cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synthesis of the C3–C7 fragment of tylonolide by the γ-hydroxybutenolide approach

Abstract The seven-step synthesis of the C3–C7 fragment from 3-furanmethanol is described. The key step is an asymmetric aldol reaction of a γ-hydroxybutenolide with the titanium enolate of an N -propionyloxazolidinone. The resulting lactone was reduced to give the C4–C6 stereotriad, with further selective reductions to differentiate the two termini and C20 as a protected acetal.
Petitioning a giant: Debt, reciprocity, and mortgage modification in the Sacramento Valley

Following the 2007 mortgage crash, the US government established programs to assist homeowners by modifying their mortgages. But the oversight of these programs was granted to the same mortgage industry giants that provoked the crisis, and these lenders rejected over 70 percent of applicants’ requests for modifications. In the process, there emerged new mortgage-modification bureaucracies, fusing corporate and state forms of administrative power. Yet as mortgagors demanded assistance from private lenders, they and lending company employees were drawn into reciprocal relationships that anthropologists have previously associated with “gift economies.” This convergence of government and corporate bureaucracies has inspired among homeowners and modification specialists in California's Sacramento Valley forms of reciprocity often considered antithetical to late-capitalist finance. This surprising contemporary juxtaposition of reciprocity and indebtedness suggests a need to revise long-standing anthropological theories about the social obligations born of debt ties within late liberal capitalist markets. [bureaucracy, corporations, debt, foreclosure, mortgaging, reciprocity, United States]
Modelling and simulation of distributed power systems

A method for efficiently analyzing distributed power systems during the design process is presented. Individual DC-DC power converters are modeled by using averaged or device-level representations. The averaged models for basic power converter topologies are combined with behavioral models for the control loop. Simulation accuracies close to those for a full component-level model can be achieved with more than an order-of-magnitude reduction of the simulation time. The newly developed models are used for system-level simulation. System stability for fully distributed loads is readily determined for a number of power systems configurations. >
The isotopic fractionation of carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen during illicit production of cocaine base in South America

Stable isotope measurements have become a key component in sourcing the origin of illicit cocaine seized within the United States. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the process by which isotopes may be fractionated during illicit cocaine processing. In a controlled observational study, there was apparent isotopic fractionation of carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen. To investigate the potential source of the fractionation, cocaine base was fractionally precipitated from a dilute sulfuric acid solution with dilute ammonium hydroxide. The values of δ13C, δ15N, δ2H, and δ18O for each fraction were measured by isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS). There was an equilibrium fractionation observed in all measured stable isotopes. Early fractions were depleted, and later fractions were enriched, with 15N and 2H being the most affected. The described trend is opposite of the Rayleigh distillation observed for cocaine hydrochloride precipitation.
The immigrant paradox on internalizing symptoms among immigrant adolescents.

Abstract Understanding the immigrant paradox on health outcomes among UK's immigrant adolescents will greatly complement the research on immigrants that has already been established there by economists and interdisciplinary fields. This study used the first Longitudinal Study of Young People in England 2004–2010 database (N = 15,770) to determine a) whether there was evidence of the immigrant paradox on internalizing mental health symptoms between first generation (n = 753) and second plus generation (n = 3042) 14/15 year old immigrant adolescents in England and b) whether differences (if any) were moderated by ethnicity group membership (Black African, Black Caribbean, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Asian Other, White Immigrant). Findings demonstrate that overall first generation adolescent immigrants had statistically fewer internalizing symptoms as compared to second plus generation, and that this was especially true for Black African adolescents. Effect sizes measures however indicated that these differences were negligible. Implications for protective factors and future studies are briefly discussed.
Typology of Nonindustrial Private Forest Landowners and Forestry Behavior: Implications for Forest Carbon Sequestration in the Southern US

To implement effective climate change mitigation and carbon sequestration activities in the southern US, nonindustrial private forest landowner (NIPF) participation is necessary because of the significant area of forest land under their ownership. For policy implementation to involve this major ownership group in climate change mitigation activities in this region, it is important to understand their forest management motivations and understanding toward carbon sequestration. This study develops a regional typology of NIPF landowners based on reasons for owning forest land in the southern US. The specific goals were to: (1) segment NIPF landowners into smaller homogeneous groups based on reasons for owning forest land; (2) identify landownership characteristics and forest management behavior by ownership groups; and (3) assess their climate change beliefs and understanding of forest carbon sequestration by ownership groups. A principal component-cluster analysis of 735 responses to a mail questionnaire distributed to NIPF landowners in the southern US revealed three groups, which were named amenity, multi-objective, and timber-oriented landowners. The amenity group included 21% of the landowners, while the timber and multi-objective groups included 40% and 39% of the landowners, respectively. These landowner groups varied in terms of owner characteristics, forest species type and management behavior, climate change beliefs and understanding of carbon sequestration. The amenity and multi-objective owners tend to have more positive belief toward climate change than the timber group, but more landowners in each group indicated having poor understanding of forest carbon sequestration. The study fills a knowledge gap in research efforts by developing a regional typology of NIPF landowners and linking it with their forestry resources and management strategies along with their climate change beliefs and understanding of forest carbon sequestration.
Borrelia burgdorferi Manipulates Innate and Adaptive Immunity to Establish Persistence in Rodent Reservoir Hosts.

The Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato species complex is capable of establishing persistent infections in a wide variety of species, particularly rodents. Infection is asymptomatic or mild in most reservoir host species, indicating successful co-evolution of the pathogen with its natural hosts. Infected humans and other incidental hosts, however, can develop Lyme disease, a serious inflammatory syndrome characterized by tissue inflammation of joints, heart, muscles, skin and CNS. While B. burgdorferi infection induces both innate and adaptive immune responses, they are ultimately ineffective in clearing the infection from reservoir hosts, leading to bacterial persistence. Here we review some mechanisms by which B. burgdorferi evades the immune system of the rodent host, focusing in particular on effects on innate immune mechanisms and recent findings suggesting that T-dependent B cell responses are subverted during infection. A better understanding of the mechanisms causing persistence in rodents may help to increase our understanding of the pathogenesis of Lyme disease and ultimately aid in the development of therapies that support effective clearance of the bacterial infection by the host’s immune system.
Simply put: Vaccination saves lives.

Few measures in public health can compare with the impact of vaccines. Vaccinations have reduced disease, disability, and death from a variety of infectious diseases. For example, in the United States, children are recommended to be vaccinated against 16 diseases (1). Table 1 highlights the impact in the United States of immunization against nine vaccine-preventable diseases, including smallpox and a complication of one of those diseases, congenital rubella syndrome, showing representative annual numbers of cases in the 20th century compared with 2016 reported cases (2, 3). All of the diseases have been reduced by more than 90% and many have either been eliminated or reductions of 99% or more have been achieved. A recent analysis of vaccines to protect against 13 diseases estimated that for a single birth cohort nearly 20 million cases of diseases were prevented, including over 40,000 deaths (4). In addition to saving the lives of our children, vaccination has resulted in net economic benefits to society amounting to almost $69 billion in the United States alone. A recent economic analysis of 10 vaccines for 94 low- and middle-income countries estimated that an investment of $34 billion for the immunization programs resulted in savings of $586 billion in reducing costs of illness and $1.53 trillion when broader economic benefits were included (5). The only human disease ever eradicated, smallpox, was eradicated using a vaccine, and a second, polio, is near eradication, also using vaccines (6, 7). View this table: Table 1. Comparison of 20th century annual morbidity and current estimates vaccine-preventable diseases Vaccines not only provide individual protection for those persons who are vaccinated, they can also provide community protection by reducing the spread of disease within a population (Fig. 1). Person-to-person infection is spread when a transmitting case comes in contact with a susceptible person. If the transmitting … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: WORENST{at}emory.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Cassini finds molecular hydrogen in the Enceladus plume: Evidence for hydrothermal processes.

Saturn's moon Enceladus has a subsurface ocean covered by a layer of ice. Some liquid escapes into space through cracks in the ice, which is the source of one of Saturn's rings. In October 2015, the Cassini spacecraft flew directly through the plume of escaping material and sampled its chemical composition. Waite et al. found that the plume contains molecular hydrogen, H2, a sign that the water in Enceladus' ocean is reacting with rocks through hydrothermal processes (see the Perspective by Seewald). This drives the ocean out of chemical equilibrium, in a similar way to water around Earth's hydrothermal vents, potentially providing a source of chemical energy. Science , this issue p. [155][1]; see also p. [132][2] [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.aai8703 [2]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.aan0444
Outcomes after medical and surgical interventions in horses with temporohyoid osteoarthropathy

SummaryBackground Temporohyoid osteoarthropathy (THO) is a cause of neurological disease in horses characterised by facial and vestibulocochlear nerve deficits. Studies reporting and comparing survival following medical or surgical treatment of THO are lacking. Objectives To compare survival and prognosis of horses with THO treated medically or surgically; and to report surgical complications. Study design Retrospective. Methods Medical records of horses diagnosed with THO were retrieved, and signalment, clinical signs and duration, presence of corneal ulceration and bilateral occurrence were recorded. Neurological severity grades were assigned based on clinical signs. Pre-operative radiographic and endoscopic images were graded depending on severity of the changes. Factors potentially affecting survival and treatment were compared using Cox proportional hazards regression. Results Seventy-seven horses with THO were identified (1990 - 2014): 25 horses had ceratohyoid ostectomy (CHO) and 8 partial stylohyoid ostectomy (PSHO). Thirteen of 20, one of 25, and one of 8 horses treated by medical therapy, CHO and PSHO, respectively, died or were euthanised due to THO. Compared to CHO, medical therapy was significantly associated with non-survival but there were no significant differences in survival between horses undergoing PSHO and medical therapy. Duration of clinical signs, and the neurological, radiographic and endoscopic grades were not associated with survival of THO. However, the age of the horse was significantly associated with poorer survival. Survival time was significantly shorter for the medical group compared to the two surgical groups together, but no significant differences were seen between the two surgical groups. Main limitations Non-randomised study of treatment effect on survival, with a low number of cases. Conclusions Prognosis for horses with THO is good-to-excellent for survival with surgical intervention, and fair with medical therapy alone. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Symbolic and size shifts in short-term memory tasks

Five groups of 30 Ss were tested for recall of triads of spelled-out numbers (SON) or arabic numerals (AN) for four trials in order to examine the effects of a shift in either symbolic presentation or physical size. Recall was facilitated by size and symbolic changes. overall recall of AN was superior to that of SON. and idios-v-ncratic item effects were observed. The relationship between these results and isolation effects was discussed.
Data and knowledge in database systems: multidimensional databases and online analytical processing

Multidimensional databases provide the conceptual framework and data model for enabling online analytical processing (OLAP). OLAP provides the technology to do ad hoc analysis of data stored in data warehouses. In this article, we introduce the multidimensional data model and its operators, and discuss implementation of OLAP over relational backend systems.
Tolerance induction in recent thymic emigrants (BA11P.121)

Recent thymic emigrants (RTEs) comprise the subset of peripheral T cells that have most recently undergone thymic maturation and egress to the lymphoid periphery. RTEs are an important lymphocyte population to study because they represent the majority of T cells in neonates and contribute to T cell diversity throughout life. Using RAG2p-GFP transgenic (Tg) mice to identify RTEs in the periphery, our lab has discovered that T cell development continues for several weeks after cells have left the thymus and entered the lymphoid periphery. We hypothesize that post-thymic maturation represents a period of heightened susceptibility to tolerance induction. We tested this notion using T cell receptor (TCR) Tg ovalbumin (OVA)-specific CD4 (OT-II) and CD8 (OT-I) RTE and MN T cells transferred into mice expressing a membrane-bound form of the OVA protein in the pancreatic islets and kidney proximal tubular cells (RIP-mOVA Tg). Following co-transfer of congenically marked OT-II and OT-I RTE and MN T cells to RIP-mOVA Tg mice, we found that, compared to mature T cells, both CD4 and CD8 RTEs proliferate, accumulate, and secrete less IL-2 and IFNg, but express elevated levels anergy-associated genes. Finally, both OT-II and OT-I RTEs were less diabetogenic than their mature T cell counterparts when transferred into RIP-mOVA adoptive hosts. These results further support our hypothesis that post-thymic maturation represents a period of heightened susceptibility to tolerance induction.
Strain effect in epitaxial VO2 thin films grown on sapphire substrates using SnO2 buffer layers

Epitaxial VO2/SnO2 thin film heterostructures were deposited on m-cut sapphire substrates via pulsed laser deposition. By adjusting SnO2 (150 nm) growth conditions, we are able to control the interfacial strain between the VO2 film and SnO2 buffer layer such that the semiconductor-to-metal transition temperature (TC) of VO2 films can be tuned without diminishing the magnitude of the transition. It is shown that in-plane tensile strain and out-of-plane compressive strain of the VO2 film leads to a decrease of Tc. Interestingly, VO2 films on SnO2 buffer layers exhibit a structural phase transition from tetragonal-like VO2 to tetragonal-VO2 during the semiconductor-to-metal transition. These results suggest that the strain generated by SnO2 buffer provides an effective way for tuning the TC of VO2 films.
Feasibility of a randomized controlled pilot study using propranolol to decrease beta-adrenergic signaling in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) incorporating basic science psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) mechanisms into translatable clinical findings are critical to implementing PNI discoveries into standard medical practice. Biobehavioral pathways involving stress-induced beta-adrenergic signaling are implicated in tumor progression, with beta-blockers demonstrating efficacy in diminishing these effects in animals. We conducted a proof-of-concept RCT pilot study evaluating the feasibility of prophylactic beta-blocker administration with propranolol (peak dose 80 mg/day) to individuals undergoing a rigorous cancer treatment – autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation - for multiple myeloma. Twenty-two patients have been enrolled (target accrual = 25). 199 individuals completed screening between July 2015 and January 2017; 16 patients declined study participation and 28 enrolled in other oncology treatment trials. Of the remaining 155 patients, 132 were ineligible. The most common reason for ineligibility was current beta- blocker usage (44; 22% of total screened). Of the 23 eligible patients who did not decline or enroll in another trial, 22 were successfully enrolled in the propranolol trial (96%). One of the 11 patients in the treatment arm was unable to complete the propranolol course due to hypotension; > 90% of treatment arm patients were compliant with all 5 weeks of propranolol administration. In sum, adjunctive PNI pharmacologically-based cancer trials may compete for enrollment with primary oncology treatment trials, though enrollment is feasible and cancer patients undergoing rigorous antineoplastic treatment tolerate and are compliant with concurrent beta-blocker therapy.
The Importance of Handwriting Experience on the Development of the Literate Brain

Handwriting experience can have significant effects on the ability of young children to recognize letters. Why handwriting has this facilitative effect and how this is accomplished were explored in...
Better Late than Never? Adherence to Adjuvant Therapy Guidelines for Stage III Colon Cancer in an Underserved Region

In 2008, the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer (CoC) issued a quality guideline for stage III colon cancer (CC) recommending adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) within 120 days of diagnosis. We examined adherence in a healthcare system serving a region with disparities in CC outcomes. In a retrospective analysis of patients (2005–2014) with stage III CC in a multi-hospital healthcare system, the associations between adherence, clinicopathologic, demographic, geographic, and socioeconomic data and overall survival (OS) were examined. Of 1171 CC patients, 438 (37.4%) had stage III disease with 63% (n = 276) receiving AC and 37% (n = 162) not. AC conferred a 5-year OS advantage (62.4 vs. 42.5%, p < 0.0001). Younger age independently predicted AC receipt (OR = 0.95, p < 0.0001). Of 252 AC patients < 80 years, 75.8% were CoC guideline compliant (GC) whereas 24.2% were not (nGC). Although there was no OS difference between GC and nGC, both had superior survival (p < 0.0001) compared to non-AC patients. Surgical complications trended towards independent association with non-compliance (p = 0.07) Guideline compliance in our system (63%) is lower than the CoC Estimated Performance Rate (72.4%). Age influenced absolute receipt of AC while surgical complications may impact guideline compliance. Even when administered beyond 120 days, AC was associated with a survival benefit.
Particle shape effect on erosion of optical glass substrates due to microparticles

Impact experiments using sand particles and soda lime glass spheres were performed on four distinct glass substrates. Sand particles were characterized using optical and scanning electron microscopy. High-speed video footage from impact tests was used to calculate incoming and rebound velocities of the individual impact events, as well as the particle volume and two-dimensional sphericity. Furthermore, video analysis was used in conjunction with optical and scanning electron microscopy to relate the incoming velocity and particle shape to subsequent fractures, including both radial and lateral cracks. Indentation theory [Marshall et al., J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 65, 561–566 (1982)] was applied and correlated with lateral crack lengths. Multi-variable power law regression was performed, incorporating the particle shape into the model and was shown to have better fit to damage data than the previous indentation model.
Use of adaptive filtering for improved performance in digital stethoscopes

A digital stethoscope is constructed for the adaptive mitigation of internal and external noise accompanying real-time acoustical heart measurements. The developed system utilizes the fundamentals of statistical tendencies accompanying signals for the suppression of noise, reconstruction of heart signals, and heart rate calculation in a simultaneous manner. In this paper, the designed digital stethoscope is reconstructed from a mathematical model accompanied by the physical equipment used. After the exploration of the system from mathematical principles is completed, the working performance of the instrument is displayed followed by the derivation and implementation of the variable step-size least-mean-squares adaptive noise cancelling algorithm.
(Un)civil Society in Digital China| Withering Gongzhi: Cyber Criticism of Chinese Public Intellectuals

This article explores why the term public intellectual has turned into a disgraceful label in Chinese cyberspace. By examining how netizens have constructed the negative perception of public intellectuals, it shows that the Internet has not only empowered regime critics but also promoted the pluralization of expression by bringing different values, beliefs, and identities into contact with unprecedented frequency and intensity. The denigration of public intellectuals illustrates the contest between digitally expressed civility and incivility, which has yet to be sufficiently discussed. Findings in this study also suggest that authoritarian resilience depends on the regime’s adaptability and the dynamics between its supporters and challengers.
Mapping birefringence in three dimensions using polarized light field microscopy: the case of the juvenile clamshell.

We report methods to generate three-dimensional maps of birefringence, its position and orientation in juvenile shells of the Atlantic hard clamshell (Mercenaria mercenaria). For measuring the retardance and optic axis orientation of curved shell surfaces in three dimensions, we developed enhanced acquisition and processing algorithms and combined results from conventional and light field imaging approaches to reconstruct the three-dimensional shell shape and its anisotropic optical properties. Our work represents the first successful attempt to generate such maps at a spatial resolution of about 2 μm and angular steps of about 9° in terms of the inclination angles of the optic axis. The maps of clamshell birefringence provide structural insights into the early mineralization during juvenile clamshell development.
Extraocular muscle damage associated with endoscopic sinus surgery: an ophthalmology perspective.

BACKGROUND Orbital complications associated with endoscopic sinus surgery are well documented. Damage to the medial rectus muscle results in complicated strabismus and disturbing diplopia. The aim of this study was to characterize the types of extraocular muscle injury and the number of muscles involved that may complicate endoscopic sinus surgery and correlate its occurrence to factors in the surgical procedure itself. METHODS A retrospective chart review was performed of 14 patients with strabismus after endoscopic sinus surgery. Operative notes of the surgical procedure, pathology reports of the intraoperative specimens, postoperative pattern of strabismus, the extraocular muscle involved, and the type of muscle injury characterized by orbital imaging were reviewed in each patient. RESULTS In our series, not only the medial rectus muscle but also the inferior rectus and the superior oblique muscles were damaged with multiple muscles being involved in one patient. Extraocular muscle injury varied from hematoma, entrapment of muscle in the fractured orbital wall, damage to the oculomotor nerve entry zone, muscle transection, and partial or complete muscle destruction with entrapment in scar tissue. Use of the microdebrider causes extensive irreparable muscle damage. CONCLUSION Extraocular muscle damage complicating endoscopic sinus surgery can produce therapeutically challenging complicated strabismus.
Results of a phase II trial of selinexor, an oral selective inhibitor of nuclear export (SINE), in patients with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) refractory to abiraterone or enzalutamide.

e16533Background: Patients (pts) with abiraterone (abi) or enza (enza) refractory mCRPC typically have limited treatment options. Selinexor is a first in class SINE that specifically inhibits the n...
Salespeople’s Linchpin Role: Salesperson Relational Incongruity and its Impact on Sales Performance and Customer Ownership: An Abstract

Given the increasing complexity of customer-salesperson relationships, salespeople face unprecedented pressures to acquire, retain, and build enduring customer relationships to enhance the firm’s bottom-line performance. In examining these growing pressures, this study introduces an original construct derived from the attention afforded to relationship selling, the relational incongruity that exists within the buyer-seller exchange. This research addresses the inimitable role of human and relational capital, exemplifying the salesperson’s role set as a crucial resource and cost to the firm. This study has strong theoretical implications that contribute to advancing the knowledge of sales and marketing literature. This timely and relevant research explores resource-advantage theory (Hunt and Morgan 1995) as the theoretical grounding to view salespeople as an essential component of human capital reinforcing the intangibility and psychological capital that is conspicuously absent from the firm’s balance sheet. Additionally, the research examines the strategic implications of a customer-oriented sales force through a conceptual model that is unique in its positioning of independent variables concurrently at the seller-customer and the seller-organizational interaction. The insights into how customer orientation and customer ownership influences sales performance directly tie the importance of salespeople to a firm’s market position and performance. Empirical testing of the conceptual model supports the impact of relational incongruity on customer ownership and salespeople’s performance. The critical part of this research from the managerial side is that it provides a clearer understanding of how salespeople influence the extremely complex and ever-changing firm-salespeople-customer relationship. This clearer understanding helps organizations to understand how their salespeople act as a boundary spanner and a linchpin resource that provides a competitive advantage within the marketplace. These findings also assist sales organizations’ understanding of their unique ability to develop human capital, i.e., salespeople as a resource.
Development of a prognostic risk model for small cell lung cancer: Identification of high-, intermediate-, and low-risk cohorts based on clinical-genomic data.

8554Background: Although many clinical prognostic factors for SCLC outcome have been described, there are no models that incorporate the combination of clinical and genomic details into a risk mode...
Expanding Knowledge of Parental Involvement in Children's Secondary Education: Connections with High School Seniors' Academic Success

This paper analyzes data from the parent and student components of the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988 to investigate family educational involvement in secondary education. It examines connections between parental involvement practices and the educational outcomes of high school seniors. Utilizing multiple involvement indicators for the 8th and 12th grades, the study concludes that the nature of relationships between parental involvement and 12th grade educational outcomes depends on the type of parental practices and educational outcomes considered. Parental involvement indicators are not associated with achievement growth between the 8th and 12th grades. However, a number of parental involvement indicators are associated with seniors' enrollment in an academic high school program and with their coursework in core academic subjects. High levels of educational expectations, consistent encouragement, and actions that enhance the learning opportunities of children are the family practices that are positively associated with the above educational experiences of high school seniors. The relationships between parental involvement and educational outcomes exist regardless of students' socioeconomic or race/ethnic background and regardless of whether parental practices are measured in the middle grades or in high school.
Higher BMI Associated With Shorter Visits in Male Oncology Patients: An Exploratory Analysis

Abstract Objective To determine the potential relationship between measures of patient-provider communication and patient body mass index (BMI) and gender in cancer care. Methods We audio-recorded cancer patients’ communication with their clinicians in an academic medical oncology practice from 2012-2014. We coded audio-recordings with the Roter Interaction Analysis System. We then examined whether BMI was associated with patient centeredness, time with doctor, global affect, and patient self-reported communication quality. Univariate associations with BMI were assessed with Chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests. A cumulative logit model adjusted for patient and visit characteristics in a multivariable model. Results We recorded 327 patient interactions with 37 clinicians. After adjusting for patient sex, and visit characteristics, visit length, patient-centeredness, global affect (patient or clinician) and satisfaction did not differ. However, higher BMI was associated with shorter visit length, and lower Negative Global Affect (p = 0.03 and p = 0.03, respectively) in men only. Conclusion In this exploratory analysis, communication characteristics did not vary by patient BMI overall. However, in men, higher BMI was associated with shorter visit length and more negative affect. Those differences did not persist after adjusting for multiple comparisons. Practice Implications Patient body size may contribute to clinical communication in cancer care, particularly for obese men.
Hyperprogressive disease on immune checkpoint therapy in advanced solid malignancies: A systematic review.

154Background: Immune checkpoint therapy has changed the treatment landscape for many malignancies. As these agents are rapidly being incorporated into clinical practice, a subset of patients appea...
Predicting master transcription factors from pan-cancer expression data

The function of critical developmental regulators can be subverted by cancer cells to control expression of oncogenic transcriptional programs. These "master transcription factors" (MTFs) are often essential for cancer cell survival and represent vulnerabilities that can be exploited therapeutically. The current approaches to identify candidate MTFs examine super-enhancer associated transcription factor-encoding genes with high connectivity in network models. This relies on chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing (ChIP-seq) data, which is technically challenging to obtain from primary tumors, and is currently unavailable for many cancer types and clinically relevant subtypes. In contrast, gene expression data are more widely available, especially for rare tumors and subtypes where MTFs have yet to be discovered. We have developed a predictive algorithm called CaCTS (Cancer Core Transcription factor Specificity) to identify candidate MTFs using pan-cancer RNA-sequencing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas. The algorithm identified 273 candidate MTFs across 34 tumor types and recovered known tumor MTFs. We also made novel predictions, including for cancer types and subtypes for which MTFs have not yet been characterized. Clustering based on MTF predictions reproduced anatomic groupings of tumors that share 1-2 lineage-specific candidates, but also dictated functional groupings, such as a squamous group that comprised five tumor subtypes sharing 3 common MTFs. PAX8, SOX17, and MECOM were candidate factors in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC), an aggressive tumor type where the core regulatory circuit is currently uncharacterized. PAX8, SOX17, and MECOM are required for cell viability and lie proximal to super-enhancers in HGSOC cells. ChIP-seq revealed that these factors co-occupy HGSOC regulatory elements globally and co-bind at critical gene loci including MUC16 (CA-125). Addiction to these factors was confirmed in studies using THZ1 to inhibit transcription in HGSOC cells, suggesting early down-regulation of these genes may be responsible for cytotoxic effects of THZ1 on HGSOC models. Identification of MTFs across 34 tumor types and 140 subtypes, especially for those with limited understanding of transcriptional drivers paves the way to therapeutic targeting of MTFs in a broad spectrum of cancers.
Role of Vitamins A and D in BCR-ABL Arf-/- Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

The effects of vitamin A and/or vitamin D deficiency were studied in an Arf−/− BCR-ABL acute lymphoblastic leukemia murine model. Vitamin D sufficient mice died earlier (p = 0.003) compared to vitamin D deficient (VDD) mice. Vitamin A deficient (VAD) mice fared worst with more rapid disease progression and decreased survival. Mice deficient for vitamins A and D (VADD) had disease progression similar to VAD mice. Regulatory T cells, previously shown to associate with poor BCR-ABL leukemia control, were present at higher frequencies among CD4+ splenocytes of vitamin A deficient vs. sufficient mice. In vitro studies demonstrated 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2VD3) increased the number of BCR-ABL ALL cells only when co-cultured with bone marrow stroma. 1,25(OH)2VD3 induced CXCL12 expression in vivo and in vitro in stromal cells and CXCL12 increased stromal migration and the number of BCR-ABL blasts. Vitamin D plus leukemia reprogrammed the marrow increasing production of collagens, potentially trapping ALL blasts. Vitamin A (all trans retinoic acid, ATRA) treated leukemic cells had increased apoptosis, decreased cells in S-phase, and increased cells in G0/G1. ATRA signaled through the retinoid X receptor to decrease BCR-ABL leukemic cell viability. In conclusion, vitamin A and D deficiencies have opposing effects on mouse survival from BCR-ABL ALL.
GOOD QUESTIONS 10 Given our concern about viruses, what should be done about the absence of immune factors in infant formula?

There is a great deal of pressure to develop a safe and effective vaccine for COVID-19. However, we should take the long view and ask why we have had to deal with lethal virus outbreaks every few years. Our vulnerability to viruses may be due in part to changes in people’s diets. Particular attention should be given to increases in the use of infant formula. Unlike breastfeeding, feeding with infant formula does not protect and promote the development of infants’ immune systems. The absence of immune factors in infant formula should be fully recognized by the agencies responsible for the regulation of infant formula. Parents should learn about this deficiency of infant formula so they can make well-informed decisions about how they will feed their infants.
On the objectives of transmission pricing under open access

In today's integrated electricity supply industry, transmission is seen as an (economic) complement to generation. The generation of power and the service of moving it from one node of the grid to another are bundled into a single product called electricity. Transmission and generation resources are planned and operated by a same entity. As a result, transmission costs, mainly consisting of investment costs, are considered common costs and are recovered under the current cost-based regulatory structure through a single bundled price of electricity, which is based on average costs. Transmission pricing is not used as an active signal to shape the generation and consumption of electricity. Here, the author describes how, as the industry is moving toward full open access, the role of transmission has to be redefined and he discusses the objectives of power transmission pricing under open access.
Multitask Models for Supervised Protests Detection in Texts

The CLEF 2019 ProtestNews Lab tasks participants to identify text relating to political protests within larger corpora of news data. Three tasks include article classification, sentence detection, and event extraction. I apply multitask neural networks capable of producing predictions for two and three of these tasks simultaneously. The multitask framework allows the model to learn relevant features from the training data of all three tasks. This paper demonstrates performance near or above the reported state-of-the-art for automated political event coding though noted differences in research design make direct comparisons difficult.
A science of concord: the politics of commercial knowledge in mid-eighteenth-century Britain

This article recovers mid-century proposals for sciences of concord and contextualizes them as part of a broader politics of commercial knowledge in eighteenth-century Britain. It begins by showing...
Creative Culinary Recipe Generation Based on Statistical Language Models

Many works have been done in an effort to create systems for automatic generation of creative culinary recipes. Although most of them are related to the recipe ingredient lists, few works have been done to evaluate and generate the preparation steps of culinary recipes. This work proposes the use of statistical Language Models, as well as the perplexity metric, for the generation of culinary recipes. In this work, we also developed a system for automatic generation of creative culinary recipes using two approaches: one based on a genetic programming algorithm guided by the proposed language model; and the other based on a decomposition of existing recipes and recomposition of new recipes through a genetic algorithm guided by the proposed language model. This second approach achieved the best results. For this approach, a total of 6 recipes were generated to evaluate, through an online survey, the influence of the Language Model in the generation of recipes with better use of secondary ingredients, oils and seasonings, throughout the preparation steps. In the comparison between these two groups of recipes, the respondents considered the recipes generated using the language model as having the best quality, presenting an average evaluation of 63.6% of the scale (i.e. between medium and good use of oils and seasonings compared to recipes from the other group). In addition, a recipe from this approach was cooked and tasted for taste assessment, obtaining an average evaluation of 93% of the scale.
Economic Burden Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex With Men Living With HIV or Living Without HIV in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study.

Background With HIV now considered a chronic disease, economic burden for people living with HIV (LWH) may threaten long-term disease outcomes. We studied associations between economic burden (employment, income, insurance, and financial difficulty) and HIV status for gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) and how economic burden relates to disease progression. Setting We analyzed data collected every 6 months through 2015 from GBMSM LWH and GBMSM living without HIV from 2 waves (2001-2003 cohort and 2010+ new recruit cohort) of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study. Methods Using generalized estimating equations, we first assessed the association between HIV status (exposure) and economic burden indicators since the last study visit (outcomes) of employment (working/student/retired versus not currently working), personal annual income of ≥$10,000, insurance (public/private versus none), and financial difficulty meeting basic expenses. Then among people LWH, we assessed the relationships between economic burden indicators (exposures), risk of progressive immune suppression (CD4 ≤500 cells/uL), and progression to AIDS (CD4 ≤200; outcomes). Results Of 1721 participants, 59.5% were LWH (n = 1024). GBMSM LWH were 12% less likely to be employed, 16% more likely to have health insurance, and 9% more likely to experience financial difficulty than GBMSM living without HIV. Among GBMSM LWH, employment was associated with a 6% and 32% lower likelihood of immune suppression or progression to AIDS, respectively, and the income was associated with a 15% lower likelihood of progression to AIDS. Conclusions Interventions that stabilize employment, income, and offer insurance support may enrich GBMSM LWH's ability to prevent disease progression.
Surgical Treatment of Acute Proximal Hamstring Tendon Tears

Acute repair of proximal hamstring tears is indicated for high demand athletes and active individuals with multiple tendon involvement with retraction. Acute repairs can be performed endoscopically or through an open surgical technique. There are risks and benefits of each surgical approach in terms of exposure and visualization, potential injury to neurovascular structures, quality of repair, and cosmesis. Early published results suggest that both techniques can provide excellent outcomes with limited complications.
Bifurcations of Finite-Time Stable Limit Cycles from Focus Boundary Equilibria in Impacting Systems, Filippov Systems, and Sweeping Processes

We establish a theorem on bifurcation of limit cycles from a focus boundary equilibrium of an impacting system, which is universally applicable to prove the bifurcation of limit cycles from focus b...
Effects of information technology on temporal experiences: findings from a hospital emergency department

Information technology (IT) is intricately bound up with time. As IT has become an integral part of contemporary organizations, it is of significance to understand the temporal effects of IT at wor...
Endogenous and Therapeutic Estrogens: Maestro Conductors of the Microenvironment of ER+ Breast Cancers

Estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) marks heterogeneous breast cancers which display a repertoire of somatic genomic mutations and an immune environment that differs from other breast cancer subtypes. These cancers also exhibit distinct biological behaviors; despite an overall better prognosis than HER2+ or triple negative breast cancers, disseminated dormant cells can lead to disease recurrence decades after the initial diagnosis and treatment. Estrogen is the best studied driver of these cancers, and antagonism or reduction of estrogen activity is the cornerstone of therapeutic approaches. In addition to reducing proliferation of ERα+ cancer cells, these treatments also alter signals to multiple other target cells in the environment, including immune cell subpopulations, cancer-associated fibroblasts, and endothelial cells via several distinct estrogen receptors. In this review, we update progress in our understanding of the stromal cells populating the microenvironments of primary and metastatic ER+ tumors, the effects of estrogen on tumor and stromal cells to modulate immune activity and the extracellular matrix, and net outcomes in experimental and clinical studies. We highlight new approaches that will illuminate the unique biology of these cancers, provide the foundation for developing new treatment and prevention strategies, and reduce mortality of this disease.
Systems, Culture and Cultural Cybernetics: An African Experience From the Corporate Governance Viewpoint

System has been defined as the interaction or interconnection of a whole complex idea. It varies from country to country and corporate governance is one of such. While corporate governance ideology has become more popular over the last three decades following the major events such as the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the 2000s corporate scandals and the 2008 global financial crisis, there is now call for more scrutiny on business networking and systems in various countries. In many African countries, the case is not different from the rest of the world. There are issues of influences interfacing with the business environments which impacts greatly on the whole. Relatively, this paper seeks to investigate corporate governance systems from Africa perspectives. Most especially, the author investigates the issues of culture and systems cybernetics in a cross-country analysis.
Fostering historical thinking: The use of document based instruction for students with learning differences

Abstract Document-based history instruction (DBI) was implemented in a middle school special education setting to promote the development of disciplinary cognitive processing and higher order thinking using historical thinking as a framework for students with learning differences (ld). A convergent mixed methods action research design was utilized to explore a) how DBI influenced students’ disciplinary cognitive processing and higherorder thinking when reading multiple historical documents b) the affordances and constraints of using DBI in a special education classroom. Using quantitative data sources (e.g., highlighted documents, reading comprehension responses, and an ondemand writing task) and additional qualitative data (e.g., interviews, fieldnotes, classroom artifacts, and audio recordings), we uncovered insightful evidence to support the potential of DBI for students with ld. In one academic year, when reading multiple historical sources, students learned how to efficiently highlight content knowledge and academic vocabulary, interrogate historical sources, and corroborate information from different sources.
Historical Patterns for Rooftop Solar Adoption Growth Rates in Connecticut

Although the opportunities for rooftop solar to provide clean, reliable power are transformative, the benefits might not accrue to all communities evenly. National studies have exposed disparities in rooftop solar adoption across demographic groups, with low-income, renter-occupied, and communities of color disproportionately participating less. To better understand the mechanism that led to the observed national disparities, this paper explores solar adoption growth rates, using Connecticut as a case study. Connecticut stands out for the state’s early effort to broaden access to rooftop solar, specifically to low-and moderate-income residents, through incentive projects under their Residential Solar Investment Program (RSIP). Combining time-series data on the location of existing rooftop solar systems from Connecticut Green Bank and demographic information from the American Community Survey, rooftop solar adoption growth rates are calculated using a logarithmic growth function and compared across household income, home ownership, and racial and ethnic lines. After implementation of the RSIP, we find that the average observed growth rate in rooftop solar adoption doubled throughout the state, while the previously observed adoption disparities by home ownership and race/ethnicity were greatly reduced. This analysis suggests the potential effect of appropriate solar policies to reduce economic and racial disparities in rooftop solar participation.