cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Treatment of isolated sphenoid sinus inflammatory disease by endoscopic sphenoidotomy without ethmoidectomy.

Objectives/Hypothesis: Isolated chronic sphenoid sinusitis is a rare entity. The study was conducted to determine the efficacy of endoscopic sinus surgery with partial middle turbinectomy and without ethmoidectomy in treating isolated sphenoid opacification from inflammatory and infectious disease. Study Design: Case series of 20 patients generated by retrospective review of 307 consecutive patients who underwent surgical treatment for chronic rhinosinusitis. Methods: The medical records were reviewed for pertinent demographic, symptom, radiographic, and endoscopic data preoperatively, interoperatively, and postoperatively. All patients in the series underwent computed tomographic image-guided endoscopic sphenoid sinus surgery with partial middle turbinectomy. Results: The study population consisted of 12 male and 8 female patients between 28 and 75 years of age. Headache (15 patients) and/or postnasal drip (14 patients) were the presenting symptoms in 17 of the patients. Three patients were asymptomatic. Surgical findings included inspissated secretions (15 patients), fungal debris (2 patients), and mucopyoceles (3 patients). The 17 patients with preoperative symptoms were symptom free by 12 weeks postoperatively and have remained so with follow-up ranging from 12 months to 3.25 years (mean follow-up, 23.1 mo). There were no operative complications in the series. Conclusions: Endoscopic sphenoid sinus surgery without ethmoidectomy is effective for treating isolated sphenoid sinus opacification associated with inflammatory or infectious sinus disease. Partial middle turbinectomy at the time of surgery facilitates the approach, as well as postoperative cleaning and surveillance.
Optimal dynamic pricing of perishable products with stochastic demand and a finite set of prices

Abstract Consider a continuous-time inventory problem in which a retailer sets the price on a fixed number of a perishable asset that must be sold prior to the time at which it perishes. The retailer can dynamically adjust the price between any of a finite number of allowable prices. Demand for the product is Poisson with an intensity that is inversely related to the price. The optimal policy is piecewise-constant. The maximum expected revenue is nondecreasing and concave in both the remaining inventory and the time-to-go. For a given inventory level the optimal price declines as the time at which the products perish approaches. At any given time the optimal price is nonincreasing in the number of items remaining unsold. These results are extended to (i) the case in which the prices and corresponding demand intensities depend on the time-to-go; and (ii) the case in which the retailer can restock to meet demand at a unit cost after the initial inventory has been sold.
Bakhtin, Mikhail Mikhailovich (1895–1975)

Mikhail Mikhailovich Bakhtin (1895–1975) is best known for his work on dialogue, a concept he continued to develop over the course of his career. For a humble scholar who received little public recognition during his lifetime, Bakhtin's ideas have had an enormous, global impact on the philosophy and sociology of language.
An Investigation Of Investors’ Use Of Reported Cash Flow And Accrual Information For Eight Countries

Using 1995 through 1999 data from the United States and seven other countries with different sets of national accounting standards (Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom), we test whether the cash flow component of earnings is more persistent than the accrual component, and then whether the relative persistence of these two earnings components is reflected in stock market returns. Using the Mishkin model employed by Sloan (1996) to test the data for each of the countries, we find that, while reported cash flows are significantly more persistent than accruals in each of the eight accounting regimes, Canadian companies are the only ones for which the pricing of equity securities is clearly efficient with regard to cash flow and accrual information. While there is some evidence for this stock market efficiency for the UK and German companies, it is not conclusive. For firms from France, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, and the United States, the differences observed between the persistence of cash flows and accruals are not reflected in stock prices.
Children's Purchase Influence Attempts and Parental Yielding

quences, focusing on the impact of television advertising on mother-child interaction. Specifically, we studied children's attempts to influence mothers' purchases of various products and mothers' yielding to these attempts. Some previous research has examined relationships between mass media use, parent-child interaction, and subsequent effects. For example, adolescents' mass media use has been related to parent-child interaction and political socialization processes [2, 6]. Halloran and his associates examined exposure to television and intrafamily communication among samples of delinquent and nondelinquent British adolescents [5]. Little empirical evidence has been found on the extent of television advertising's influence on intrafamily interaction and behavior. For example, while much commercial research attempts to relate mass media exposure to aspects of consumer behavior, little effort has been devoted to explicit examination of parentchild interaction intervening between media exposure and behavior [3]. Research on consumers' family decision making usually focuses on husband-wife interaction and is not concerned with the influence of children [4]. Some qualitative data indicate that mothers feel television commercials influence their children [8], citing the apparent formation of desires for various products. Parents resent the encouragement of overt attempts to influence their purchases, although many mothers are said to accept television advertising as a necessary evil. Such qualitative research, of course, does not explicitly link media exposure to specific family processes. Berey and Pollay examined such processes in mothers' purchases of children's breakfast cereals [1]. While not concerned with mass media influences, the investigators found highly child-centered mothers purchased their children's favorite cereals less frequently than less child-centered mothers. The child's assertiveness was not correlated with purchase perhaps because the assertiveness measure was based on teachers' rat-
Pythium Root Rot of Flue-Cured Tobacco Seedlings Produced in Greenhouses: Factors Associated with its Occurrence and Chemical Control

Pythium root rot is an economically important disease of tobacco seedlings produced in greenhouses. In a survey conducted in 1998 and 1999, fivePythium species were found to cause Pythium root rot symptoms in tobacco seedlings. In pathogenicity studies the most aggressive species were Pythium volutum and P. myriotylum, although these were not the most frequently isolated species. We conducted studies with potting media from different commercial sources. Media were not found to be a source of primary inoculum for the disease in those studies. Infested trays had the potential to carry inoculum from one season to the next. The fungicides etridiazole, mefenoxam, and azoxystrobin along with acibenzolar-S-methyl and Joy detergent were evaluated for controlling Pythium root rot. Etridiazole and azoxystrobin applied to the float water provided the best control.
Effect of Occupational Health Education on Painters and Managers of 3 Toy Factories

[Objective]To investigate the effect of occupational health education on painters,and provide scientific evidence for carrying out health education and health promotion among workers exposed to benzene series.[Methods]The training of participation mode was used for occupational health education on managers and painters.Their knowledge,attitude and behavior change were investigated before and after intervention,and detection of occupational hazards was simultaneously implemented in operating environment.[Results]The awareness rate of occupational disease prevention and control knowledge among managers of 3 toy factories increased from 21.6%～26.2% to 72.4%～87.8% after intervention(P0.01),the accuracy of occupational health knowledge,attitude and behavior change among painters increased from 5.8%～11.6% to 60.0%～ 69.9% after intervention(P0.01).The concentrations of benzene series in workplace air decreased annually,and the occupational health examination rate of workers increased annually.[Conclusion]The health education and promotion of participation mode plays an important role in improving self-protection awareness,forming good health habits,and reducing occupational hazards incidents due to benzene series.
Rural issues in urban planning: current trends and reflections

ABSTRACTWhile planning has always had an urban emphasis it has also always been concerned with urban–rural linkages and the interactions between urban and rural as well as with the people, economy, and environment of rural places. This symposium issue of International Planning Studies presents recent scholarship on rural planning from around the world.
Effect of immunosuppressive drugs on T and B lymphocytes in guinea pigs

Changes in the number of T and B lymphocytes were assessed in guinea pigs following administration of immunosuppressive drugs. T cells were measured by rosetting with papainized rabbit erythrocytes, B cells by complement rosettes. After a single intraperitoneal dose of cyclophosphamide (150 mg/kg), the number of T and B cells in both peripheral blood and lymph node suspensions decreased by 60%-70%. The reduction of both elements persisted through day 5 after drug administration. There was a differential rate of recovery; T cells were restored by day 8; B cells remained subnormal until day 14. Chlorambucil (10 mg/kg) produced less striking changes in the number of both types of lymphocytes; the reductions ranged from 25%-35%. Neither 6-mercaptopurine (100 mg/kg) nor methotrexate (75 mg/kg) altered the number of either cell type in the blood or lymph node samples. Hydrocortisone acetate (400 mg/kg) reduced lymph node T and B cells within 2 days of administration; blood values did not decrease until day 5. Additional studies indicated that five consecutive doses of cyclophosphamide (20 mg/kg/day) and chlorambucil (1 mg/kg/day) caused both T and B lymphopenia; none of the other drugs significantly depleted blood lymphocytes. These results suggest that the initial effects of cytotoxic agents and hydrocortisone are relatively nonselective in terms of changes in functional classes of lymphocytes. The cell-cycle specificity of cytotoxic drugs, rather than a specific toxicity for a particular class of lymphocytes, appears to be the prime determinant in the killing of immunologically competent cells.
Higher Education and the Discourse on Global Competition: Vernacular Approaches Within Higher Education Policy Documents

Over the past few decades, globalization and global competition have become prominent buzzwords in the higher education sector. These two constructs are highly interconnected: Higher education institutions (HEIs) are becoming increasingly linked across borders in a multitude of ways (whether intentionally or not), which in turn engenders competition within the global higher education landscape. The drive toward globalization and global competition is clearly evident; its effects are not uniform, however, and local entities mediate global trends. In this chapter, we build upon our prior work by investigating evidence of the discourse on global competition (DGC)—a pervasive rhetoric about excellence, rankings, and world-class status—within national higher education policy documents. Our aim was to ascertain to what extent the DGC was evident in these policies alongside other localized priorities. Before delving into this analysis, we frame the study by outlining trends and developments related to globalization in higher education. We also delineate our approach to the study, which entails employing the construct of vernacular globalization and qualitative policy document analysis strategies.
Anomalies and Malformations of the Pulmonary Circulation

Congenital anomalies of the pulmonary circulation can be seen as isolated anomalies or as part of more complex malformations affecting numerous organs and systems, in particular the lungs, heart, and great vessels. These malformations may affect the pulmonary arteries, pulmonary veins, the aorta, and the intrathoracic systemic veins. With its superb spatial and temporal resolution, contrast-enhanced multidetector CT has become the imaging modality of choice for the evaluation of these entities, allowing imaging of the heart, vasculature, and lungs in one single examination.
Spatial scaling of the profile of selective attention in the visual field

Neural mechanisms of selective attention must be capable of adapting to variation in the absolute size of an attended stimulus in the ever-changing visual environment. To date, little is known regarding how attentional selection interacts with fluctuations in the spatial expanse of an attended object. Here, we use event-related potentials (ERPs) to investigate the scaling of attentional enhancement and suppression across the visual field. We measured ERPs while participants performed a task at fixation that varied in its attentional demands (attentional load) and visual angle (1.0° or 2.5°). Observers were presented with a stream of task-relevant stimuli while foveal, parafoveal, and peripheral visual locations were probed by irrelevant distractor stimuli. We found two important effects in the N1 component of visual ERPs. First, N1 modulations to task-relevant stimuli indexed attentional selection of stimuli during the load task and further correlated with task performance. Second, with increased task size, attentional modulation of the N1 to distractor stimuli showed a differential pattern that was consistent with a scaling of attentional selection. Together, these results demonstrate that the size of an attended stimulus scales the profile of attentional selection across the visual field and provides insights into the attentional mechanisms associated with such spatial scaling.
Degrees of Allegiance: Harassment and Loyalty in Missouri's German-American Community during World War I.

Review of: Degrees of Allegiance: Harassment and Loyalty in Missouri’s German-American Community during World War I, by Petra DeWitt.
Pedestrians, Autonomous Vehicles, and Cities:

Autonomous vehicles, popularly known as self-driving cars, have the potential to transform travel behavior. However, existing analyses have ignored strategic interactions with other road users. In ...
Hindsight: Reflections on Retraining Secondary School Teachers to Teach Computer Science

A program for retraining secondary teachers to teach computer science is described. The program is based on a model that included three laboratory-based computer science courses and an instructional design course emphasizing critical thinking. Participants met once a week for three hours for 15 weeks. They received three graduate credits per course if they completed all four courses. Participants did quite well on an independent exam, administered by the School District of Philadelphia, to qualify as a computer science teacher at the secondary school level. Aspects of the retraining program that were considered successful as well as those aspects that could be changed to improve the retraining program are discussed.
Malignancy rate in thyroid nodules categorized as atypia of undetermined significance or follicular lesion of undetermined significance - An institutional experience.

Introduction: Atypia of undetermined significance (AUS) or follicular lesion of undetermined significance (FLUS) of Bethesda system for reporting thyroid cytopathology has emerged as most controversial category due to its heterogeneity and inconsistent usage. Initially associated risk of malignancy was estimated to be about 5–15%, but eventually different results have been obtained across institutions due to variable follow-ups and interpretation. The present study was conducted to evaluate the rate of malignancy along with appropriate management in this category. Materials and Methods: The study included AUS/FLUS cases diagnosed over period of 4 years on thyroid fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). Detailed clinical history and radiological examination were recorded along with follow-ups and management of all cases. Histopathology was available for cases which underwent surgery due to high clinical suspicion, worrisome radiological features or two consecutive AUS/FLUS reports. Results: The incidence of AUS/FLUS was 6.4% with repeat FNAC done in 39.6%, immediate surgery in 49.2% and follow-up without intervention in 11.1% cases. The overall malignancy rate was 28.5% with most common malignancy being follicular variant of papillary carcinoma (FVPC). Malignancy rate was more in cases (24.1%) which morphologically showed atypical nuclear features in comparison to architectural atypia. Conclusion: AUS/FLUS is associated with higher risk of malignancy than previously anticipated. Surgical intervention may have greater implication than repeat FNAC in appropriate management of this category. Substratification of this category according to nuclear features and architecture may be more useful in predicting malignancy risk and reducing the variability in the group.
Total Joint Arthroplasty in Ambulatory Surgery Centers: Analysis of Disqualifying Conditions and the Frequency at Which They Occur.

Abstract Background The frequency of total joint arthroplasties (TJAs) performed in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) is increasing. However, not all TJA patients are healthy enough to safely undergo these procedures in an ambulatory setting. We examined the percentage of arthroplasty patients who would be eligible to have the procedure performed in a free-standing ASC and the distribution of comorbidities making patients ASC-ineligible. Methods We reviewed the charts of 3444 patients undergoing TJA and assigned ASC eligibility based on American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) status, a set of exclusion criteria, and any existing comorbidities. Results Overall, 70.03% of all patients undergoing TJA were eligible for ASC. Of the ASA class 3 patients who did not meet any exclusion criteria but had systemic disease (51.11% of all ASA class 3 patients), 53.69% were deemed ASC-eligible because of sufficiently low severity of comorbidities. The most frequent reasons for ineligibility were body mass index >40 kg/m 2 (32.66% of ineligible patients), severity of comorbidities (28.00%), and untreated obstructive sleep apnea (25.19%). Conclusion A large proportion of TJA patients were found to be eligible for surgery in an ASC, including over one-third of ASA class 3 patients. ASC performed TJA provides an opportunity for increased patient satisfaction and decreased costs, selecting the right candidates for the ambulatory setting is critical to maintain patient safety and avoid postoperative complications.
Enhanced Adaptive Inflation Algorithm for Ensemble Filters

AbstractSpatially and temporally varying adaptive inflation algorithms have been developed to combat the loss of variance during the forecast due to various model and sampling errors. The adaptive Bayesian scheme of Anderson uses available observations to update the Gaussian inflation distribution assigned for every state variable. The likelihood function of the inflation is computed using model-minus-data innovation statistics. A number of enhancements for this inflation scheme are proposed. To prevent excessive deflation, an inverse gamma distribution for the prior inflation is considered. A non-Gaussian distribution offers a flexible framework for the inflation variance to evolve during the update. The innovations are assumed random variables, and a correction term is added to the mode of the likelihood distribution such that the observed inflation is slightly larger. This modification improves the stability of the adaptive scheme by limiting the occurrence of negative and physically intolerable inflat...
Stochastic and adaptive optimal control of uncertain interconnected systems: A data-driven approach

Abstract This paper provides a novel non-model-based, data-driven stochastic H ∞ control design for linear continuous-time stochastic interconnected systems with unknown dynamics. Our contributions are three-fold. First, we develop a tool to show how to assign an arbitrarily small input-to-output stochastic L 2 gain of the closed-loop system, by combining the gain assignment technique with the zero-sum dynamic game-based H ∞ control design. Second, robustness to dynamic uncertainties is tackled using the small-gain theory. Third, we develop a non-model-based stochastic robust adaptive dynamic programming (RADP) algorithm for adaptive optimal controller design. In sharp contrast to the existing methods, the obtained algorithm is based on value iteration (VI), and the knowledge of an initial stabilizing control policy is no longer needed. An example of a power electronic system is adopted to illustrate the obtained results.
Coverage of Medications That Treat Opioid Use Disorder and Opioids for Pain Management in Marketplace Plans, 2017.

Background:Efficacious medications to treat opioid use disorders (OUDs) have been slow to diffuse into practice, and insurance coverage limits may be one important barrier.Objectives:To compare coverage for medications used to treat OUDs and opioids commonly prescribed for pain management in plans o
Anti-Inflammatory Therapeutics in COPD: Past, Present, and Future

Corticosteroids are highly effective in the therapy of asthma; whereas they have little or no anti-inflammatory effects in most patients with COPD. This has prompted a search for alternative anti-inflammatory treatments, and this has so far proved to be a great challenge. The only effective anti- inflammatory treatment for COPD that is in current use is theophylline, which is widely used in developing countries but little use in Western countries because of its side effects at high doses. There is a pressing need to develop new anti-inflammatory treatments in order to more effectively treat systems, prevent exacerbations, reduce disease progression, and reduce mortality.
CHAPTER 60 – Antisense therapy

This chapter provides an overview of antisense technology, which exploits oligonucleotide analogs (typically 15–20 nucleotides) to bind to cognate RNA sequences through Watson–Crick hybridization resulting in the destruction or disablement of the target RNA. Thus, antisense technology represents a “new pharmacology” that continues to advance. Clinical experience with the first generation antisense drugs now exceeds several thousand patients, and a number of studies now suggest therapeutic activity. Second generation antisense drugs with dramatically improved properties are now available for clinical trials. Antisense technology has also been automated such that it is useful as a tool to determine gene function, and it is being used to determine the biological roles of various cytokine and related genes. Further, antisense inhibitors of cytokines and related genes are progressing in evaluations for therapeutic potential.
It Is Not Necessary to Discontinue Seizure Threshold–Lowering Medications Prior to Myelography

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: There is no consensus on whether patients undergoing myelography should discontinue medications that could lower their seizure threshold. The purpose of this study was to document the most commonly prescribed seizure threshold–lowering medications in patients undergoing myelography and determine whether withholding such medications decreases the incidence of seizures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective observational study of all the myelograms obtained in 2016 at 2 affiliated hospitals. At hospital A, seizure threshold–lowering medications are discontinued before myelography, and prophylactic diazepam is given for all cervical myelograms. At hospital B, seizure threshold–lowering medications are not withheld before the procedure, and medical seizure prophylaxis is not implemented. The seizure threshold–lowering medications the patients were taking at the time of the procedure and postmyelographic seizure incidence were documented. RESULTS: A total of 311 patients underwent myelography during 2016. One hundred eleven patients (36%) were on at least 1 seizure threshold–lowering medication, and 30 (10%) were on at least 2. The most common medications were duloxetine, sertraline, venlafaxine, bupropion, and trazodone. The most common tricyclic antidepressant was amitriptyline. Three patients across both sites had a controlled seizure disorder and were on antiepileptics. None of the patients at either hospital had seizures during or within 3 hours following any of the myelograms during the study period. CONCLUSIONS: Continuing seizure threshold–lowering medications during myelography does not increase the risk of seizures. Screening for and withholding seizure threshold-lowering medications are not indicated for routine myelography.
Effector Specificity Mechanisms of Rab35 GTPase

The mechanism of GTPase specificity remains incompletely understood. In this issue of Structure, Lin et al. (2019) present crystal structures of Rab35 in complex with two effectors, ACAP2 and RUSC2, respectively, unraveling the molecular basis for the exquisite mutual specificity between Rab35 and these effectors.
Research on the Application Integration Model for the Agricultural Enterprise of Integrative Production and Marketing

To integrate application systems under heterogeneous environments has gradually become a pressing demand for most agricultural enterprise. The vast diversity of implementation technologies increases the complexity of applications integration. With the aim of facilitating the development of integration solutions, we propose the specification of application integration. To achieve this, we analyzed the current situation of information, the environment of application systems, and the specific requirements of integration. We also studied the integration technologies. And then the ESB-SOA model for the agricultural enterprise of integrative production and marketing was proposed on the basis of a number of advanced technologies, such as ESB, SOA, EAI and Web Service. Based on ESB and SOA technologies, the model is able to utilize and integrate effectively various service resources on the geographically distributed computing environments. And through intelligent agent technologies, it supports cooperation and coordination mechanisms for the service activities. To exemplify and validate the profile, a case study is presented in which the proposed profile is used.
Race and racism in the geosciences

Geoscientists in the United States are predominantly White. Progress towards diversification can only come with a concerted shift in mindsets and a deeper understanding of the complexities of race.
Utility of Preoperative Laboratory Testing in Assessing Risk of Adverse Outcomes After Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion: Insights from National Surgical Registry.

Background Preoperative laboratory tests are varied in their administration among physicians, and previous studies have published conflicting reports on their utility. Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is a commonly performed spine surgery, and patients often undergo preoperative testing. We sought to assess the relationship between preoperative laboratory values and risk for adverse postoperative outcomes after ACDF. Methods The American College of Surgeons–National Surgical Quality Improvement Program was queried from 2012 to 2017 to identify patients undergoing elective ACDF. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to assess the association between abnormal laboratory test values and adverse 30-day outcomes. Relative predictor importance was determined using an importance metric defined as Wald χ2 penalized by degrees of freedom. Results A total of 47,111 patients were included. On multivariable analysis, high creatinine (P = 0.030), anemia (P Conclusions Our analyses indicate that abnormal preoperative laboratory values are associated with increased risk for adverse outcomes after elective ACDF and can be used in predictive analyses of outcomes.
Kiviq.us: A free double auction Internet classroom experiment that runs on any student device

This Web site URL: https://www.kiviq.us provides an online version of the double oral auction that works on all student Internet-enabled devices, including smartphones and iPads, without requiring ...
Maternal Sleep Position and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: The NuMoM2b Prospective Cohort Study

Background: Maternal sleep position on the back or right side has been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, leading to recommendations to always sleep on the left side and maternal anxiety about sleep. However, available data are from case-control studies, which are subject to recall bias. Our objective was to examine the relationship between prospectively assessed sleep position and subsequent adverse pregnancy outcomes. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of a prospective observational multicenter cohort study of nulliparous women with singleton gestations. Participants prospectively completed in-depth sleep questionnaires between 6+0 and 13+6 week's gestation (V1) and 22+0 and 29+6 week's gestation (V3). At each visit, women were asked in what position they went to sleep last night and on average during the past week. A subset of women also underwent level 3 home sleep tests using the Embletta Gold device. The primary outcome was a composite of adverse pregnancy outcomes including stillbirth, small for gestational age fetus (SGA), and gestational hypertensive disorders. Results: 8,706 (of 10,038 total) women had data from at least one sleep questionnaire and for pregnancy outcomes, and they comprised the population for this analysis. There was no association between reported non-left lateral or supine sleep during the last week at V1 or V3 and the composite or any individual outcome, except for an apparent protective effect for stillbirth at V3. Women with objectively measured supine sleep position for > 50% of the time were no more likely than those in the supine position ≤ 50% of the time to have the composite adverse outcome. Conclusions: Going to sleep in the supine or right lateral position, as self reported prior to the development of pregnancy outcome and objectively assessed through 30 weeks gestation was not associated with an increased risk of stillbirth, SGA fetus or gestational hypertensive disorders. Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01322529) Funding Statement: This study is supported by grant funding from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD): U10 HD063036, RTI International; U10 HD063072, Case Western Reserve University; U10 HD063047, Columbia University; U10 HD063037, Indiana University; U10 HD063041, University of Pittsburgh; U10 HD063020, Northwestern University; U10 HD063046, University of California Irvine; U10 HD063048, University of Pennsylvania; and U10 HD063053, University of Utah. In addition, support was provided by respective Clinical and Translational Science Institutes to Indiana University (UL1TR001108) and University of California Irvine (UL1TR000153). Declaration of Interests: No conflicts of interest to declare or report. Ethics Approval Statement: The study was approved by the Institutional Review Boards at each clinical site and the Data Coordinating Center, and all participants gave written informed consent.
The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election: déjà vu All Over Again?

A 1900-2016 time series model predicts former Vice President Joe Biden will win 55.44 percent of the 2020 US presidential popular vote. A change in party control of the U.S. House of Representatives two years before a presidential election has a significant coefficient to explain the popular vote that has not been explored in the past 25 years. A cross-section 50 state Electoral College probit model projects President Trump’s re-election, winning 26 states with 279 electoral votes while Biden receives 259. These popular vote and electoral vote forecasts surely have wide discrepancies. Biden is forecast to win the Electoral College vote under several circumstances. If he wins Wisconsin’s 10 electoral votes, which are predicted for Trump, the candidates could tie with 269 electoral votes and the House of Representatives would select the president. Biden would be elected if he wins Wisconsin and the popular vote in one Congressional district in Nebraska or both districts in Maine. Biden could win with victories in several states where he is forecast to lose close contests. Numbers of COVID-19 virus cases and deaths are not highly correlated with states where Trump is projected to win. The effects of factors such as the President’s health and candidates’ closing campaign behavior cannot be measured. Forecasting US presidential outcomes in the 21st century has become a highly risky activity.
Interaction between Pyridoxal Hydrochloride and L-α-Asparagine in Comparison to L-α- and D-α-Aspartic Acids

The kinetics and mechanism of condensation of pyridoxal hydrochloride with L-α-asparagine, L‑α- and D-α-aspartic acids are analyzed via UV spectroscopy and polarimetry. It is found that L‑α‑asparagine containing α-NH2 and γ-NH2 groups interacts with pyridoxal via the γ-NH2 group, forming Schiff bases that are resistant to chemical transformations. Rearrangement produces Schiff bases that form the cyclic structure from the amino acid moiety. L-α- and D-α-aspartic acids interacting with pyridoxal via α‑NH2 groups create Schiff bases that form quinoid structures after elimination of α-hydrogen or СО2. Their subsequent hydrolysis results in pyridoxamine, α-ketoacids, and aldehyde acids, respectively. Schemes of the condensation mechanisms of L-α-asparagine, L-α-, D-α-aspartic acids with pyridoxal hydrochloride are proposed.
Examination of abdominal wall perfusion using varying suture techniques for midline abdominal laparotomy closure

With a growing interest in the primary prevention of incisional hernias, it has been hypothesized that different suturing techniques may cause various levels of tissue ischemia. Using ICG laser-induced fluorescence angiography (ICG-FA), we studied the effect of different suture materials and closure techniques on abdominal wall perfusion. Fifteen porcine subjects underwent midline laparotomy, bilateral skin flap creation, and three separate 7 cm midline fascial incisions. Animals underwent fascial closure with 5 different techniques: (1) Running 0-PDS® II (polydioxanone) Suture with large bites; (2) Running 0-PDS II Suture with small bites; (3) Interrupted figure-of-eight (8) PDS II Suture, (4) Running 0-barbed STRATAFIX™ Symmetric PDS™ Plus Knotless Tissue Control Device large bite; (5) Running 0-STRATAFIX Symmetric PDS Plus Device small bites. ICG-FA signal intensity was recorded prior to fascial incision (baseline), immediately following fascial closure (closure), and at one-week (1-week.). Post-mortem, the abdominal walls were analyzed for inflammation, neovascularity, and necrosis. PDS II Suture with small bites, fascial closure at the caudal 1/3 of the abdominal wall, and the 1-week time period were all independently associated with increased tissue perfusion. There was also a significant increase in tissue perfusion from closure to 1-week when using small bites PDS II Suture compared to PDS II Suture figure-of-8 (p < 0.001) and a trend towards significance when compared with large bites PDS II Suture (p = 0.056). Additionally, the change in perfusion from baseline to 1 week with small bites was higher than with figure of 8 (p = 0.002). Across all locations, small bite PDS II Suture has greater total inflammation than figure of 8 (p < 0.001). The results suggest that the small bite technique increases abdominal wall perfusion and ICG-FA technology can reliably map abdominal wall perfusion. This finding may help explain the reduced incisional hernia rates seen in clinical studies with the small bite closure technique.
Consideration of the Long-Term Effects of Hypogravity

The effects of long-term reduced (lunar) gravity are very much unknown. The Apollo Program represents our only experience with humans in extended lunar gravity. Those exposures were brief, but few if any major medical issues were encountered that cannot be ascribed to issues other than reduced gravity. Animal experiments will be of great value in elucidating partial-g effects, but they have uncertain transfer to human responses; the best of these experiments are being performed now (2021) with rodents on an ISS centrifuge. We might expect that some of the main physiological issues that occur in extended weightlessness (e.g., ISS) will manifest also in extended lunar gravity, but this is far from certain. The reduced but non-zero gravity level on the moon may well be sufficient to halt or dramatically reduce the main aspects of physiological deconditioning seen in weightlessness. Those aspects that are not sufficiently alleviated in this way might benefit from additional exercise and intermittent exposures to higher gravity levels.
Defensins and Other Antimicrobial Peptides: Innate Defense of Mucosal Surfaces

This chapter provides an in-depth account of defensins, and ties together the roles of other antimicrobial peptides and proteins that together contribute to mucosal innate host defense. While the focus is on defensins and antimicrobial peptides from humans, peptides from other species are also included where appropriate. The structural and functional relationships between these three classes of alpha-defensins, beta-defensins, theta-defensins are discussed in this chapter. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of the resulting retrocyclin were modest and were similar to those of synthetic and native rhesus theta-defensins. The noticeable salt sensitivity of ELR- CXC chemokines was similar to that of defensins and many other antimicrobial peptides. High concentrations of alpha-defensins are frequently observed in chronically inflamed tissues. Certain factors within airway fluid, including electrolytes and anionic macromolecules, decrease the activity of many antimicrobial peptides, including defensins. Even though the processing of human neutrophil alpha-defensins occurs during neutrophil maturation prior to cellular release from the bone marrow, matrilysin may participate in the activation of beta-defensins or other antimicrobial peptides in the human airways. Defensins and other antimicrobial peptides and proteins coat mucosal surfaces and are among the primary early mediators of host defense against colonization and tissue invasion by pathogenic microbes. In vitro and in vivo studies indicate that most antimicrobial peptides probably act as endogenous antibiotics.
Chapter 13 Regulation of Extrarenal Potassium Homeostasis by Insulin and Catecholamines

Publisher Summary The chapter focuses on the hormonal control of extrarenal potassium (K) homeostasis, using insulin and catecholamines as model systems. Insulin is an important regulator of K uptake by extrarenal tissues, muscle and liver. In the absence of insulin or if there exists resistance to the action of insulin, extrarenal K homeostasis will be impaired. Insulin lack will be associated with a rise in the plasma glucose concentration. The resultant hypertonicity will cause the translocation of water and K out of cells into the extracellular compartment, leading to hyperkalemia. The insulin deficiency be particularly severe, ketoacidosis may ensue and the metabolic acidemia will exacerbate the hyperkalemia via two mechanisms: K will move out of cells in exchange for hydrogen (H), which has entered the cell to be buffered by intracellular proteins, and the increase in blood H ion concentration will directly inhibit K secretion by the distal tubule and collecting duct. In addition to insulin deficiency, diabetics commonly have a defect in aldosterone secretion. If present, this will lead to an impairment in K uptake by extrarenal tissues, as well as a decrease in renal K excretion. The sympathetic nervous system and circulating catecholamines have been shown to play the most important role in the maintenance of extrarenal K homeostasis. The cellular mechanisms via which catecholamines regulate extrarenal K uptake have been reviewed in the chapter.
Abstract 3965: Modulating glutathione s-transferase M4 activity for the treatment of Ewing sarcoma

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Ewing sarcoma is a malignant pediatric bone and soft tissue tumor. The prognosis for Ewing sarcoma remains dismal despite of intensive treatments including surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Moreover, these unspecific treatments often have severe side effects. We previously reported that Glutathione S-transferase M4 (GSTM4) is a potential specific treatment target for Ewing sarcoma. GSTM4 is required for oncogenic transformation and confers chemotherapeutic drug resistance in Ewing sarcoma cells; high GSTM4 level in primary tumor is correlated with poor patient outcome. Here we further evaluate the efficacy of modulating GSTM4 activity in treating Ewing sarcoma using patient-derived cells and mouse xenograft models. RNA-seq analysis for RNA levels of all GSTs in A673 Ewing sarcoma cells as well as online database searching for GSTM4 RNA level in tumor samples of various sarcomas demonstrate that GSTM4 is specifically highly expressed in Ewing sarcoma. By MTT and soft agar assays, we find that NBDHEX, a GSTM4 inhibitory compound, inhibits cellular proliferation and oncogenic transformation of Ewing sarcoma cells. Furthermore, NBDHEX has a synergistic effect in cytotoxicity with chemotherapeutic drug etoposide. Conversely, a GSTM4-activated anti-cancer agent, JS-K, significantly decreases Ewing sarcoma cell viability (p<0.05). We find that JS-K works through GSTM4 because knockdown of GSTM4 by shRNA in Ewing sarcoma cells significantly decreases their sensitivity to JS-K (p<0.05). Moreover, JS-K significantly decreases Ewing sarcoma xenograft tumor growth in immunodeficient mice (Mantel-Cox test p=0.0002). Next we examine the underlying mechanism of GSTM4 mediated drug resistance and find that GSTM4 interacts with Apoptosis Signal-regulating Kinase 1 (ASK1) and inhibits ASK1 activation of c-Jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK) mediated apoptosis upon etoposide treatment. Taken together, these data provide further evidence that GSTM4 is a novel therapeutic target for Ewing sarcoma. GSTM4 targeted inhibition by inhibitors or knockdown by RNA interference combined with standard chemotherapeutic regimens are potential treatments more specific and effective for Ewing sarcoma. GSTM4 pro-drugs are promising for treatment of patients with high GSTM4 expression tumors. Our data also suggest that agents intervening of GSTM4/ASK interaction may increase drug sensitivity of Ewing sarcoma cells and tumors and therefore be of therapeutic values. Citation Format: Rupeng Zhuo, Kenneth M. Kosak, Savita Sankar, Elizabeth T. Wiles, Yin Sun, Jianxing Zhang, Glenn D. Prestwich, Paul J. Shami, Stephen L. Lessnick, Mitchell S. Cairo, Wen Luo. Modulating glutathione s-transferase M4 activity for the treatment of Ewing sarcoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 3965. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-3965
DNA-dependent RNA polymerases from murine testis. Properties of two activities.

Abstract Multiple forms of DNA-dependent RNA polymerase activities have been isolated from nuclei of mouse testis. Using highly purified nuclei, two activities can be solubilized and are separable by DEAE-Sephadex chromatography; peak I eluting at 0.11–0.14 M and peak II eluting at 0.24–0.27 M (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 . A third form of RNA polymerase activity is observed eluting at 0.31–0.33 M (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 when an extract from a less highly purified nuclear preparation is analysed. At concentrations of 0.125 μg/ml, peak I is insensitive to the toxin α-amanitin, peak II is totally inhibited, and peak III is partially inhibited. Peak I activity is optimal at pH 8.4 in the presence of Mg 2+ (2–6 mM) or Mn 2+ (1 mM) and uses native and heat-denatured DNA template equally well. Peak II has optimal activity at pH 7.9 in the presence of Mn 2+ (2 mM) and heat-denatured DNA. Mg 2+ has little effect on the activity of peak II.
A review of multimodal biometric systems: Fusion methods and their applications

Biometrics is the science and technology of measuring and analyzing biological data of human body for increasing systems security by providing accurate and reliable patterns and algorithms for person verification and identification and its solutions are widely used in governments, military and industries. Single source of information in biometric systems are called unimodal systems and are perfect but they often suffer from some problems when they face with noisy data such as: intra-class variations, restricted degrees of freedom, spoof attacks and non-universality. Several of these problems can be solved by using multimodal biometric systems that combine two or more biometric modalities. Various methods, fusion levels and integration strategies can be applied to combine information in multimodal systems.
The Three Faces of Herodes: Children’s Exodus, Catastrophic Migrations & Shadowed Lives

Este articulo examina la crisis de 2014 de los menores no acompanados procedentes de America Central y detenidos en la frontera sur de los Estados Unidos. La violencia estructural de guerra que existe en el mundo, la distopia del entorno y las crecientes desigualdades globales se encuentran detras del mayor desplazamiento humano existente desde la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Pero la catastrofe en la frontera de los Estados Unidos responde a procesos hemisfericos unicos con historias transnacionales profundas que conectan Estados Unidos con America Latina. Este articulo analiza las desigualdades estructurales, el narco-terror, los desastres y otras variables a nivel de familia en el proceso del actual exodo de America Central. Los datos pertenecientes al UCLA’s Institute for Immigration, Globalization and Education en -- http://icy.gseis.ucla.edu/ , una de las mayores bases de datos interdisciplinar, comparativa y longitudinal sobre inmigracion y familia, ayuda a explicar el porque aunque el numero de menores no acompanados procedentes de Mexico continua disminuyendo, el de ninos y ninas no acompanados de America Central ha alcanzado numeros sin precedentes. Separados en el pasado, los ninos y ninas de America Central buscan en el presente la reunificacion familiar.
Raising Questions about Rouch

Rouch in Reverse. 1995. 51 minutes. Directed by Manthia Diawara. Produced by Parminder Vir. California Newsreel, 149 Ninth Street/420, San Francisco, CA 94103. (415) 621-6196. Fax (415) 621-6522. newsreel@ix.netcom.com. Available in video only.