1, oocytes were matured with 0, 1, 10, or 100 ng mL−1 of CSF3. Oocytes were then fertilised and embryos were cultured in serum-free medium for 7.5 days. There was no effect of CSF3 on cleavage rate or on development to the blastocyst stage except that 100 ng mL−1 reduced (P = 0.0366) the percentage of putative zygotes (P = 0.0366) and cleaved embryos (P = 0.0254) becoming blastocysts. Expression of transcripts for 93 genes in blastocysts was evaluated by RT-PCR using the Fluidigm platform. Transcript abundance was affected (P < 0.05) by one or more concentrations of CSF3 for 4 genes only (CYP11A1, NOTCH2, RAC1, and YAP1). For Experiment 2, cumulus-oocyte complexes were fertilised with either X- or Y-sorted semen for 18-22 h. Putative zygotes were cultured in medium containing 0, 1, 10, or 100 ng mL−1 of CSF3. There was no effect of CSF3, sex, or the interaction on the percentage of putative zygotes that cleaved or on the percentage of putative zygotes or cleaved embryos becoming blastocysts. Gene expression was not determined. For Experiment 3, CSF3 (0, 1, 10, and 100 ng mL−1) was added from Day 4 to 7.5 of development. Again, there was no effect of CSF3 on development to the blastocyst stage. Transcript abundance for a total of 10 genes was increased (P < 0.05) by 100 ng mL−1 of CSF3, including markers of epiblast (NANOG, SOX2), hypoblast (ALPL, FN1, KDM2B, and PDGFRA), both epiblast and hypoblast (HNF4A), and trophectoderm (TJAP1). Results are indicative that high concentrations of CSF2 can reduce oocyte competence and act on the embryo to affect characteristics of the blastocyst. Support was provided by the Elanco and Larson Endowment Fund.
Structural coupling and magnetic tuning in Mn2−xCoxP magnetocalorics for thermomagnetic power generation

Promising materials for magnetic refrigeration and thermomagnetic power generation often display strong coupling between magnetism and structure. It has been previously proposed that MnCoP exhibits this strong coupling, contributing to its substantial magnetocaloric effect near TC = 578K. Here, we show from temperature-dependent synchrotron x-ray diffraction that MnCoP displays a discontinuity in the thermal expansion at TC, with spontaneous magnetostriction that is positive in the a direction and negative in the b direction, highlighting the anisotropic nature of the magnetostructural coupling. Varying the Mn:Co ratio of Mn2−xCoxP within the range of 0.6 ≤ x ≤ 1.4 allows the magnetic properties to be tuned. TC decreases as the composition deviates from stoichiometric MnCoP, as does the saturation magnetization. The magnitude of the magnetocaloric effect, |ΔSM|, decreases as well, due to broadening of the magnetic transition. The large reversible change in magnetization ΔM accessible over a small temperature range under moderate magnetic fields makes these materials promising for thermomagnetic power generation from waste heat.
Uranyl Speciation on the Surface of Amidoximated Polyacrylonitrile Mats.

Naturally occurring uranium is a widespread contaminant present in the water resources around the abandoned uranium mines in the southwest United States. A novel method for rapid uranium detection ...
Toxigenic phytoplankton groups and neurotoxin levels related to two contrasting environmental conditions at the coastal area of Rio de Janeiro (west of South Atlantic)

Abstract An assessment of the major pigments and neurotoxins and a description of the phytoplankton community were carried out within the coastal region of Rio de Janeiro State (Brazil), during winter and the following spring of 2018. Overall, six stations were investigated for oceanographic conditions (with CTD casts). Filtered water samples were used to estimate the chlorophyll a (CHL-a), carotenoids (CAR), and phycobiliproteins (PHY) using UV–Vis spectrophotometry, as well as the quantification of saxitoxins (STX) and domoic acid (DA), through High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Planktonic organisms were counted using sedimentation chambers of different volumes and an inverted microscope. A cluster analysis, SIMPER, and ANOSIM were applied to the phytoplankton data along with diversity indexes, and non-parametric statistics to phycotoxins and pigments. There was a significant difference between the winter and spring phytoplankton community, associated with the mixed layer depth (r2 = −0.626, p
Multidrug-Resistant Orthopaedic Surgical Site Infections Treated with Linezolid in Four Dogs

Objective This study aimed to report the adverse drug events and treatment outcome of systemic linezolid therapy to manage multi-drug resistant orthopaedic surgical site infection in dogs. Materials and Methods Retrospective case review of four dogs that received linezolid to treat surgical site infections after orthopaedic surgery. Reevaluations consisted of a clinical examination or a telephone interview. Results Serum drug concentrations varied. All dogs showed a temporary resolution of clinical signs of surgical site infection. Two dogs that received linezolid at the previously reported dose developed drug-associated side effects. The side effects were anorexia, nausea, vomiting and regenerative anaemia. All side effects resolved after the discontinuation of linezolid. Surgical site infection recurred in two dogs 52 and 177 days after discontinuing linezolid respectively. Clinical significance Adverse drug events occurred in dogs receiving oral linezolid at the dosage of 10 to 20 mg/kg. Oral linezolid therapy failed to resolve deep orthopaedic surgical site infections in two out of four dogs. As a tertiary antimicrobial, linezolid should only be used in carefully selected cases while monitoring for drug-associated side effects.
Energy Release Rate for a Crack with Extrinsic Surface Charge in a Piezoelectric Compact Tension Specimen

The fracture behavior of the piezoelectric material PZT-4 in a compact tension specimen is modelled. The influence of the electrical field and mechanical load on the energy release rate and the mode mixity ratio is considered. Free charge accumulation on the crack surface is enforced in the boundary conditions and a finite element analysis is employed. The results are discussed in comparison with the results from McMeeking [1] of a crack free of extrinsic charges. It is found that the free charge on the crack surface diminishes the influence of the electric field on the energy release rate. Consequently, it may be difficult to deduce the true values of the crack tip stress intensity factor and the crack tip field intensity factor in an experiment without knowing the charge condition on the crack surface.
Experimental Systems for Measuring HIV Latency and Reactivation

The final obstacle to achieving a cure to HIV/AIDS is the presence of latent HIV reservoirs scattered throughout the body. Although antiretroviral therapy maintains plasma viral loads below the levels of detection, upon cessation of therapy, the latent reservoir immediately produces infectious progeny viruses. This results in elevated plasma viremia, which leads to clinical progression to AIDS. Thus, if a HIV cure is ever to become a reality, it will be necessary to target and eliminate the latent reservoir. To this end, tremendous effort has been dedicated to locate the viral reservoir, understand the mechanisms contributing to latency, find optimal methods to reactivate HIV, and specifically kill latently infected cells. Although we have not yet identified a therapeutic approach to completely eliminate HIV from patients, these efforts have provided many technological breakthroughs in understanding the underlying mechanisms that regulate HIV latency and reactivation in vitro. In this review, we summarize and compare experimental systems which are frequently used to study HIV latency. While none of these models are a perfect proxy for the complex systems at work in HIV+ patients, each aim to replicate HIV latency in vitro.
Pregnancy and Neonatal Outcomes After Fetal Exposure to Biologics and Thiopurines Among Women With Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Background & Aims Pregnant women with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may require biologic or thiopurine therapy to control disease activity. Lack of safety data has led to therapy discontinuation during pregnancy, with health repercussions to mother and child. Methods Between 2007 and 2019, pregnant women with IBD were enrolled in a prospective, observational, multicenter study across the United States. The primary analysis was a comparison of 5 outcomes (congenital malformations, spontaneous abortions, preterm birth, low birth weight, and infant infections) among pregnancies exposed vs unexposed in utero to biologics, thiopurines, or a combination. Bivariate analyses followed by logistic regression models adjusted for relevant confounders were used to determine the independent effects of specific drug classes on outcomes of interest. Results Among 1490 completed pregnancies, there were 1431 live births. One-year infant outcomes were available in 1010. Exposure was to thiopurines (n = 242), biologics (n = 642), or both (n = 227) vs unexposed (n = 379). Drug exposure did not increase the rate of congenital malformations, spontaneous abortions, preterm birth, low birth weight, and infections during the first year of life. Higher disease activity was associated with risk of spontaneous abortion (hazard ratio, 3.41; 95% confidence interval, 1.51–7.69) and preterm birth with increased infant infection (odds ratio, 1.73; 95% confidence interval, 1.19–2.51). Conclusions Biologic, thiopurine, or combination therapy exposure during pregnancy was not associated with increased adverse maternal or fetal outcomes at birth or in the first year of life. Therapy with these agents can be continued throughout pregnancy in women with IBD to maintain disease control and reduce pregnancy-related adverse events. ClinicalTrials.gov, Number: NCT00904878.
The Physiological Effects of Flexible Bronchoscopy: Lessons for the Skilled Bronchoscopist

Flexible bronchoscopy results in many physiological consequences. This chapter reviews the studies about these effects including lung function, hemodynamics, gas exchange, body temperature, and intracranial pressure. It also discusses the additional physiological effects of bronchoalveolar lavage, the physiological effects of anesthesia commonly used for flexible bronchoscopy, and procedural anxiety. This chapter concludes with the clinical implications of these physiological effects and formulates twelve caveats for the prudent practice of flexible bronchoscopy in children.
SARS-CoV-2 viral dynamics for symptomatic people living with HIV requiring hospitalization for COVID-19

Background: Over 8 million people have been infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome 2 (SARS-CoV-2) People living with HIV (PWH) affected by SARSCoV- 2 represent a small proportion of patients admitted to the hospital for COVID-19 disease Viral dynamics in this subpopulation are still unknown Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study from a large, urban academic center in New Haven, CT of patients consecutively admitted with laboratory confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection through May 31, 2020 Main outcome measure was the ribonucleic acid (RNA) viral load (VL) detected in respiratory samples by cycle threshold (Ct) values and trend over time as a measure of nucleic acid concentration and replication Epidemiological, clinical, laboratory results, ART treatment, COVID treatment and outcomes were abstracted from patient records We evaluated the relationship between virologic data and disease severity Results: Among 19 PWH hospitalized with COVID19, 84% were >50 years of age, 53% were women, 63% were black, 95% were on antiretrovirals, 95% with undetectable HIV VL (< 50 copies/ml), and median CD4 count of 827 9 cells/mm3 Symptom duration was 2-14 days Median length of stay was 12 days There was no in-hospital mortality A total of 62 respiratory samples were collected at various time points and evaluated for SARS-CoV-2 RNA viral load Eight patients had 1 specimen Patient with more severe disease had higher baseline SARS-CoV-2 viral loads Mean Ct values for N1 and N2 on admission were 21 6 and 23 7, respectively Conclusion: PWH with COVID19 represents only a small percentage of hospitalized patients and viral dynamics are not well defined SARS-CoV-2 VL was higher among PWH with advanced disease at the presentation of illness Overall, PWH with COVID-19 had favorable outcomes
Can Charging Sales Taxes on Internet Sales Save Brick-and-Mortar Stores?

In October of 2018, Sears, a U.S. retail giant, filed for bankruptcy. Walmart, the largest U.S. retail operation, recently introduced a new business model whereby on-line orders can be picked up or even delivered. Both events can be seen as part of a major shift away from the traditional brick-and-mortar operations toward on-line retail sales and the big elephant in the room, Amazon. Twenty years ago, the Internet Tax Freedom Act was passed, halting direct taxation on internet sales. At the time, it was seen as a protection of a relatively fledgling industry. Recently, the Supreme Court ruled that states may charge sales taxes on internet sales. This study will look at relative growth rates of retail sales v. internet sales and draw some conclusions on the ability of brick-and-mortar stores to compete against internet sales operations going forward and the possible impact of charging sales taxes on all internet sales.
Always imperfectly achieved rule of law: Comments on Jeremy Waldron

This commentary on Jeremy Waldron’s essay, ‘The Rule of Law and the Role of Courts’, applies a holistic perspective on the rule of law and judging situated within a broader complex of surrounding social, cultural, economic and political factors and institutions.
Beyond association: successes and challenges in linking non-coding genetic variation to functional consequences that modulate Alzheimer’s disease risk

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia, affecting millions of people worldwide; however, no disease-modifying treatments are currently available. Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified more than 40 loci associated with AD risk. However, most of the disease-associated variants reside in non-coding regions of the genome, making it difficult to elucidate how they affect disease susceptibility. Nonetheless, identification of the regulatory elements, genes, pathways and cell type/tissue(s) impacted by these variants to modulate AD risk is critical to our understanding of disease pathogenesis and ability to develop effective therapeutics. In this review, we provide an overview of the methods and approaches used in the field to identify the functional effects of AD risk variants in the causal path to disease risk modification as well as describe the most recent findings. We first discuss efforts in cell type/tissue prioritization followed by recent progress in candidate causal variant and gene nomination. We discuss statistical methods for fine-mapping as well as approaches that integrate multiple levels of evidence, such as epigenomic and transcriptomic data, to identify causal variants and risk mechanisms of AD-associated loci. Additionally, we discuss experimental approaches and data resources that will be needed to validate and further elucidate the effects of these variants and genes on biological pathways, cellular phenotypes and disease risk. Finally, we discuss future steps that need to be taken to ensure that AD GWAS functional mapping efforts lead to novel findings and bring us closer to finding effective treatments for this devastating disease.
Model-based identification of conditionally-essential genes from transposon-insertion sequencing data

The understanding of bacterial gene function has been greatly enhanced by recent advancements in the deep sequencing of microbial genomes. Transposon insertion sequencing methods combines next-generation sequencing techniques with transposon mutagenesis for the exploration of the essentiality of genes under different environmental conditions. We propose a model-based method that uses regularized negative binomial regression to estimate the change in transposon insertions attributable to gene-environment changes without transformations or uniform normalization. An empirical Bayes model for estimating the local false discovery rate combines unique and total count information to test for genes that show a statistically significant change in transposon counts. When applied to RB-TnSeq (randomized barcode transposon sequencing) and Tn-seq (transposon sequencing) libraries made in strains of Caulobacter crescentus using both total and unique count data the model was able to identify a set of conditionally essential genes for each target condition that shed light on their functions and roles during various stress conditions. Author summaryTransposon insertion sequencing allows the study of bacterial gene function by combining next-generation sequencing techniques with transposon mutagenesis under different genetic and environmental perturbations. Our proposed regularized negative binomial regression method improves the quality of analysis of this data.
Mass Ratio Spectroscopy and the Proton’s Atomic Mass

The traditional compensated Penning trap has been used in the past to precisely measure mass ratios of positrons[1] and protons[2] relative to the electron. Present investigations may allow one to indirectly determine the neutron/proton mass ratio as well as the 3 H — 3 He mass difference to sub-ppb precision. The latter measurement may even have direct impact on the neutrino rest mass experiments[3]. It is also probable that variations of this trap will be used to make precision measurements of the antiproton relative to the proton[4]. Because of the present interest in such mass spectroscopy, a review of the basic method is in order with an emphasis on the use of multiply-charged ions for these measurements with an application to C 4+.
The Robber with a Witch\'s Head

Reviewed Medium: book Authors: Jack Zipes Year: 2004 Pages: 272 Publisher: Routledge ISBN: 0-415-97069-5 Prices: $30.00 US
Cautiousness, Stereotypy, and Variability in Older and Younger Adults

Older adults and college students were tested with two procedures that measure stereotypy and response variability In Experiment 1 subjects guided a marker through a 6 by 6 matrix by pressing two computer keys. Points were awarded on either a continuous or variable ratio 3 schedule of reinforcement. Points were exchanged for money Continuous reinforcement produced significantly higher stereotypy than intermittent reinforcement did in both age groups. A difference was found in stereotypy between age groups during the variable ratio schedule. This difference may have been caused by the greater task anxiety of the older adults. In Experiment 2 subjects were tested using the matrix procedure with the consequence that response variability was differentially reinforced. Four levels of variability were tested in the two age groups. Both older and younger subjects learned to vary response patterns to obtain points. The results are discussed in the context of cautiousness as an age-related explanation for behavior.
Combining Fuzzy Sets and Databases in Multiple Criteria Spatial Decision Making

Spatial decision making is a fundamental function of contemporary Geographic Information Systems (GIS). One of the most fertile GIS development areas is integrating multiple criteria decision models (MCDM) into GIS querying mechanisms. The classic approach for this integration has been to use Boolean techniques of MCDM with crisp representations of spatial objects (features) to produce static maps as query answers. By implementing: 1) fuzzy set membership as a method for representing the performance of decision alternatives on evaluation criteria, 2) fuzzy methods for both criteria weighting and capturing geographic preferences, and 3) fuzzy object oriented spatial databases for feature storage, it is possible to visually represent query results more precisely. This will allow decision makers to be more informed, and thus, more correct. We conclude the paper with future research directions and implementation prototype strategies.
SimMatrix: SIMulator for MAny-Task computing execution fabRIc at eXascale

Exascale computers (expected to be composed of millions of nodes and billions of threads of execution) will enable the unraveling of significant scientific mysteries. Many-task computing is a distributed paradigm, which can potentially address three of the four major challenges of exascale computing, namely Memory/Storage, Concurrency/Locality, and Resiliency. Exascale computing will require efficient job scheduling/management systems that are several orders of magnitude beyond the state-of-the-art, which tend to have centralized architecture and are relatively heavy-weight. This paper proposes a light-weight discrete event simulator, SimMatrix, which simulates job scheduling system comprising of millions of nodes and billions of cores/tasks. SimMatrix supports both centralized (e.g. first-in-first-out) and distributed (e.g. work stealing) scheduling. We validated SimMatrix against two real systems, Falkon and MATRIX, with up to 4K-cores, running on an IBM Blue Gene/P system, and compared SimMatrix with SimGrid and GridSim in terms of resource consumption at scale. Results show that SimMatrix consumes up to two-orders of magnitude lower memory per task, and at least one-order of magnitude (and up to four-orders of magnitude) lower time per task overheads. For example, running a workload of 10 billion tasks on 1 million nodes and 1 billion cores required 142GB memory and 163 CPU-hours. These relatively low costs at exascale levels of concurrency will lead to innovative studies in scheduling algorithms at unprecedented scales.
Vehicle Trajectories After Intersection Collision Impact

THE POSTCOLLISION MOTION STARTS IMMEDIATELY UPON COMPLETION OF A COLLISION IMPACT WHERE THE VEHICLES OBTAIN NEW SETS OF VELOCITIES THROUGH AN EXCHANGE OF MOMENTUM. SIMILITUDE WITH MODEL STUDY AND FULLSCALE AUTOMOBILE EXPERIMENTS INDICATE THAT THE POST-COLLISION TRAJECTORY IS ESSENTIALLY A PLANE MOTION, GOVERNED BY INERTIA AND TIRE FRICTION. TRAJECTORIES DEPEND ON MANY PARAMETERS (SUCH AS TIRE FRICTION COEFFICIENT, FRONT WHEEL STEERING ANGLE, VEHICLE GEOMETICS, AND WHETHER WHEELS ARE LOCKED OR FREE TO ROTATE) BUT NOT ON THE VEHICLE WEIGHT. THEORETICAL COMPUTATION OF TRAJECTORIES ARE COMPARED WITH EXPERIMENTS. /AUTHOR/
Environmental Negligence: A Proposal for a New Cause of Action for the Forgotten Innocent Owners of Contaminated Land

Imagine saving money to purchase a plot of land on which you plan to establish a business. You find the perfect location, make the investment, and set up and run your business. Several years pass until one day, a gov ernment agency asks to do some soil testing on your land and finds a mi grating underground plume of hazardous contamination below your property. You are told that the former owner of the property, a business owner himself, illegally dumped several barrels of toxic contaminants each year, either to avoid disposal fees or simply because he did not know he was doing anything wrong. The agency orders you to remediate the prop erty, for there is danger that the contamination will migrate and infiltrate the local water supply. Agency officials threaten that if you do not act, they will initiate a formal cleanup charge against you under either a state or a federal environmental statute. At this point, you are probably shocked to discover that you have somehow become responsible for an incredibly ex pensive cleanup of pollution that you had no part in creating. Unfortunately, this hypothetical is a reality for many landowners who purchased land before the modern awareness of environmental pollution's severe consequences. As a result, such landowners may not have taken ad vantage of protective techniques that are now common, such as contractual safeguards, environmental insurance, or expert environmental consultants who conduct extensive soil and groundwater testing. These landowners may have purchased their land directly from the polluting party, but in
Ultraviolet Spectrophotometry of Theophylline in Plasma in the Presence of Barbiturates

Ultraviolet spectrophotometry is widely used for the analysis of theophylline in blood, for purposes of monitoring therapy, and for pharmacokinetic studies. Phenobarbital, a component of common oral theophylline preparations, interferes with assays now in use. The modification of the method of Schack and Waxler [J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 97, 283 (1949)] presented in this paper eliminates barbiturate interference. After solvent extraction and back extraction into NaOH, the pH of the alkaline solution is adjusted from pH 13 to 10 before spectrophotometric measurement. This shifts the barbiturate absorption maximum from 255 to 240 nm, permitting accurate analysis of theophylline, the spectrum of which is unaffected by the pH change.
Neuropeptide Y suppresses sympathetic activity to interscapular brown adipose tissue in rats

To investigate the effects of neuropeptide Y (NPY) on sympathetic nerve activity to interscapular brown adipose tissue (IBAT), we injected NPY into the third cerebroventricle (icv), medial preoptic area (MPOA), anterior hypothalamic area (AHA), paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVN), ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMN), and lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) of anesthetized rats. Multiunit discharges from sympathetic nerves to IBAT were recorded electrophysiologically. The icv injection of NPY suppressed sympathetic nerve activity in a dose-dependent manner, followed by a gradual recovery. The microinjection of NPY (25 pmol) unilaterally into the PVN also significantly suppressed the sympathetic nerve activity to IBAT. In contrast, microinjection of NPY into the MPOA significantly increased the sympathetic nerve activity. The injection of saline into either the PVN or MPOA had no significant effect on sympathetic nerve activity. The microinjection of NPY (25 pmol) into the AHA, VMN, or LHA did not change sympathetic nerve activity to IBAT. We conclude that central administration of NPY affects the sympathetic nerve activity to IBAT and that the suppressive effect of NPY, which may act in part through the PVN, is dominant to the stimulatory effect. The result is consistent with the hypothesis that NPY is a neurochemical modulator of the sympathetic nervous system which controls energy expenditure in IBAT.
Cytochrome P-450 dependent binding of methapyrilene to DNA in vitro

Methapyrilene ([14C]MPH) was found to bind to calf thymus DNA only after activation by both rat liver microsomes and NADPH. The cytochrome P-450 inhibitors 2,4-dichloro-6-phenylphenoxyethylamine, 2-diethylaminoethyl-2,2-diphenylvalerate and metyrapone inhibited binding, but methimazole, a flavin-dependent monooxygenase inhibitor, had no effect. However, 1,2-epoxy-3,3,3-trichloropropane, an epoxide hydrolase inhibitor, decreased binding by 30%. Pre-treatment of rats with isosafrole, pregnenolone-16 alpha-carbonitrile or phenobarbital had little or no effect on binding while 3-methylcholanthrene pretreatment decreased binding by 37%. Incubations in the presence of either N-acetylcysteine, glutathione, catalase or glutathione-peroxidase decreased binding to DNA while superoxide dismutase had no effect. These data suggest that MPH is metabolically activated to a species which binds to DNA and that this activation may be mediated by cytochrome P-450 isozymes.
The puzzle of the Madagascan primates and the cutting edge of a new primatology

Tattersall, Ian. The Primates of Madagascar. New York: Columbia University Press, 1982. xiv + 382 pp. including photographs, maps, references, index. $40.00 cloth.
Improved platelet function following bonemarrow transplantation in an infant with the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome**

Histocompatible bone marrow was transplanted into a 9-month-old boy with Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome. Prior to transplantation, the infant had continuous gastrointestinal bleeding; studies of his platelet function revealed defective abhesiveness to glass and poor aggregation to collagen and adenosine diphosphate. Because the donor was normal in these respects, tests of platelet function were used to follow the progress of the attempted graft. Following the transplant the child's bleeding stopped, platelet adhesiveness became normal, and platelet aggregation improved. The data suggest that improved platelet function was partly responsible for the clinical improvement and that the patient was successfully grafted with thrombopoietic tissue.