cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Discharge criteria after colon resection: Is return of bowel function necessary?

Abstract Background This study was performed to evaluate tolerance of liquids as discharge criteria in a perioperative enhanced recovery protocol. Methods Patients undergoing elective colon resections were prospectively enrolled in a standardized perioperative enhanced recovery process. Patients were eligible for discharge when able to tolerate sufficient oral liquids, as determined by clinical means, that intravenous fluids were no longer needed. Results Over an 18 month period, 94 patients were evaluated; 75 (80%) tolerated sufficient liquids such that intravenous fluids were no longer needed by the second and all by the third postoperative day. The average postoperative length of stay was 3.8 days. At discharge, 59 (63%) and 20 (21%) patients reported passage of flatus and stool respectively. On 30 day follow up, 8 (8.5%) patients had been re-admitted. Conclusion These data suggest that after elective colon surgery, patients can be discharged when able to tolerate sufficient oral liquids.
The playful newsroom: Iterating and reiterating the news and its publics

The crisis in the journalism industry, intensified with the popularization of the World Wide Web, warrants radical rethinking of the professional identity of journalists and their role in society. This paper first suggests replacing the Habermasian public sphere with Dutch historian Johan Huizinga’s magic circle of play to describe the relationship between the press and its audience. Within this new model, the writer configures the rules and boundaries in which the reader is free to respond and subvert, an interplay that increasingly shapes both current news production and expectations of the public. This paper then explores play and playful attitudes in newsroom practices and output through semi-structured interviews with journalists, game designers and educators. The “Game Team” at the news and entertainment Web site BuzzFeed acts as a primary case study of a group of journalists who make a variety of playful products — from full-fledged games to interactives — which they iterate and improve over time, in response to readers’ feedback.
The Behavioral Effects of the Antidepressant Tianeptine Require the Mu-Opioid Receptor

Depression is a debilitating chronic illness that affects around 350 million people worldwide. Current treatments, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, are not ideal because only a fraction of patients achieve remission. Tianeptine is an effective antidepressant with a previously unknown mechanism of action. We recently reported that tianeptine is a full agonist at the mu opioid receptor (MOR). Here we demonstrate that the acute and chronic antidepressant-like behavioral effects of tianeptine in mice require MOR. Interestingly, while tianeptine also produces many opiate-like behavioral effects such as analgesia and reward, it does not lead to tolerance or withdrawal. Furthermore, the primary metabolite of tianeptine (MC5), which has a longer half-life, mimics the behavioral effects of tianeptine in a MOR-dependent fashion. These results point to the possibility that MOR and its downstream signaling cascades may be novel targets for antidepressant drug development.
Data Capitalism: Redefining the Logics of Surveillance and Privacy:

This article provides a history of private sector tracking technologies, examining how the advent of commercial surveillance centered around a logic of data capitalism. Data capitalism is a system ...
Making Sense of Lies, Deceptive Propaganda, and Fake News

Although the concept of truth seems to be taking a beating these days, media ethics continues to provide us with guidance to help distinguish news and information from rumor, innuendo, propaganda, ...
Wind Energy and Rural Community Sustainability

Because it is a carbon-free source of electricity, wind energy is often unquestioned as an environmentally sustainable technology. But is this technology sustainable when considered within the context of the rural communities in which it is often sited? This paper uses survey data from paired rural communities with and without utility-scale wind energy projects to understand the economic and social impacts of wind energy development on these predominantly agricultural communities. It finds clear economic benefits to the communities that host wind turbines—namely, that wind developers’ payments to landowners are largely re-invested in farming operations, leading to economic stability and increasing expectations that a younger generation will want to stay on the farm. The social impacts of wind development are more nuanced, and depend upon the windfarm’s business model. Specifically, windfarms are least disruptive of the social structure in rural communities when wind developers employ a business model that gives more community members a direct financial stake in the project.
The Collegiate School of Business Introductory Data Processing Course

(1973). The Collegiate School of Business Introductory Data Processing Course. The Journal of Data Education: Vol. 14, No. 2, pp. 16-19.
Architecture, Structure and Function of the Energy Conversion Centers

The sun provides more than 100,000 TW to the surface of the earth. The evolution of photosynthesis occurred based on maximizing the productive process of generating new components and energy for biological activities.
Impacts of Ice Particle Shape and Density Evolution on the Distribution of Orographic Precipitation

AbstractAn IMPROVE-2 orographic precipitation case is simulated using the Ice-Spheroids Habit Model with Aspect-Ratio Evolution (ISHMAEL) microphysics. In ISHMAEL, the evolution of ice particle pro...
A contrastive place of articulation between palatals and velars: An ultrasound study of Malayalam palatal-velar nasals

Malayalam (Dravidian) has been described as having seven contrastive nasal places of articulation: labial, dental, alveolar, retroflex, palatal, velar, and a “seventh nasal,” sometimes called palatal-velar /ŋj/ (Asher & Kumari 1997; Namboodiripad & Garellek 2017). Nasal inventories of this size are cross-linguistically rare, and the palatal-velar nasal has only been proposed in a handful of languages worldwide (e.g., Irish, Yanyuwa, and Awngi). Indeed, its status in Malayalam could be deemed peripheral; it is infrequent and occurs in limited phonological contexts. Namboodiripad & Garellek (2017) claim that, though several consonants undergo palatalization in Malayalam, this palatal-velar nasal is dynamically stable and not post-palatalized. Although it is distinct in format transitions from the non-palatalized velar nasal, the articulatory basis for the distinction between this palatal-velar nasal and a velar-glide cluster is not clear. The present study uses ultrasound imaging to determine if this seventh nasal is in fact dynamically stable. Ultrasound data were collected from one native speaker of Malayalam; the placement and timing of lingual contact with the palate were examined. Discussion will focus on how the palatal-velar differs in terms of place and timing of articulations from both palatal and velar nasals, as well as from other palatalized consonants.Malayalam (Dravidian) has been described as having seven contrastive nasal places of articulation: labial, dental, alveolar, retroflex, palatal, velar, and a “seventh nasal,” sometimes called palatal-velar /ŋj/ (Asher & Kumari 1997; Namboodiripad & Garellek 2017). Nasal inventories of this size are cross-linguistically rare, and the palatal-velar nasal has only been proposed in a handful of languages worldwide (e.g., Irish, Yanyuwa, and Awngi). Indeed, its status in Malayalam could be deemed peripheral; it is infrequent and occurs in limited phonological contexts. Namboodiripad & Garellek (2017) claim that, though several consonants undergo palatalization in Malayalam, this palatal-velar nasal is dynamically stable and not post-palatalized. Although it is distinct in format transitions from the non-palatalized velar nasal, the articulatory basis for the distinction between this palatal-velar nasal and a velar-glide cluster is not clear. The present study uses ultrasound imaging to determine if this sevent...
Diversity of the Biochemical and Biological Behavior of Platelet-Activating Factor

Platelet-activating factor* now occupies a unique position in the list of agonists capable of dramatically influencing cellular metabolism. Not only is it the first bona fide example of a naturally produced biologically active phospholipid, but it also ranks as one of the most potent lipid chemical mediators discovered to date. While the latter characteristic of this substance is most impressive, that is, its ability to cause 50% secretion of serotonin from washed rabbit platelets within 1 min at a concentration of 1 × 10-10 to 1 × 10-11M, this fact actually defines the formidable problem in any incisive study of the biochemistry of its receptor and of its mode of action. For example, it has been reported recently (Valone et al., 1982) that platelets may contain approximately 1400 high-affinity, low-capacity sites (considered to be the major receptor) for binding of this lipid chemical mediator. Thus, it is clear that any investigation designed to isolate and characterize these receptors, to relate binding to a biochemical or biological event, and to follow its metabolic fate must include techniques capable of detecting products of reaction in the picogram range. In addition, the reactions involved with platelet-activating factor on cells are very fast, in part Ca2+ dependent, and can be described by the diagramatic outline in Scheme I.
Some Essential Programming Algorithms

This chapter deals with the Fortran implementation of some common algorithms from computer science that have many applications in science and engineering. These include algorithms for searching and sorting lists of data and algorithms for recursively defined functions. These algorithms are implemented as subroutines and functions in MODULES so that they can be incorporated into your own programs even if you don’t spend much time understanding the details of their operation.
Using the Crowd to Do Natural Language Programming

Natural language programming has proven to be a very challenging task. We present a novel idea which suggests using crowdsourcing to do natural language programming. Our approach asks non-expert workers to provide input/output examples for a task defined in natural language form. We then use a Programming by Example system to induce the intended program from the input/output examples. Our early results are promising, encouraging further research in this area.
Staples vs. Sutures After Cesarean Delivery.

Patients believe that staples and subcuticular sutures provide similar cosmetic outcomes after cesarean deliveries. However, the risk of wound complications (e.g., infection, separation, hematoma, seroma) is doubled with staples.
Hayek, Deflation, Gold and Nihilism

In his early writings on business cycle theory and the Great Depression Hayek argued that business cycle downturns including the steep downturn of 1929–1931 were caused by unsustainable elongations of capital structure of the economy resulting from bank-financed investment in excess of voluntary saving. Because monetary expansion was the cause of the crisis, Hayek argued that monetary expansion was an inappropriate remedy to cure the deflation and high unemployment caused by the crisis. He therefore recommended allowing the Depression to take its course until the distortions that led to the downturn could be corrected by market forces. However, this view of the Depression was at odds with Hayek’s own neutral money criterion which implied that prices should fall during expansions and rise during contractions so that nominal spending would remain more or less constant over the cycle. Although Hayek strongly favoured allowing prices to fall in the expansion, he did not follow the logic of his own theory in favouring generally increasing prices during the contraction. This chapter explores the reasons for Hayek’s reluctance to follow the logic of his own theory in his early policy recommendations. The key factors responsible for his early policy recommendations seem to be his attachment to the gold standard and the seeming necessity for countries to accept deflation to maintain convertibility and his hope or expectation that deflation would overwhelm the price rigidities that he believed were obstructing the price mechanism from speeding a recovery. By 1935, Hayek’s attachment to the gold standard was starting to weaken, and in later years he openly acknowledged that he had been mistaken not to favor policy measures, including monetary expansion, designed to stabilize total spending.
An Introduction to the Special Issue: Consultation to Increase Educational Access and Improve Conditions for LGBTQ Youth

This article is the introduction for a theme issue of Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation entitled “Consultation to Increase Educational Access and Improve Conditions for LGBTQ Yo...
How to foster collaborative performance management? Key factors in the US federal agencies

Public employees are urged to be tireless collaborators and skilled performance managers, but can they be both at the same time? We describe two approaches to collaborative performance management o...
Modification of the Gastric Mucosal Microbiota by a Strain-Specific Helicobacter pylori Oncoprotein and Carcinogenic Histologic Phenotype.

ABSTRACT Helicobacter pylori is the strongest risk factor for gastric adenocarcinoma; however, most infected individuals never develop this malignancy. Strain-specific microbial factors, such as the oncoprotein CagA, as well as environmental conditions, such as iron deficiency, augment cancer risk. Importantly, dysbiosis of the gastric microbiota is also associated with gastric cancer. To investigate the combinatorial effects of these determinants in an in vivo model of gastric cancer, Mongolian gerbils were infected with the carcinogenic cag+H. pylori strain 7.13 or a 7.13 cagA isogenic mutant, and microbial DNA extracted from gastric tissue was analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing. Infection with H. pylori significantly increased gastric inflammation and injury, decreased α-diversity, and altered microbial community structure in a cagA-dependent manner. The effect of iron deficiency on gastric microbial communities was also investigated within the context of infection. H. pylori-induced injury was augmented under conditions of iron deficiency, but despite differences in gastric pathology, there were no significant differences in α- or β-diversity, phyla, or operational taxonomic unit (OTU) abundance among infected gerbils maintained on iron-replete or iron-depleted diets. However, when microbial composition was stratified based solely on the severity of histologic injury, significant differences in α- and β-diversity were present among gerbils harboring premalignant or malignant lesions compared to gerbils with gastritis alone. This study demonstrates that H. pylori decreases gastric microbial diversity and community structure in a cagA-dependent manner and that as carcinogenesis progresses, there are corresponding alterations in community structure that parallel the severity of disease. IMPORTANCE Microbial communities are essential for the maintenance of human health, and when these communities are altered, hosts can become susceptible to inflammation and disease. Dysbiosis contributes to gastrointestinal cancers, and specific bacterial species are associated with this phenotype. This study uses a robust and reproducible animal model to demonstrate that H. pylori infection induces gastric dysbiosis in a cagA-dependent manner and further that dysbiosis and altered microbial community structure parallel the severity of H. pylori-induced gastric injury. Ultimately, such models of H. pylori infection and cancer that can effectively evaluate multiple determinants simultaneously may yield effective strategies for manipulating the gastric microbiota to prevent the development of gastric cancer.
Developments in Nitrosocarbonyl Chemistry: Mild Oxidation of N-Substituted Hydroxylamines Leads to New Discoveries

This account describes the discovery and development of mild and efficient protocols for the generation of highly reactive nitroso compounds to allow their subsequent use in previously inaccessible or challenging chemistries. 1 Introduction 2 Formation of Nitrosocarbonyl Compounds 3 The Nitrosocarbonyl Ene Reaction 3.1 Single-Pot Nitrosocarbonyl Ene Reactions 3.2 Copper-Catalyzed Aerobic Oxidation for the Nitroso­carbonyl Ene Reaction 4 The Hetero-Diels–Alder Reaction as a Platform for Studying Aerobic Oxidation 5 Dual Catalysis and α-Functionalization Reactions 5.1 α-Amination Reaction of β-Keto Esters 5.2 α-Oxygenation Reaction of β-Keto Esters 6 The Future of Nitroso Chemistry
Small-Molecule MYC Inhibitors Suppress Tumor Growth and Enhance Immunotherapy

Summary Small molecules that directly target MYC and are also well tolerated in vivo will provide invaluable chemical probes and potential anti-cancer therapeutic agents. We developed a series of small-molecule MYC inhibitors that engage MYC inside cells, disrupt MYC/MAX dimers, and impair MYC-driven gene expression. The compounds enhance MYC phosphorylation on threonine-58, consequently increasing proteasome-mediated MYC degradation. The initial lead, MYC inhibitor 361 (MYCi361), suppressed in vivo tumor growth in mice, increased tumor immune cell infiltration, upregulated PD-L1 on tumors, and sensitized tumors to anti-PD1 immunotherapy. However, 361 demonstrated a narrow therapeutic index. An improved analog, MYCi975 showed better tolerability. These findings suggest the potential of small-molecule MYC inhibitors as chemical probes and possible anti-cancer therapeutic agents.
Brazilian local and national news coverage of the samarco disaster: A disaster for the community, the corporation or the environment?

This chapter examines nuances of local and national news coverage of the 2015 collapse of the dam at a Samarco mine in the state of Minas Gerais, which led to widespread contamination of the Doce River basin. As exposures of communities to disaster risks increase in Brazil more quickly than capacities to reduce vulnerabilities (Freitas, The disaster at the Samarco mining barrage: Exposed fracture of Brazil’s limits in disaster risk reduction. Science and Culture, 68(3), 25–30, 2016), and as global demand for energy, minerals and other resources continues to target Latin America (e.g. Casey and Krauss, It doesn’t matter if Ecuador can’t afford this dam. China still gets paid. The New York Times, 2018; Serapio & Xu, Vale eyes expansion of Brazil iron ore mine to feed Chinese demand. Reuters, 2018), it is imperative that news media go beyond short-term, episodic coverage tied to official narratives, to provide in-depth, community-oriented discussions that foster long-term resiliency. This case study of local and national news coverage asked how local media defined the disaster, presented community agency, victims, vulnerability, and resiliency, and how this compared to national coverage over time.
Abstract GMM-019: MEK INHIBITOR TRAMETINIB IN HIGH GRADE OVARIAN CANCER PROLIFERATION

A major challenge in ovarian cancer therapy is very high recurrence that is currently attributed to the presence of cancer stem-like cells (CSCs). CSCs are characterized by pronounced chemoresistance and high clonogenic ability that allow them to survive treatment and trigger relapse. The search for new treatment approaches capable of eradicating CSCs is crucial to prevent recurrent disease. Despite lack of BRAF or KRAS mutations in high grade serous ovarian cancer, MEK1/2-ERK1/2 pathway is activated in ovarian cancer cell lines and primary tumors. The aim of present work was to evaluate MEK inhibitor trametinib on cell proliferation and tumorigenesis. Trametinib is approved by FDA for melanoma and other solid tumors with specific BRAF mutations, thus can be used in a timely manner in clinic if found effective. We used cisplatin-resistant OVCAR8 and PEO4 cell lines displaying very high fraction of CD133-positive cells exhibiting CSC-like properties as main experimental model. Treatment of cells with trametinib caused very efficient inhibition of MEK-ERK pathway activity (up to 100% inhibition of ERK1/2 phosphorylation). Inhibition of pathway activity was confirmed by MEK-ERK-associated genes downregulation as assessed by RT-qPCR. PHLDA1, SPRY2 and DUSP4 genes were identified as early MEK responders whereas SPRY4, ETV4 and ETV5 were responsive to prolonged MEK inhibition. Trametinib treatment resulted in significant reduction of cell growth rate and number of viable cells (5-fold reduction with 100nM trametinib, p Our data indicate that trametinib treatment may induce efficient inhibition of ovarian cancer cell proliferation and therefore may have positive impact upon duration of remission for ovarian cancer patients. While trametinib alone is not capable of eradicating ovarian CSCs, its combinations with other drugs may provide a promising tool for ovarian cancer treatment, especially for tumors with high level of MEK-ERK pathway activity. One of such drugs to use in conjunction with trametinib can be Aldehyde Dehydrogenase (ALDH) inhibitor 673A that was previously characterized in our research as a compound capable of inducing cell programed necroptosis in ovarian CSCs. Citation Format: Mikhail Chesnokov, Anmbreen Jamroze, Wootae Ha, Ilana Chefetz. MEK INHIBITOR TRAMETINIB IN HIGH GRADE OVARIAN CANCER PROLIFERATION [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 12th Biennial Ovarian Cancer Research Symposium; Sep 13-15, 2018; Seattle, WA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2019;25(22 Suppl):Abstract nr GMM-019.
Microaggressions, Stereotypes, and Social Stigmatization in the Lived Experiences of Socially Marginalized Patients/Clients: A Social Justice Perspective

Mental health practitioners have an ethical and moral responsibility to practice social justice principles in their work with their socially marginalized patients/clients. Using a social justice lens, this chapter will bring awareness of social injustice in the form of microaggressions, stereotypes, and social stigmatization experienced by socially marginalized patients/clients in interactions with their healthcare practitioners. The lack of practitioner cultural competence is discussed as a possible contributor to the unjust treatment that patients/clients experience. A philosophical and moral framework will be used to problematize the biases of practitioners who enact these behaviors in interactions with their clients. Social justice education will be suggested as a curriculum-based or professional development-based means to expose and modify unjust behaviors and attitudes.
Corporate Diversification and Innovation: Managerial Myopia or Inefficient Internal Capital Market

Which is more innovative: the decentralized, diversified corporation or the smaller, more narrowly focused entrepreneurial firm? The finance literature argues that larger, diversified firms have a ...
Facemask Alternatives in Veterinary Medicine in the Context of COVID-19 Shortages

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a widespread shortage of facemasks and other personal protective equipment in veterinary medicine without clear, research-based guidance on alternatives to FDA-certified disposable surgical masks. In the absence of detailed veterinary research, an in-depth review of the human medical literature was conducted to evaluate the viability of reusable, sterilizable cloth, medical textile, or other material alternatives that may be quickly manufactured and used by veterinarians. The results at the time of publication support the AVMA, CDC, and WHO recommendations to extend use, reuse, and resterilize facemasks before considering using a homemade facemask. Pending further research, or until and unless the FDA certifies a reusable homemade mask or design, the substitution of homemade masks for FDA-certified surgical masks should only be considered as a last resort. Most homemade masks are not suitable replacements for N95 FFRs. If a homemade facemask must be made, the following materials and testing guidelines are suggested: - densely woven cotton fabric (≥270 thread count), medical textile, or other impermeable, breathable material that can be laundered and resterilized- make pleated or fitted pocket style facemasks to maximize fit- make masks with two sets of ties, not elastics, to endure laundering and autoclaving- internal wire or fabric tape may be used to mold masks over the nose- filter material should be designed for use near mucus membranes, such as facial tissue or paper towel- if possible, fit test homemade masks against an FDA-certified surgical mask as a control- if higher filtration efficiency is required, test according to the FDA Enforcement Policy for Face Masks and Respirators During the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Public Health Emergency- Maintain enough masks to change as frequently as one would change disposable surgical masks to maintain appropriate hygiene.
Novel reconstruction algorithms that facilitate real time 4D tomosynthesis

Tomosynthesis has become a vital interventional tool for breast biopsy procedures. It is used to orient, advance and confirm the biopsy needle’s movement. However, at the end of a procedure, success is determined only after the biopsy sample shows the presence of the targeted lesion. Contrarily, failures, such as a target miss, are realized only after healthy tissue has been incorrectly excised. If real-time 4D tomosynthesis is made possible, it could not only guide and confirm the needle advancement but also anticipate any inadvertent target displacement and prevent healthy tissue damage. This study explores three classes of novel reconstruction algorithms that facilitate real-time 4D tomosynthesis guided biopsy procedures namely, Image-Processed algorithm, Segmented algorithm and Difference-Exploiting algorithm. A conventional tomosynthesis reconstruction algorithm applied to an incrementally moving needle shows a blurred needle tip - a consequence of superimposing and averaging the back-projections where the tip exists at different positions. The Image-Processed algorithm contrast-enhances all the back-projections before reconstruction thereby curbing the blurring and producing a more discernible needle tip. Pixel-based Segmented and Difference-Exploiting algorithms reconstruct individual pixels differently. The Segmented algorithm uses only the latest back-projection to reconstruct the pixels of the needle thereby capturing its most recent position. The Difference-Exploiting algorithm utilizes the superimposed differences of back-projections that helps in selectively identifying those elements, like the moving needle, that show a variation. Reconstructing these elements differently compared to other static elements of the breast allows capturing them in real-time. This work details the formulation of the three algorithms.
Intravascular Lymphoma of the Central Nervous System: A Case Series Describing Clinical and Radiographic Characteristics (728)

Objective: To characterize the common clinical and radiographic characteristics of intravascular lymphoma (IVL) in order to enable clinicians to pursue appropriate early diagnostics for this rare yet treatable entity. Background: IVL is a rare neoplastic disorder characterized by growth of malignant B-cells within the vasculature. IVL most commonly affects the brain and skin, and central nervous system manifestations are heterogeneous and challenging to recognize. Design/Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted, collecting clinical, laboratory and radiographic data from a convenience sample of 5 patients with biopsy-proven intravascular lymphoma involving the central nervous system at the University of California San Francisco between 2013 and 2019. Results: 3 of 5 patients were female; median age at diagnosis was 64 years (Interquartile range 52–70). IVL was diagnosed by brain biopsy in 4 patients and by skin biopsy in 1. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was non-inflammatory in 4 patients and 1 demonstrated lymphocytic pleocytosis; none had abnormal cytology or flow cytometry. All patients had elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) at presentation. The 2 patients with lipid panels both had low high density lipoprotein (HDL) (less than 20 mg/dL). All patients had white matter hyperintensities and abnormal susceptibility on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), plus at least one of the following: diffusion restriction, grey matter involvement, and gadolinium enhancement. Of the 4 patients with spine imaging, 2 demonstrated disease involvement of the cord. Conclusions: IVL has heterogeneous clinical and radiographic features but common MRI abnormalities include abnormal susceptibility and white matter T2 hyperintensities. High LDH, low HDL or MRI showing diffusion restriction, enhancement, and grey matter involvement may be supportive. Random skin biopsy provides an attractive alternative for diagnosis of IVL in the appropriate clinical scenario. Disclosure: Dr. Richie has nothing to disclose. Dr. Shah has nothing to disclose. Dr. Guterman has nothing to disclose.
A Multicenter Study Analyzing the Association of Vitamin D Deficiency and Replacement with Infectious Outcomes in Patients with Burn Injuries

ABSTRACT Vitamin D (25OHD) deficiency has been associated with poor outcomes in intensive care populations. The primary objective of this 7-center study was to determine if 25OHD deficiency is associated with infectious outcomes in adult burn patients. Generalized linear mixed modelling was used to control for center effect, percent total body surface area burn (% TBSA), age, and presence of inhalation injury. A total of 1147 patients were initially included (admitted January 2016 through August 2019). After exclusions, 234 (56.8%) in the deficient (25OHD
The BDNF valine 68 to methionine polymorphism increases compulsive alcohol drinking in mice that is reversed by tropomyosin receptor kinase B activation

Abstract Background The valine 66 to methionine (Met) polymorphism within the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) sequence reduces activity-dependent BDNF release and is associated with psychiatric disorders in humans. Alcoholism is one of the most prevalent psychiatric diseases. Here, we tested the hypothesis that this polymorphism increases the severity of alcohol abuse disorders. Methods We generated transgenic mice carrying the mouse homolog of the human Met66BDNF allele (Met68BDNF) and used alcohol-drinking paradigms in combination with viral-mediated gene delivery and pharmacology. Results We found that Met68BDNF mice consumed excessive amounts of alcohol and continued to drink despite negative consequences, a hallmark of addiction. Importantly, compulsive alcohol intake was reversed by overexpression of the wild-type valine68BDNF allele in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex of the Met68BDNF mice or by systemic administration of the tropomyosin receptor kinase B agonist, LM22A-4. Conclusions Our findings suggest that carrying this BDNF allele increases the risk of developing uncontrolled and excessive alcohol drinking that can be reversed by directly activating the BDNF receptor, tropomyosin receptor kinase B. Importantly, this work identifies a potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of compulsive alcohol drinking in humans carrying the Met66BDNF allele.
Genotypic diversity of kikuyugrass (Pennisetum clandestinum) populations in California.

Using starch gel electrophoresis, we examined the genetic variability of kikuyugrass collected from three golf course sites within its geographical range in California. These experiments were conducted to determine the method of spread of kikuyugrass in areas where it is considered invasive. Samples from roughs and fairways of each of these locations were compared. Of the 354 plants examined, 12 different genotypes were identified by isozyme analysis, and only three of the nime putative loci varied among the genotypes. Two genotypes, representing 73% of the plants examined, were found at all three geographic locations. Our results imply that under common golf course practices, kikuyugrass is maintained by clonal reproduction. We conclude that low genetic variation does not preclude a plant species from being an aggressive invader. Nomenclature: Kikuyugrass, Pennisetum clandestinum Hochst. ex Chiov. #3 PESCL. Additional index words. Population maintenance, isozyme analysis, PESCL.
Law and Prudence in the Law of Justiciability: The Transformation and Disappearance of the Political Question Doctrine

This essay, forthcoming in the North Carolina Law Review, describes the transformation of the political question doctrine and the law of standing from flexible standards, suitable as techniques identified first by Alexander Bickel for the prudent exercise of political judgment by the Supreme Court, into true legal doctrines, whose relative rigidity makes their use as prudential avoidance devices difficult. The essay uses Bush v. Gore to illustrate the fact that doctrinalization has done much to eliminate justiciability concepts as vehicles for exercising prudent judgment, showing that the Court ignored substantial and interesting political question and standing issues in the case. The essay concludes by arguing that justiciability concepts as vehicles for prudent judgment fit well into the historical and political context in which Bickel wrote, and that their disappearance fits equally well with the historical and political context of today's Court and its (and our) acceptance of a strong theory of judicial supremacy.
Exploring the Role of Pseudodeductibles in Auto Insurance Claims Reporting

Many who purchase insurance understand that by reporting covered losses to their insurers they increase the chances of future premium increases or reductions in insurance coverage. If under such circumstances a policyholder decides not to report an otherwise covered loss, the policyholder is effectively displaying the presence of a “pseudodeductible.” That is, given a covered loss occurs, a policyholder may define a personal and unobservable threshold that is greater than any stated deductible in the policy below which an insurance claim for the loss will not be reported. The scant amount of empirical research on this topic suffers from a lack of information about losses for which insurance claims were never filed. This research relies on a unique dataset that captures when policyholders choose to forgo insurance claims and why. The findings increase our understanding of the role that pseudodeductibles play in the claims reporting behavior of policyholders.
Adenine Aminohydrolase AN INVESTIGATION OF SPECIFICITY

Abstract In addition to their action upon adenine, the adenine aminohydrolases of Azotobacter vinelandii and of Candida utilis have been found capable of acting upon 6-chloropurine, 6-iodopurine, 6-hydrazinopurine, 2-amino-6-chloropurine, 2,6-diaminopurine, and 7-aminothiazolo[5,4-d]pyrimidine. In each case the enzyme catalyzes the replacement by a hydroxyl group of the substituent on position 6 or on the position analogous to position 6 of the purine ring system. Kinetic constants for each of these substrates are reported. Km appears to reflect affinity for the enzyme rather than turnover number, and some of these compounds gave higher turnover numbers than the natural substrate, i.e. adenine. In addition, several purine analogues have been found to act as competitive inhibitors of adenine aminohydrolase. Several structurally related acyclic compounds, including guanylurea, biuret, and biguanide, have also been found to inhibit adenine aminohydrolase competitively. Milk xanthine oxidase also was found to be competitively inhibited by these acyclic compounds. The adenine aminohydrolases purified from Azotobacter vinelandii and from Candida utilis do not differ strikingly in those catalytic properties investigated.
Abstract 20013: Adiponectin Protects Against Angiotensin II-Induced Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Formation in Mice

Introduction & Objective: Human population-based studies have found an independent association of obesity or visceral adiposity with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) presence or increasing abdominal aortic diameter. However, the molecular mechanisms that link obesity to AAA development remain largely unknown. The unbalanced production of adipokines by dysfunctional adipose tissue in obese individuals greatly contributes to the increased cardiovascular risk associated with obesity. In this study we assessed the role of adiponectin, an anti-inflammatory adipokine typically down-regulated in obese individuals, in a model of AAA using apolipoprotein E/adiponectin double-knockout (ApoE-/- Apn-/-) mice. Methods & Results: We used an experimental model where angiotensin II (Ang II) is infused to hyperlipidemic ApoE-deficient mice for 28 days via a subcutaneous osmotic mini-pump to induce the formation of supra-renal AAA. We found that Ang II infusion for 7 days leads to a significant decrease in the expression of adiponectin in white adipose tissue in this model. Ang II infusion in male ApoE-/- Apn-/- mice led to a higher incidence of AAA and an increase in the maximal supra-renal aortic diameter compared with that of ApoE-/- mice as determined by ultrasound imaging (incidence of AAA: 100% vs. 42%, maximal aortic diameter: 2.12 ± 0.07 mm vs. 1.67 ± 0.09 mm, respectively at 28 days). Adiponectin deficiency augmented the early accumulation of macrophages into the aortic wall in Ang II-infused mice. Gene expression of the pro-inflammatory factors (TNFa, IL-1b, IL-6 and CCL2/MCP-1) was significantly increased in the supra-renal aorta of ApoE-/- Apn-/- relative to ApoE-/- mice after Ang II infusion. MMP-2 and MMP-9 activation was also augmented in the aorta of ApoE-/- Apn-/- mice compared to ApoE-/- mice. Conclusions: These results suggest that adiponectin exerts anti-inflammatory actions in the aortic wall that may protect against Ang II-induced AAA formation and growth in hyperlipidemic ApoE-deficient mice. Since adiponectin expression is significantly decreased in obese individuals, these results provide a potential mechanistic connection between obesity and AAA development.
Thermal Conductivity as a Probe of Quasi-Particles in the Cuprates

In underdoped YBa2Cu3Ox (x = 6.63), the low- T thermal conductivity K xx varies steeply with fieldB at small B, and saturates to a nearly field- independent value at high fields. The simple expression [1 + p(T) |B|]-1 provides an excellent fit to K xx (B) over a wide range of fields. Prom the fit, we extract the zero-field mean-free-path, and the low temperature behavior of the QP current. The procedure also allows the QP Hall angle θ Q to be obtained. We find that θ Q alls on the 1/T 2 curve extrapolated from the electrical Hall angle above Tc. Moreover, it shares the same T dependence as the field scalep(T) extracted from K xx . We discuss implications of these results.
The Begoniaceae of Colombia

Begonia (§ Poecilia) semiovata / Begonia (? § Poecilia) subcostata / Begonia (§ Poecilia) filipes / Begonia (§ Poecilia) hirtella / Begonia (§ Begoniastrum) microcarpa / Begonia (? § Hydristyles) ophiogyna / Begonia (§ Huszia.) pastoensis / Begonia (§ Saueria) sulcata / Begonia (§ Regoniastrum) tovarensis / Begonia (? §) magdalenae / Begonia (? §) cryptocarpa / Begonia (§ Begoniastrum) fagopyroides / Begonia (§ Scheidweileria) parviflora / Begonia (§ Gobenia) Maurandiae / Begonia (§ Gobenia) tropaeolifolia / Begonia (§ Gobenia) spadiciflora / Begonia (§ Hydristyles) novo-granatae / Begonia (§ Begoniastrum) cucullata / Begonia (? §) tiliaefolia / Begonia (§ Pilderia) buddleiaefolia / Begonia (§ Ruizopavonia) Rossmanniae / Begonia (? § Ruizopavonia) extensa / Begonia (§ Ruizopavonia) Cuatrecasana / Begonia (§ Ruizopavonia) xylopoda / Begonia (§ Ruizopavonia) cymbalifera.
Wearing shades in the bright future of digital media: Limitations of narratives of media power in Egyptian resistance

Political engagement means more than reliance on a single medium, but requires collective human action. In making this argument, I consider how the media landscape, along with social and political contexts, have contributed to this process of shifting political power in Egypt. This background contextualizes the limitations of a dominant Hollywood narrative in U.S. media, not only telling a reductive tale of hero, victim and villain, but also privileging the role of social media as an anthropomorphic heroic sidekick. Mediated communication can be valuable as a vehicle for mobilization and as a site for political contestation, but it is the access to the production and reception of knowledge that matters. In essence, the critical issue in political resistance is power, not technology.
Effects of intraventricular norepinephrine and estradiol benzoate on weight regulatory behavior in female rats

Ovariectomized female rats had 1 μg estradiol benzoate (EB) or l -norepinephrine hydrochloride (NE:50, 100, 150, 250 μg) administered into the right lateral ventricle. Both NE and EB stimulated activity whether infused in the light or in the dark. When given in the light EB and 50–150 μg NE produced an increase in food consumption; when administered 1 h into the dark the drugs caused a drop in feeding. Pretreatment with 2.0 μg phentolamine prevented the activity increase associated with EB or NE; imipramine potentiated the effects of both drugs. It was proposed that increased brain NE is sufficient to produce the increased locomotion and decreased feeding characteristic of the female rat in estrus.
Homozygosity for the V122I Mutation in Transthyretin Is Associated with Earlier Onset of Cardiac Amyloidosis in the African American Population in the Seventh Decade of Life

Individuals heterozygous for the V122I mutation in transthyretin (TTR) tend to develop cardiac amyloidosis, often after the seventh decade of life. Although homozygotes have been reported, these have typically been single case reports. We report a cohort of 13 V122I homozygotes. TTR gene sequencing results from the Mayo Clinic Molecular Genetics Laboratory between September 2004 and January 2013 were reviewed; 177 heterozygotes and 13 homozygotes for the V122I alteration were identified. Detailed clinical history was available for the 24 heterozygotes seen at Mayo Clinic. We compared age at onset of disease for this group to homozygotes, both alone and pooled with the 11 homozygotes from the literature. Individuals with homozygous V122I manifested symptoms a mean of 10 years earlier than heterozygotes (63.8 ± 5.7 versus 72 ± 8.1 yrs, P = 0.0002). Further, males were significantly overrepresented in both heterozygous and homozygous individuals. There was a trend for an even higher male bias in the homozygous group. All 24 homozygotes were African American, whereas four of the heterozygotes were reported as white. Two novel V122I compound heterozygotes were also identified, with clinical presentation in the late fifth or early sixth decade of life. This study is the largest homozygous V122I cohort reported and demonstrates association with earlier age at onset. It also highlights the uncertain penetrance, particularly with respect to sex.
A salty start to modern ocean circulation

In a small area of the high North Atlantic, dense water sinks to the deep ocean and begins a ∼2000-year journey through the Atlantic, Southern, Indian, and Pacific oceans until it emerges again off the west coasts of North and South America ( 1 ). Yet 6 million years ago, ocean circulation patterns were quite different, with gateways through the Central American Seaway ( 2 ) and the Indonesian Seaway ( 3 ) allowing deep ocean flow at mid-latitudes. On page 1244 of this issue, Hernandez-Molina et al. ( 4 ) document the history and impact of ocean flow out of the Mediterranean Sea at another such gateway: the Strait of Gibraltar. The results highlight the importance of this gateway in modulating global ocean circulation and climate patterns.
On the Transient Solution of Non-Deterministic Systems

Abstract Through the use of formal expansions, a non-deterministic solution approach is developed for systems modeled by first order matrix differential equations with random coefficients and input conditions. The generality of the solution procedure is such that various statistical moments can be generated. In particular, this includes such moments as the mean and standard deviation vectors, the variance-covariance matrix etc. To ascertain the overall properties of such moments, various recursive generators as well as convergence and truncation criteria are developed. Due to the formal structure of the overall solution, the inherent algorithmic apparatus is concise and easily programmed. Because of this, the procedure can be applied equally well to both large and small systems of non-deterministic modeling equations. A further feature of the given procedure lies in the fact that it can be used to generate the statistical solution for a given element of the dependent variable vector without necessitating the development of the entire solution. To demonstrate the scope of the approach, several numerical experiments are included in the paper.
Evolution of a new enzyme activity from the same motif fold

The host cell recognition protein of the Escherichia coli bacteriophage HK620 is a large homotrimeric tailspike that cleaves the O18A1 type O antigen. The crystal structure of HK620 tailspike determined in the apo and substrate-bound form is reported by Barbirz et al. in this issue of Molecular Microbiology. Lacking detectable sequence similarity, the fold and overall organization of the HK620 tailspike are similar to those of the tailspikes of the related phages P22 and Sf6. The substrate-binding site is intrasubunit in P22 and HK620 tailspikes, but intersubunit in Sf6, demonstrating how phages can adapt the same protein fold to recognize different substrates.
Family-School Communication in Preschool and Kindergarten in the Context of a Relationship-Enhancing Intervention

The present study is a longitudinal examination of family-school communication in preschool and kindergarten. Preschool and kindergarten teachers and family workers of 75 children from families with low SES logged the frequency and characteristics of family-school communication, resulting in over 22,000 contacts. Data were collected during a period of implementation of an intervention designed to enhance relationships upon the transition to school. Family demographic information and information about family support for academics at home were assessed through parent interviews and children's behavior problems were measured through teacher questionnaires in preschool and kindergarten. Familyteacher communication decreased between preschool and kindergarten and there was a shift from shorter to longer types of communication between the two years. Communication differed as a function of program. Counter to expectation, few family factors and experiences predicted frequency of family-school communication, and ...