cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regulatory and metabolic rewiring during laboratory evolution of ethanol tolerance in E. coli

Understanding the genetic basis of adaptation is a central problem in biology. However, revealing the underlying molecular mechanisms has been challenging as changes in fitness may result from perturbations to many pathways, any of which may contribute relatively little. We have developed a combined experimental/computational framework to address this problem and used it to understand the genetic basis of ethanol tolerance in Escherichia coli. We used fitness profiling to measure the consequences of single-locus perturbations in the context of ethanol exposure. A module-level computational analysis was then used to reveal the organization of the contributing loci into cellular processes and regulatory pathways (e.g. osmoregulation and cell-wall biogenesis) whose modifications significantly affect ethanol tolerance. Strikingly, we discovered that a dominant component of adaptation involves metabolic rewiring that boosts intracellular ethanol degradation and assimilation. Through phenotypic and metabolomic analysis of laboratory-evolved ethanol-tolerant strains, we investigated naturally accessible pathways of ethanol tolerance. Remarkably, these laboratory-evolved strains, by and large, follow the same adaptive paths as inferred from our coarse-grained search of the fitness landscape.
Translocation of TonB Dependent Colicins

Colicins are protein toxins produced by E. coli to kill closely related competitor E. coli. Colicins initially attach to target bacteria by binding to outer membrane receptors, most of which are TonB-dependent nutrient transporters—22-stranded -barrels plugged by their amino-terminal domains. One group of colicins, which use the Tol proteins, TolA,B,Q,R, for uptake, have been shown to use OmpF or TolC as their translocators after the initial step when the colicin binds to its receptor. The N-terminal translocation domain of the colicin actually threads into the translocator (Housden et al. (2010) PNAS: 107: 20412).Until recently, no translocator or “second receptor” had been identified for the other family of colicins, those that use TonB and ExbB and D for uptake. Recently, colicin Ia was shown to use a second copy of its primary receptor, Cir, as its translocator (Jakes, K.S. and Finkelstein, A. (2010) Mol. Micro.: 75: 567). In an attempt to determine whether other TonB-dependent colicins also use a second copy of their primary receptor as a translocator, I have made chimera constructs with colicin M, substituting the receptor-binding domain of colicin E3 for that of colicin M, and also deleting the entire receptor-binding domain. These constructs were insoluble and went into inclusion bodies. Dissolving the inclusion bodies in 8M urea, renaturing by dilution and dialysis, and purifying by nickel chelation yielded a small amount of pure protein that had no in vivo killing activity. However, the chimera blocks killing by colicin E3, demonstrating that it binds the E3 receptor, BtuB. Osmotic shock to bypass receptor binding and translocation showed that the enzymatic moiety of the chimera is also active.These results suggest that colicin M translocates differently than colicin Ia and may not normally use a translocator remote from its primary binding site.
Work in Progress - Incorporating ‘sustainability’ into the core curriculum through the development of an introductory course

An educational effort was undertaken at Georgia Southern University that sought to incorporate the three aspects of Sustainability, environment and technology into a single course. An effort was also made to tie these three seemingly diverse constituents into one coherent course at the introductory level. This paper seeks to present the results of that effort. Audio-visual media are the chosen field of instruction to facilitate knowledge transfer to students. Some of the aspects that receive attention include geology, business case for sustainability, recycling, disassembly and green manufacturing etc. The basic objective of this course is to bring together students from various educational backgrounds in one place and encourage critical and creative thinking using a systems approach. The course focuses on hands-on activities such as mini-design projects that challenge students to think creatively and make some aspect of any chosen system more sustainable.
Multiple sea spike definitions: reducing the clutter

Multiple definitions of sea spikes have been developed and presented in the literature. This study shows the characteristics of spike populations where absolute cross section ratios are not critical to the spike definition.
Amplitude and phase acoustic microscopy for ceramic bearing ball inspections

The problem of inspecting different types of defects in ceramic bearing balls is addressed. An amplitude and phase acoustic microscope that operates in the frequency range of 1-200 MHz is used. In one configuration, an x-y scanner is used. With image processing, the circular interference fringes which are due to the spherical shape of the bearings are removed. Another system configuration uses a rotational scanning stage to rotate the bearing ball and applies differential phase measurement techniques to improve the phase measurement accuracy to 0.4 degrees . The third configuration was developed for the measurement of subsurface defects. It also uses a rotation stage, but with a broadband transducer in order to separate the surface wave echo from the specular reflected signal. A theoretical model is to deal with wave propagation on the spherical surface, and it is predicted that the surface wave is focused to a diffraction-limited spot 0.36 Rayleigh wavelengths at the 3-dB points. >
War and the Religious Calendar

Sacred time has shaped military effectiveness in modern conflicts, from the American Revolution, through both World Wars, the Vietnam War, and the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, to the ongoing insurgency in Iraq. At times, initiators of conflict have timed their surprise attacks to coincide with significant dates in the religious calendars of their opponents in the hope of securing a tactical or strategic advantage. At other times, holy days have influenced the ability or willingness of combatants to fight effectively. I offer an investigation into the notion of sacred time, drawing on the sociology of religion, and examine the manner in which symbols and rituals associated with sacred time have influenced military responsiveness and skill. I demonstrate statistical correlation between violence and sacred time in an empirical analysis of sectarian and insurgent attacks in contemporary Iraq. I then examine testimonies from the 1973 Arab-Israeli War to show that Egyptian decision makers were mindful and explicit about the religious significance of Yom Kippur, the date on which they chose to launch their attack. By exploring the pervasive effects of religious calendars on modern combat, I hope to redirect the focus of the study of religion and violence away from the narrow preoccupation with fundamentalism and terrorism and onto the much broader range of cases in which religion shapes secular conflict in multiple -- and often unexpected -- ways.
Table to facilitate donning stubby prostheses by bilateral above-knee amputees.

The use of short “stubby” prostheses in elderly bilateral above-knee amputees has been advocated by several authors.1–3 The major advantages of these prostheses are that they 1) lower the center of gravity, reducing the incidence and seriousness of falls and 2) eliminate the prosthetic knee joint, providing better control and possibly reducing the cardiovascular stress of ambulation.3 Cosmesis has been the major disadvantage.4 Another problem, which we recently encountered in training a 73-year-old patient with bilateral amputations, is difficulty in donning and removing the prostheses. A special table was constructed by one of the authors (D.R.) to facilitate this activity. Prior to its construction, our patient had to don his prostheses either while supine in bed (using a wall as counterforce) or balancing on the stubbies while they rested on the floor; both methods were unsafe and inefficient and required an inordinate amount of energy.
Prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder among Kuwaiti firefighters.

It has been proven time and again that emergency service personnel experience much more stress than non-emergency workers. This has been a negative factor which affects their social, psychological, and emotional life. The purpose of the present study is to add to the cross-cultural data relating to the prevalence of posttraumatic stress among emergency services personnel, specifically firefighters. A random sample of 108 Kuwaiti firefighters yielded a psychometric prevalence of PTSD of 18.5%. These findings are consistent with data from the United States and from Canada. Language: en
Computer Coding of Pastoral Ministry: Contributions and Challenges

(1998). Computer Coding of Pastoral Ministry: Contributions and Challenges. Chaplaincy Today: Vol. 14, No. 1, pp. 23-26.
The Resistance of Different Concentrations of a Bacteriophage to Ultraviolet Rays

Among others Dreyer and Hanssen,1 Kreibich,2 Schmidt-Nielson,3 Burge, Fischer and Neill,4 Vedder,5 and Allen and Ellis6 have exposed ferments, enzymes, proenzymes and hormones to light of short wave length; while Vallet,7 Bayne-Jones and van der Lingen,8 Mayer and Dworski,9 Mayer and Guttmacher,10 , Browning and Russ,11 Cambier,12 Burge,13 Eidenow,14 Weiss and Weiss 15 and several others have exposed living cultures of bacteria and other living cells to the action of ultraviolet rays. Radium too has been employed, for example by Bruynoghe,16 who has reported the absence of lytic principle in the sixth passage of his bacteriophage filtrates when B. typhosus, the sensitive organism used, was previously exposed; and by Brutsaert17 who exposed d'Herelle's P3 to radium emanations equivalent to 0.914 grains of radium for twenty-four hours, and found the lytic property only slightly attenuated. Insulin, according to Ellis and Newton,18 is apparently more active after relatively short exposure to ultraviolet light, losing its ability to produce hypoglycemia only after prolonged irradiation.
Effect on Relationship between MC Activation and 5-HT by Tongxie Yaofang on Visceral Hypersensitivity Rat in Intestinal

Objective By studying on the effect on density of MC,the expression of 5-HT in intestinal and their relationship,to investigate the effect of Tongxie Yaofang on MC activation in visceral hypersensitivity rat colon.Methods:Establish IBS model of visceral hypersensitivity rats by milk mice colon irritation,to study the effect of Tongxie Yaofang on morphology and density of MC in colon,the expression of 5-HT,and the effect of Tongxie Yaofang on their correlation by double counterstaining method that immunohistochemical method and toluidine blue staining method.Results:After the model was established,particles in MC were increased,the expression of 5-HT around MC was enhanced,and there was an obvious correlation.After intervened by Tongxie Yaofang,the morphology of MC was improved,the quantity of MC was decreased and the expression of 5-HT was reduced.Its effect on their correlation had significantly changed.Conclusion: Tongxie Yaofang can improve degree of MC activation on visceral hypersensitivity rat in intestinal and inhibit MC release 5-HT to reduce the expression of 5-HT.
Research on Soft-Computing-Based Intelligent Multi-Constrained Wavelength Assignment Algorithms in IP/DWDM Optical Internet

Wavelength assignment is one of the most important research areas in IP/DWDM optical Internet. Taking multiple constraints into account,including cost,power,network performance etc., the wavelength assignment is made much fit to the actual network configurations,however,the problem complexity increases correspondingly,leading to the adoption of a layered solution framework. As each layer sub-problem is NP complete,soft-computing algorithms, including SAA (Simulated Annealing Algorithm) and SGA (Simulated-annealing-Genetic Algorithm),and heuristic algorithms are used jointly to design the intelligent multi-constrained wavelength assignment algorithms respectively. Simulation results have shown that these proposed algorithms are feasible and effective.
The application of evidence-based nursing on epidemic disease of children in previewing process

Objective: To guide the development and application of infectious diseases previewing process and to improve the quality of care by the philosophy and practice procedures of evidence-based nursing. Methods: In accordance with the practice proce- dures of evidence-based nursing, the following processes were conducted, such as setting up the nursing questions, looking for confirmed evidence from literature, screening the evidence for evaluation and developing the previewing process by chief complain, then applying these in the pre-clinical practice of infectious diseases. Results: The previewing detection rate of infectious diseases improved significantly by the application of previewing process. Conclusion: The application of previewing process by chief complain on evidence-based nursing philosophy could avoid the shortcomings of experienced nursing, facilitate fast and accurate inquisition, also for medical examinations, so as to determine the patients’ condition. The accuracy rating improved significantly, and it contributed to the training and development of nursing staff.
Biology of inherited coagulopathies : factor IX

Characterization of the functional domains of FIX and related vitamin K-dependent proteins has been enhanced by the isolation and characterization of the genes encoding these proteins. A better understanding of the interactions between FIX's activators, cofactors, and substrate, FX, has been gained through the study of naturally occurring variants isolated from patients with hemophilia B and genetically engineered recombinant molecules. With the determination of specific mutations in hemophilia B kindreds, and through advances in molecular techniques, especially the polymerase chain reaction, more accurate determination of carrier status and prenatal diagnosis can now be made.
Pretreatment flow cytometry of DNA content in adult acute leukemia

Flow cytometric analyses of bone marrow cellular DNA content were performed in 115 adult patients with acute leukemia to assess whether and how proliferative activity relates to other disease and host parameters, to antileukemic effect of induction chemotherapy, and to patient prognosis. Eighty previously untreated patients had a smaller S-phase compartment than patients with morphologically normal bone marrow and than 35 patients studied in leukemic relapse. Among previously untreated patients, those with AML had a smaller S-phase compartment than patients with ALL. Hypodiploid leukemias had a higher G2M proportion than other cytogenetic categories, while lowest S and G2M phases were seen in patients with inevaluable metaphases. Pretreatment S-phase compartment size correlated positively with degree of bone marrow blast cytoreduction during the first 8 days of induction treatment, but not with complete remission or with response duration. Magnitude of cytoreduction, however, correlated with complete remission, response duration, and survival. The pretreatment S-phase compartment size was a prognostic determinant only in patients with low cytoreduction. There was an inverse correlation between S-phase compartment size and number of courses to complete remission. Our study suggests that the percentage of pretreatment bone marrow cells in S phase is predictive for rate of cell kill and number of courses necessary for remission, but not for attainment of complete remission.
Chip-MS: A Polymeric Microfluidic Device with Integrated Mass-Spectrometer Interface

We report the use of direct write UV laser ablation to create microstructures in polymer film substrates. An integrated chip-MS device is fabricated combining a microfluidic channel with an electrospray tip. Mass spectral data is presented demonstrating protein sample compatibility and excellent spray stability.
Encapsulation of multiple cargo proteins within recombinant Eut nanocompartments

Spatial organization via encapsulation of enzymes within recombinant nanocompartments may increase efficiency in multienzyme cascades. Previously, we reported the encapsulation of single cargo proteins within nanocompartments in the heterologous host Escherichia coli. This was achieved by coexpression of the Salmonella enterica LT2 ethanolamine utilization bacterial microcompartment shell proteins EutS or EutSMNLK, with a signal sequence EutC1-19 cargo protein fusion. Optimization of this system, leading to the targeting of more than one cargo protein, requires an understanding of the encapsulation mechanism. In this work, we report that the signal sequence EutC1-19 targets cargo to the interior of nanocompartments via a hydrophobic interaction with a helix on shell protein EutS. We confirm that EutC1-19 does not interact with other Eut BMC shell proteins, EutMNLK. Furthermore, we show that a second signal sequence EutE1-21 interacts specifically with the same helix on EutS. Both signal sequences appear to compete for the same EutS helix to simultaneously colocalize two cargo proteins to the interior of recombinant nanocompartments. This work offers the first insights into signal sequence-shell protein interactions required for cargo sequestration within Eut BMCs. It also provides a basis for the future engineering of Eut nanocompartments as a platform for the potential colocalization of multienzyme cascades for synthetic biology applications.
Respiration and Mitochondria

Photosynthesis results in the conversion of light energy to chemical energy. This chemical energy is incorporated into the bonds of synthesized compounds, primarily six-carbon sugars. The energy present in such compounds is essentially stored energy, which can be released only by breaking the chemical bonds that hold the molecule together.
“Infectious Supercarelessness” in Discussing Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria

Many bacterial pathogens are exhibiting resistance to increasing numbers of antibiotics making it much more challenging to treat the infections caused by these microbes. In many reports in the media and perhaps even in discussions among physicians and biomedical scientists, these bacteria are frequently referred to as "bugs" with the prefix "super" appended. This terminology has a high potential to elicit unjustified inferences and fails to highlight the broader evolutionary context. Understanding the full range of biological and evolutionary factors that influence the spread and outcomes of infections is critical to formulating effective individual therapies and public health interventions. Therefore, more accurate terminology should be used to refer these multidrug-resistant bacteria.
Utilization of composite fecal samples for detection of anthelmintic resistance in gastrointestinal nematodes of cattle

Abstract Recent reports indicate that anthelmintic resistance in gastrointestinal nematodes of cattle is becoming increasingly prevalent worldwide. Presently, the fecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) is the only means available for detection of resistance to anthelmintics in cattle herds at the farm level. However, the FECRT is labor and cost intensive, and consequently is only rarely performed on cattle farms unless for research purposes. If costs could be reduced, cattle producers might be more likely to pursue drug resistance testing on their farms. One approach to reducing the cost of the FECRT, is the use of composite fecal samples for performing fecal egg counts (FEC), rather than conducting FEC on fecal samples from 15 to 20 individual animals. In this study FECRT were performed on 14 groups of cattle using both individual and composite FEC methods To measure how well the results of composite sampling reproduce those of individual sampling, Lin’s Concordance Correlation Coefficient was utilized to describe both the linear relationship between methods and the slope and y-intercept of the line relating the data sets. There was little difference between the approaches with 98% agreement in mean FEC found between methods Mean FEC based on individual counts ranged between 0 and 670.6 eggs per gram of feces, indicating that the results of this study are applicable to a wide range of FEC levels. Standard error of the mean FEC and range of FEC are reported for each group prior to and following treatment to describe the variability of the data set. There was greater than 95% agreement in drug efficacy between individual and composite sampling methods, demonstrating composite sampling is appropriate to evaluate drug efficacy. Notably, for all groups tested the efficacy calculated by composite sampling was within the 95% confidence interval for efficacy calculated using individual sampling. The use of composite samples was shown to reduce the number of FEC required by 79%. These data demonstrate that pooling fecal samples from a group of cattle and then performing repeated FEC on that composite sample yields results very similar to performing individual FEC on those same animals, while substantially reducing the cost of performing a FECRT as compared to individual fecal samples. Furthermore, we have developed suggested methods for using composite samples in a FECRT, provided a cost comparison for this methodology, and described potential issues associated with the use of composite samples that must be considered.
Impact of recurrence and salvage surgery on survival after multidisciplinary treatment of rectal cancer

Purpose After preoperative chemoradiotherapy followed by total mesorectal excision for locally advanced rectal cancer, patients who experience local or systemic relapse of disease may be eligible for curative salvage surgery, but the benefit of this surgery has not been fully investigated. The purpose of this study was to characterize recurrence patterns and investigate the impact of salvage surgery on survival in patients with rectal cancer after receiving multidisciplinary treatment. Patients and Methods Patients with locally advanced (cT3-4 or cN+) rectal cancer who were treated with preoperative chemoradiotherapy followed by total mesorectal excision at our institution during 1993 to 2008 were identified. We examined patterns of recurrence location, time to recurrence, treatment factors, and survival. Results A total of 735 patients were included. Tumors were mostly midrectal to lower rectal cancer, with a median distance from the anal verge of 5.0 cm. The most common recurrence site was the lung followed by the liver. Median time to recurrence was shorter in liver-only recurrence (11.2 months) than in lung-only recurrence (18.2 months) or locoregional-only recurrence (24.7 months; P = .001). Salvage surgery was performed in 57% of patients with single-site recurrence and was associated with longer survival after recurrence in patients with lung-only and liver-only recurrence ( P < .001) but not in those with locoregional-only recurrence ( P = .353). Conclusion We found a predilection for lung recurrence in patients with rectal cancer after multidisciplinary treatment. Salvage surgery was associated with prolonged survival in patients with lung-only and liver-only recurrence, but not in those with locoregional recurrence, which demonstrates a need for careful consideration of the indications for resection.
College-going facultad: Latinx students anticipating postsecondary institutional obstacles

ABSTRACTThis ethnographic study examined access to college information for low-income, first-generation Latinx students who attended an under-resourced high school. Using a college-conocimiento fra...
The Dana-Farber CISNET Model for Breast Cancer Screening Strategies: An Update.

Background. We present updated features to a model developed by Dana-Farber investigators within the Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network (CISNET). The initial model was developed ...
Ideal Interpolation: Translations to and from Algebraic Geometry

In this survey I will discuss four themes that surfaced in multivariate interpolation and seem to have analogues in algebraic geometry. The hope is that mixing these two areas together will benefit both.
Nondestructive Detection of Cracks in Ceramics Using Vicinal Illumination

Cracks and other defects in ceramic materials can be difficult or impossible to examine and photograph due to the extreme lack of contrast. A method for inspecting translucent ceramics using scattered light, also known as vicinal illumination, will be described. This method has been known in the ceramics industry for quite some time, but is not well known in the testing and failure analysis community. Electronics applications include substrates, packages, multilayer capacitors, and thin film resistors. Ceramic materials are used in electronic applications as microcircuit packages and substrates which carry signals and power between microcircuits. Fine cracks in ceramic materials can result in mechanical failures, electrical failures, and loss of hermeticity. Often, fine cracks are difficult or impossible to detect using standard nondestructive inspection techniques such as visual inspection, ultrasonic inspection, or vapor crack detection. Dye penetrant inspection is usually effective, but contaminates the part, which is unacceptable for space flight hardware. One effective nondestructive inspection method of detecting cracks involves examining the way in which light scatters through the ceramic material when viewed with a standard bright field reflected light microscope. This method, termed vicinal illumination, has been used for detecting cracks during failure analyses of several part types, and screening of space flight hardware. The technique has proven effective on several different types of ceramic materials as well. A related method for use with dark field equipment has also been used to successfully locate otherwise invisible cracks.
21 – Nanocomposites for cartilage regeneration

: Hyaline cartilage, which is located on the articular surfaces of bones, has a defined microstructure and unique organization of cells and macromolecules. These distinctive properties of cartilage make natural regeneration difficult and current treatments often result in the formation of fibrous tissue. Thus, the use of nanomaterials has been proposed to facilitate cartilage regeneration, especially in large-sized osteochondral defects. Specifically, nanocomposites can be designed and fabricated to have specific biomimetic characteristics, as well as superior biological and mechanical properties. This chapter will closely examine the key criteria required for cartilage regeneration, and discuss material design, fabrication methods and nanomaterials for cartilage therapies.
An Adaptive Sampling Approach for Evaluating Robot Self-Righting Capabilities

To properly evaluate the ability of robots to operate autonomously in the real world, it is necessary to develop methods for quantifying their self-righting capabilities. Here, we improve upon a sampling-based framework for evaluating self-righting capabilities that was previously validated in two dimensions. To apply this framework to realistic robots in three dimensions, we require algorithms capable of scaling to high-dimensional configuration spaces. Therefore, we introduce a novel adaptive sampling approach that biases queries toward the transitional states of the system, thus, identifying the critical transitions of the system using substantially fewer samples. To demonstrate this improvement, we compare our approach to results that were generated via the previous framework and were validated on hardware platforms. Finally, we apply our technique to a high-fidelity three-dimensional model of a US Navy bomb-defusing robot, which was too complex for the previous framework to analyze.
The etiology and management of recurrent urinary tract infections in postmenopausal women.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common infections and affect up to 50% of women in their lifetime, with almost half of these women experiencing a recurrence in 6–12 months. Meno...
Dynamical systems and nonlinear transient rheology of the far-from-equilibrium Bjorken flow

In relativistic kinetic theory, the one-particle distribution function is approximated by an asymptotic perturbative power series in the Knudsen number which is divergent. For the Bjorken flow, we expand the distribution function in terms of its moments and study their nonlinear evolution equations. The resulting coupled dynamical system can be solved for each moment consistently using a multiparameter transseries which makes the constitutive relations inherit the same structure. A new nonperturbative dynamical renormalization scheme is born out of this formalism that goes beyond the linear response theory. We show that there is a Lyapunov function, also known as dynamical potential, which is, in general, a function of the moments and time satisfying Lyapunov stability conditions along renormalization group flows connected to the asymptotic hydrodynamic fixed point. As a result, the transport coefficients get dynamically renormalized at every order in the time-dependent perturbative expansion by receiving nonperturbative corrections present in the transseries. The connection between the integration constants and the UV data is discussed using the language of dynamical systems. Furthermore, we show that the first dissipative correction in the Knudsen number to the distribution function is not only determined by the known effective shear viscous term but also a new high-energy nonhydrodynamic mode. It is demonstrated that the survival of this new mode is intrinsically related to the nonlinear mode-to-mode coupling with the shear viscous term. Finally, we comment on some possible phenomenological applications of the proposed nonhydrodynamic transport theory.
A Retrospective Database Review of the Indications, Complications, and Incidence of Subsequent Spine Surgery in 12,297 Spinal Cord Stimulator Patients.

Study design Retrospective review. Objective To analyze the indications, incidence of minor and major complications, and rate of subsequent spinal surgery or revision after spinal cord stimulator (SCS) placement for degenerative spine disease. Summary of background data Despite the application of SCS in various chronic pain conditions, there remains a growing debate on the efficacy and necessity of SCS in degenerative spine disease. Methods A nationally representative sample of Medicare patients who had an open (via laminectomy) SCS placement for degenerative spine disease between 2005 and 2014 were studied. Indications, complications, and the rate of subsequent spinal surgery within 90 days, one year, two years, and three years postoperatively were studied using Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) and International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes. Results We included 12,297 SCS patients in our study cohort. The most common indications for SCS placement were postlaminectomy syndrome (25.2%) and chronic pain syndrome (20.2%). There was a 4.2 and 17.2% incidence of postoperative back or spine emergency department (ED) visits, and a 0.3 and 3.4% incidence of SCS electrode removal or reimplantation within 90 days and 1 year, respectively. Other reported surgical complications were wound infection (4.3%), hematoma (0.5%), and seroma (0.4%) at one year postoperatively. Within 90 days after SCS implantation, the rate of subsequent spine surgery or revision was 0.9%. This incidence was 7.1, 11.7, and 15.5% at one, two, and three years, respectively. Conclusions In our retrospective analysis of Medicare patients, the most common indication for SCS implantation was postlaminectomy syndrome. Common postoperative complications included wound infection, and removal of SCS electrodes at one year postoperatively. About 17% patients had an ED visit for spine-related symptoms within one year of device implantation, and 15.5% underwent subsequent spinal decompression and/or fusion within 3 years after primary SCS placement.
Downward Neighborhood Poverty Mobility during Childhood Is Associated with Child Asthma: Evidence from the Geographic Research on Wellbeing (GROW) Survey.

Causal evidence regarding neighborhood effects on health remains tenuous. Given that children have little agency in deciding where they live and spend proportionally more of their lives in neighborhoods than adults, their exposure to neighborhood conditions could make their health particularly sensitive to neighborhood effects. In this paper, we examine the relationship between exposure to poor neighborhoods from birth to ages 4–10 and childhood asthma. We used data from the 2003–2007 California Maternal Infant and Health Assessment (MIHA) and the 2012–2013 Geographic Research on Wellbeing (GROW) survey (N = 2619 mother/child dyads) to fit relative risks of asthma for children who experience different types of neighborhood poverty mobility using Poisson regression controlling for individual-level demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, and neighborhood satisfaction. Our results demonstrate that [1] living in a poor neighborhood at baseline and follow-up and [2] moving into a poor neighborhood were each associated with higher risk of asthma, compared with children not living in a poor neighborhood at either time. Exposure to impoverished neighborhoods and downward neighborhood poverty mobility matters for children’s health, particularly for asthma. Public health practitioners and policymakers need to address downward neighborhood economic mobility, in addition to downward family economic mobility, in order to improve children’s health.
A continuous-time decision-making model for bacterial growth via quorum sensing: theory and evidence

Quorum sensing is a communication mechanism used by bacteria to coordinate population density dependent collective behavior. In the particular case of bacterial growth, quorum sensing acts as a control mechanism that optimizes the trade-off between intrinsic growth rate and the maximum population size that the environment can sustain. Herein, a model for controlled bacterial growth via quorum sensing in continuous time is proposed. One of the main innovations of the proposed model relative to existing ones is to assume that Nature seeks to optimize the population level over time. The growth curve optimization is formulated as the maximization of a discounted objective function where the variable is the activation threshold for the quorum sensing mechanism. Numerical evidence suggests that this discounted objective function based on the growth curves is unimodal in the activation threshold. Growth curves obtained from analyzing experimental data match those predicted by the model.
Family trip and academic achievement in early childhood

Abstract Using nationally representative data, this study found positive impact of family trips on children's academic achievement in reading and math. Children who took at least one family trip in kindergarten or third-grade achieved on average 1% higher score on third-grade reading and math tests. The benefits were greater with more family trips, but differed by trip types. Family trips to cultural attractions most benefited the reading achievement, whereas those to athletic events benefited the math the most. This study's findings contribute to the understanding of family trip's educational benefits in early childhood; they also provide a rationale for the promotion of family trips for children's educational benefits and for the further examination of different types of trips and travel.
Evaluation of disease severity and treatment intensity as cost drivers for ruptured intracranial aneurysms

Previous studies have not evaluated the impact of illness severity and postrupture procedures in the cost of care for intracranial aneurysms. We hypothesize that the severity of aneurysm rupture and the aggressiveness of postrupture interventions play a role in cost. The Value Driven Outcomes database was used to assess direct patient cost during the treatment of ruptured intracranial aneurysm with clipping, coiling, and Pipeline flow diverters. One hundred ninety-eight patients (mean age 52.8 ± 14.1 years; 40.0% male) underwent craniotomy (64.6%), coiling (26.7%), or flow diversion (8.6%). Coiling was 1.4× more expensive than clipping (p = .005) and flow diversion was 1.7× more expensive than clipping (p < .001). More severe illness as measured by American Society of Anesthesia, Hunt/Hess, and Fisher scales incurred higher costs than less severe illness (p < .05). Use of a lumbar drain protocol to reduce subarachnoid hemorrhage and use of an external ventricular drain to manage intracranial pressure were associated with reduced (p = .05) and increased (p < .001) total costs, respectively. Patients with severe vasospasm (p < .005), those that received shunts (p < .001), and those who had complications (p < .001) had higher costs. Multivariate analysis showed that procedure type, length of stay, number of angiograms, vasospasm severity, disposition, and year of treatment were independent predictors of cost. These results show for the first time that disease and vasospasm severity and intensity of treatment directly impact the cost of care for patients with aneurysms in the USA. Strategies to alter these variables may prove important for cost reduction.
Science and Freedom

The physics of freedom is the universal phenomenon of evolution, with its many familiar manifestations. This program arches back to science itself—science as an evolutionary and self-correcting add-on that empowers humans. Why is this important? First, on the world map, you see a hierarchical flow that carries all the human features and concerns that we have discussed. You see the same hierarchical movement as you review the history lessons that you were given: books, movies, names, places, and human events. Second, society moves more, produces more, and is longer lasting when it is endowed with freedom, free questioning, and self-correcting. This second flow architecture coincides with the hierarchical distribution of creators and transmitters of science, on the same world map. Third, freedom is a physical feature, like shape, dimension, weight, change (process), and power. The freedom property is a measurement of how many features are free to be changed in the flow system configuration. Measurable is also the physical effect of freedom on efficiency and performance. Fourth, the physics of freedom is important to science itself. If free, science evolves and improves. Science evolves because we all want to predict and design the future. The effect of science is measurable in watts. The allocation of more power to more individuals is knowledge, which represents the design changes that keep us alive and moving easier, farther, and lasting longer in time. In summary, there is one phenomenon (evolution) and one law of evolution, and the physical feature that underpins them is freedom.
Ontologie der Möglichkeiten (Modalontologie)

Im Mittelpunkt der Modalontologie steht das Verhaltnis zwischen Moglichkeit und Existenz. Versteht man ›existieren‹ im minimalen Sinn, im Sinn von ›uberhaupt etwas sein‹, so existiert manches, was unmoglich ist. Zum Beispiel ist der unmogliche Sachverhalt, dass 2 plus 2 gleich 5 ist, uberhaupt etwas (wir konnen uns ja auf ihn beziehen); er existiert also in diesem Sinn.
From an Archive to a Digital Map Edition: Introducing the Spatial Turn to an Undergraduate Writing Course

This article describes the process and outcomes of working with an undergraduate writing course as they created original scholarship for a digital map edition. Traditionally, library interventions ...
Household studies provide key insights on the transmission of, and susceptibility to, SARS-CoV-2.

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Associations among Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene, and Food Exposures and Typhoid Fever in Case-Control Studies: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Typhoid fever transmission occurs through ingestion of food or water contaminated with Salmonella Typhi, and case-control studies are often conducted to identify outbreak sources and transmission vehicles. However, there is no current summary of the associations among water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH); and food exposures and typhoid from case-control studies. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of case-control studies to evaluate the associations among typhoid fever and predicted WASH or food exposure risk factors (13), and protective factors (7). Overall, 19 manuscripts describing 22 case-control studies were included. Two studies were characterized as having low risk of bias, one as medium risk, and 19 as high risk. In total, nine of 13 predicted risk factors were associated with increased odds of typhoid (odds ratio [OR] = 1.4-2.4, I2 = 30.5-74.8%.), whereas five of seven predicted protective factors were associated with lower odds of typhoid (OR = 0.52-0.73, I2 = 38.7-84.3%). In five types of sensitivity analyses, two (8%) of 26 summary associations changed significance from the original analysis. Results highlight the following: the importance of household hygiene transmission pathways, the need for further research around appropriate food interventions and the risk of consuming specific foods and beverages outside the home, and the absence of any observed association between sanitation exposures and typhoid fever. We recommend that typhoid interventions focus on interrupting household transmission routes and that future studies provide more detailed information about WASH and food exposures to inform better targeted interventions.
Method of growing elastically relaxed crack-free AlGaN on GaN as substrates for ultra-wide bandgap devices using porous GaN

Crack-free 1.3 μm thick elastically relaxed AlxGa1−xN layers were demonstrated on compliant high fill-factor 10 × 10 μm2 tile patterned GaN-on-porous-GaN pseudo-substrates (PSs). Porous GaN was utilized as a semi-flexible underlayer. The AlxGa1−xN layer was grown in steps of 200, 300, 400, and 400 nm. While the AlxGa1−xN layer regrown on a co-loaded GaN-on-sapphire template cracked after deposition of only 200 nm AlGaN, on the GaN-on-porous GaN patterned substrates, no cracks were observed, and smooth films were achieved. In addition, an enhanced aluminum uptake was observed as the AlGaN growth progressed on the GaN-on-porous-GaN PS, owing to the composition pulling effect, until the point when the tiles started to coalesce. Upon further regrowth on these coalesced tiles, the aluminum uptake saturated, while the surface remained crack-free and smooth.
Groundwater of carbonate aquifers

Abstract Carbonate rocks, particularly limestone, comprise some of the most productive aquifers on Earth. Their relatively high transmissivity stems from the development of secondary porosity and permeability. Compared to silicate rocks, the carbonate matrix is rapidly dissolved by weak acids, particularly carbonic acid. This dissolution during infiltration and groundwater flow can result in karstification, marked by the evolution of preferential pathways along which flow becomes turbulent rather than laminar. In karst aquifers, surface and subsurface drainage are commonly integrated from sinkholes to springs via conduit networks. Groundwater velocities can approach those of surface streams and interbasin groundwater flow can occur beneath topographic divides. Consequently, solute tracers are often used to determine connectivity between recharge and discharge points in karst aquifers. Because of susceptibility to contamination and the ecological significance of cave and spring ecosystems, monitoring of flow and water quality in carbonate aquifers is particularly important.
Factors Associated With Adherence to Osteoporosis Medications Among Male Veterans.

Risk factors for nonadherence to osteoporosis medication have been well described for cohorts of women with osteoporosis, but little is known about predictors or mediators of nonadherence in men. We conducted a secondary analysis of a national cohort of male veterans to explore factors associated with nonadherence to osteoporosis medications. We included veterans with a prescription for an oral bisphosphonate or calcitonin between 2000 and 2010. We identified demographic, comorbid, and fracture-related risk factors by their International Classification of Diseases-9 (ICD-9) and Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes and used multivariable logistic regression to evaluate their association with adherence. Adherence was measured by medication possession ratio (MPR) over 5 years, starting at the time of their first prescription during the study period and censoring at death or end of study period. Of 135,306 men identified with at least one prescription for an osteoporosis medication during the study period, 90,406 (67%) were nonadherent (MPR < 0.80). The median duration of therapy was 3.2 years (interquartile range [IQR] = 1.7-5.0). In the fully adjusted model, the odds of adherence were lower in those aged <65 years (odds ratio [OR] = 0.87; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.84-0.89), with no copay (OR = 0.78; 95% CI 0.76-0.80), dementia (OR = 0.87; 95% CI 0.83-0.91), anxiety/depression (OR = 0.92; 95% CI 0.90-0.95), tobacco use (OR = 0.91; 95% CI 0.89-0.94), alcohol abuse (OR = 0.91; 95% CI 0.89-0.94), rheumatoid arthritis (OR = 0.92; 95% CI 0.87-0.97), and on androgen deprivation therapy (OR = 0.89; 95% CI 0.83-0.95). The odds of adherence were higher in whites (OR = 1.14; 95% CI 1.11-1.17), with a prior screening colonoscopy (OR = 1.12; 95% CI 1.09-1.14), on alendronate versus other agents (OR = 1.61; 95% CI 1.55-1.67), with a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) (OR = 1.14; 95% CI 1.12-1.17), on glucocorticoids (OR = 1.08; 95% CI 1.02-1.14), and with recent fracture (OR = 1.07; 95% CI 1.04-1.10). In conclusion, adherence to oral bisphosphonates/calcitonin is poor, with particular subgroups at greatest risk. These findings may help tailor approaches for supporting adherence in men prescribed osteoporosis medications. © 2021 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. © 2021 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Lack of uniformity in reporting autoimmune gastritis among a diverse group of pathologists.

Abstract Autoimmune gastritis (AIG) is a clinicopathologic diagnosis requiring characteristic histopathology and correlation with laboratory work-up. To better understand how the diagnosis of AIG is made and reported in the pathology community, we conducted an anonymous web-based survey which was circulated among a diverse group of pathologists. Excluding trainees there were 64 respondents: 25 academic gastrointestinal pathologists (AGI, 39%), 22 academic general pathologists (AGP, 34%), 17 private general pathologists (PP, 27%). Our survey results highlighted variations in work-up and sign-out practices. The type of metaplasia needed to diagnose AIG lacked consensus. There was variation in accurate interpretation of immunostains with a trend towards more accurate diagnosis of enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cell hyperplasia by AGI (92%) and AGP (95%) than PP (71%) (p = 0.07). G-cells in antrum on neuroendocrine immunostain, a mimicker of ECL cell hyperplasia, was more frequently misdiagnosed by PP/ AGP (44%), versus AGI (12%) (p = 0.02). A triple immunostain panel (H. pylori, neuroendocrine, gastrin) was used in the work-up of AIG by 72% of AGI versus 23% AGP and 12% PP (p = 0.000061). The less-specific term “atrophic gastritis” was used in the diagnostic line more by respondents with >10 years sign-out experience compared with others (p = 0.04). In conclusion, the survey results highlighted deficiencies in the interpretation of neuroendocrine immunostains which is crucial for AIG diagnosis, as well as variation in reporting practices and definitions. Uniform criteria and terminology are needed in this field to improve communication with clinicians, resulting in appropriate testing and follow-up.