cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Design and Implementation of Monitoring Software for Inertial Devices Testing System

In accordance with the needs of calibration and testing for inertial devices, monitoring software is designed and implemented with Visual C++ environment. In the development, with the key technology which includes the Memory Bitmap, the List and the Multimedia Timer, the goal of displaying the real-time dynamic signal curves and analyzing the sampling data has been achieved. In this paper,designing idea, structure and function of the system have been discussed exhaustively. Moreover, parts of codes are pro-vided. The applications show that the system is simple and feasible and has powerful practicality in engineering.
MPTH-19PHOSPHOLIPASE C BETA 1: A CANDIDATE SIGNATURE GENE FOR PRONEURAL SUBTYPE HIGH-GRADE GLIOMA

BACKGROUND: Phospholipase C beta 1 (PLCβ1) expresses in glioma tissue and cultured glial cells, but barely detectable in normal glial cells. Whether PLCβ1 gene expression plays a pathological role in glioma has not been studied. METHODS: We analyzed data from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO-GDSxxx), The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and the Repository for Molecular Brain Neoplasia Data (REMBRANDT) to investigate the potential role of PLCβ1 in high-grade glioma (HGG). RESULTS: In GDS1815, PLCβ1 expression correlates with known proneural (PN) signature genes; its expression level from PN subtype (n = 15) is significantly higher than that from mesenchymal (Mes) subtype (n = 33) HGG (p < 0.001). Furthermore, PLCβ1 expression is significantly higher in grade III than in grade IV gliomas from GDS1815 (n = 24 vs. 76), GDS1962 (n = 19 vs. 81), and GDS1975 (n = 26 vs. 59); ultimately, p < 0.05 for all. In GDS1962, the PLCβ1 expression is highest in non-tumor brain tissue (n = 23) and is significantly higher than that in grade II astrocytomas (n = 7) and oligodendrogliomas (n = 37; p < 0.05 for both. PLCβ1 expression is also higher in low-grade (n = 8) than in high-grade astrocytomas (n = 6) in GDS2853 (p < 0.001). A Kaplan-Meier survival plot from a REMBRANDT cohort demonstrates that astrocytoma and glioma patients with intermediate levels of PLCβ1 expression (n = 45 and 103, respectively) survived significantly longer than down-regulated (2X) PLCβ1 groups (n = 57 and 226, respectively; p < 0.001). From TCGA data, PLCβ1 RNA-Seq signal inversely correlates with the pathological grades and higher levels of PLCβ1 expression in PN (n = 8) than in Mes (n = 8) subtypes of glioblastoma (p < 0.05). The top 50% of PLCβ1 expression subgroup (n = 294) of glioma cases (grade II to IV merged) survived significantly longer time than the low 50%-ile of the PLCβ1 expression subgroup (n = 293; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: PLCβ1 is a candidate signature gene for PN subtype HGG, its expression inversely correlates with glioma pathological grade and is a potential prognosis factor.
The labor curve.

The labor curve is useful as a means for following labors in progress and for identifying labor disorders as they arise. A specific problem, once it is identified, requires a specific remedy. Management of prolonged latent phase, protraction disorders, and arrest disorders with or without cephalopelvic disproportion is discussed.
Fractures and Healing on Antiresorptive Therapy

The greatest predictor for future fragility fractures is prior fracture. Due to the high morbidity and mortality of these subsequent fractures, as well as the substantial hospital and social cost, it is imperative to start patients on osteoporosis medications as soon as possible after fracture. But which medications are safe to start and when can they be started? We review the current literature surrounding osteoporosis medications and their effect on fracture healing in the osteoporotic patient.
ON BAHADUR EFFICIENCY AND MAXIMUM LIKELIHOOD ESTIMATION IN GENERAL PARAMETER SPACES

The paper studies large deviations of maximum likelihood and related estimates in the case of i.i.d. observations with distribution determined by a param- eter θ taking values in a general metric space. The main theorems provide sufficient conditions under which an approximate sieve maximum likelihood estimate is an asymptotically locally optimal estimate of g(θ) in the sense of Bahadur, for virtu- ally all functions g of interest. These conditions are illustrated by application to several parametric, nonparametric, and semiparametric examples.
Efficiently scaling out-of-order cores for simultaneous multithreading

Simultaneous multithreading (SMT) out-of-order cores waste a significant portion of structural out-of-order core resources on instructions that do not need them. These resources eliminate false ordering dependences. However, because thread interleaving spreads dependent instructions, nearly half of instructions dynamically issue in program order after all false dependences have resolved. These in-sequence instructions interleave with other reordered instructions at a fine granularity within the instruction window. We develop a technique to efficiently scale in-flight instructions through a hybrid out-of-order/in-order microarchitecture, which can dispatch instructions to efficient in-order scheduling mechanisms---using a FIFO issue queue called the shelf---on an instruction-by-instruction basis. Instructions dispatched to the shelf do not allocate out-of-order core resources in the reorder buffer, issue queue, physical registers, or load-store queues. We measure opportunity for such hybrid microarchitectures and design and evaluate a practical dispatch mechanism targeted at 4-threaded cores. Adding a shelf to a baseline 4-thread system with 64-entry ROB improves normalized system throughput by 11.5% (up to 19.2% at best) and energy-delay product by 10.9% (up to 17.5% at best).
The Extended Model

In this chapter we present a more sophisticated version of the model elaborated in the last two chapters. We call it the extended model, and it is an improvement over the elementary model in two important respects. First of all, the constancy condition is dropped, that is, we allow that members of the group might assign different weights at higher levels of evaluation. Secondly, we propose a method for regimenting discussion at different levels of evaluation to insure proper separation of issues. We then discuss the conditions under which the process of aggregation converges toward a limit, thus yielding a set of consensual weights. We then note that such a set of weights can be computed and justified without the assumption of infinitely iterated aggregation and, therefore, that it is unnecessary to assume an infinite hierarchy of weights. Finally, we turn to the question of whether an individual is rationally committed to the consensus our methods yield. We argue that, given that he assigns weights so consensus is reached, he is committed to the outcome. We note, however, that an individual may escape such a commitment by assigning others a weight of zero at some level, and thus refuse to generate consensus. We conclude with a discussion of the merits of iconoclasm.
Nature and Characteristics of the Sport Industry and its Current Trends Impacting the Industry

Global competition for fans and other stakeholders have caused increased pressures to maintain sport organizations' power and influence through e-commerce and social media. The ever evolving nature of sport managing research demands a reexamination of some of the major trends in the discipline that are impacted directly/indirectly by electronic mediation and its technology, especially social media. Although there are numerous trends that are occurring in sport management as a discipline, but this study concentrates on the role of ecommerce within organizations. The major trends examined are commercialization of sport, the role of mass communication to appeal to the needs of users, the need of engagement by fans, and the social needs for sports to deal with the epidemic of physical inactivity of the populace.
P11.06 Metachronous adrenocortical carcinoma and gliosarcoma in patient with Li-Fraumeni Syndrome

Abstract Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS) is an cancer susceptibility condition, characterized by an autosomal dominant transmission that increases an individuals risk of developing early synchronous and metachronous primary tumors. Classic LFS is associated with the development of sarcomas, diagnosed before 45 years of age with a ﬁrst-degree relative with cancer before 45 years of age, and another close (ﬁrst- or second-degree relative) with any cancer diagnosed under 45 years of age or with sarcoma at any age. The typical tumors include breast carcinoma, osteosarcoma soft tissue sarcomas, adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), leukemias, CNS tumors and lung cancer. Classic LFS has an approximate frequency of 70% compare to whole cancer-predisposition syndromes. The only gene that has been consistently associated with LFS is TP53. In 1998 a 16-month-old female was evaluated for early puberty. Abdominal ultrasound demonstrated a lesion located at adrenal gland. The patient was subjected to resection of an ACC followed by therapy with mitotane and corticosteroid. In December 2014, the patient was admitted to our Hospital for an episode of loss of consciousness with generalized epileptic episodes. Cranial TC scans showed a right parietal lesion which was subsequently confirmed by a brain MRI. The patient underwent gross total removal of the lesion, without complications and good neurological improvement. The histopathological diagnosis was gliosarcoma (WHO-grade IV).Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology was negative. The patient underwent radiotherapy for a total dose of 59,4 Gy (1.8 Gy/fraction) given with Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT). The radiotherapy was associated with concomitant and sequential chemotherapy with temozolomide, vinorelbine and valproic acid. The patient remains alive without evidence of recurrent disease 30 months after starting chemotherapy. She maintains a Karnofsky Performance Score of greater than 90. At the beginning oncologic family history was negative. After 5 years from this diagnosis, her father died from a leiomyosarcoma at the age of 40. In 2013 her brother died at 19-year-old from an acute myeloid leukemia. Interestingly, the paternal grandmother died at 60-year-old due to melanoma after a previously having breast cancer. The family history supported such a LFS. TP53 gene analysis of our patient showed the germ-line mutation c.796G>A (p.Gly266Arg) in heterozygous. The description of this case highlights the importance of a correct clinical monitoring of patients with LFS for the high risk of cancer. A brain MRI every 6 months starting from 18 years of age is essential; indeed it was reported that 10% of LFS patients with develops a glioma before age 45 and 5% develops a PNET (primitive neuroectodermal tumors), a medulloblastoma, a choroid plexus carcinoma or an ependymoma.
Byte by Bite: Use of a mobile Bite Counter and weekly behavioral challenges to promote weight loss.

Abstract The goal of this study was to examine the usability and feasibility of the mobile Bite Counter (a watch-like device that detects when a user consumes food or beverage) and the impact of weekly behavioral challenges on diet and physical activity outcomes. Overweight (mean BMI 31.1±4.9 kg/m2) adults (n=12) were recruited to participate in a four-week study to test both the usability and feasibility of using the device as part of a behavioral weight loss intervention. Participants were instructed to self-monitor number of bites/day using the Bite Counter, attend weekly group sessions, and listen to weekly podcasts. Participants were given weekly challenges: use a daily bite limit goal (wk1), turn off Bite Counter when fruits/vegetables are consumed (wk2), self-monitor kilocalories vs. bites (wk3), and receive a 10 bites/day bonus for every 30 min of exercise (wk4). Participants lost a mean of −1.2±1.3 kg. Only the wk3 challenge produced significant differences in kcal change (wk3 1302±120 kcal/day vs. baseline 2042±302 kcal/d, P
Positive Self-Presentation: A Parsimonious Explanation of Subject Motives

The article reviews the literature on research conducted in an attempt to validate the good, faithful, negativistic, and evaluation apprehension subject roles and demonstrates that none of these subject roles has received any degree of conclusive support. The article then postulates that the primary subject motive is one of positive self-presentation. In support of this postulated subject motive the literature relating to positive self-presentation is reviewed demonstrating that it is a motive which individuals strive to achieve. The literature focusing on subject motives is then reviewed once again demonstrating that the motive of positive self-presentation can account for the findings obtained from these studies. Finally, some implications of the positive self-presentation motive for the design of research are suggested.
Calculating Pragmatism: The High Politics of the Banco Ejidal in Twentieth-century Mexico

The battles that peasants waged during the Mexican Revolution translated into a series of agrarian and agricultural institutions, and one of these was the Banco Nacional de Credito Ejidal, created in 1926. Histories deeply engrained in both the popular imagination of Mexico and scholarly historiography have offered a generic classic narrative of ejidal credit, beginning with Lazaro Cardenas. He and his cabinet sought to transform the ejido into the engine of agricultural growth for the nation and carried out a sweeping and (in qualified ways) successful land reform, thereby bringing the revolution to the fullest fruition many Mexicans would ever know. It is assumed that ejidal credit peaked during Cardenas's administration in two major ways: first, it was in this period that ejidal credit societies received the most loans from the Banco Nacional del Credito Ejidal, and second, it was during the same period that the bank clearly and unanimously embraced social reform goals over orthodox banking goals.
Mitochondrial Protective Agents for Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury.

Ischemia of organs, including that of the heart, kidney, and brain, account for major morbidity and mortality in the United States. When an organ is ischemic, the logical approach is to relieve the ischemia by re-establishing blood flow as is accomplished by percutaneous interventions, such as angioplasty and placing a stent in an occluded coronary artery or occluded renal artery. However, even after establishing patency of the large obstructed blood vessel, a degree of organ damage may persist because of reperfusion injury.1 In the heart, this may manifest as reperfusion arrhythmias, stunned myocardium (postischemic left ventricular dysfunction), and no reflow or microvascular obstruction. Whether reperfusion actually kills myocardial cells remains debatable. In the kidneys, reperfusion injury may manifest as microvascular damage, loss of glomerular filtration, and damage because of reactive oxygen species that includes loss of cortical structure. It has been postulated that abrupt reperfusion results in reactive oxygen species production by the mitochondria, opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore, an influx of calcium into the mitochondria, release of cytochrome C, and peroxidation of cardiolipin in the inner mitochondrial membrane.2 Certainly, angioplasty/stenting for renal artery stenosis alone for the treatment of hypertension has been disappointing in its effect on major adverse clinical outcomes.3 Most patients need to remain on medical therapies, and there is limited evidence of preservation of renal function. One potential explanation is that reperfusion injury has contributed to the disappointing outcomes. See Article by Saad et al Numerous therapies have been tested in preclinical models to try to reduce ischemia/reperfusion injury.4 In the setting of clinical ST-elevation–myocardial infarction (STEMI), various adjunctive agents have been tried along with reperfusion to further reduce myocardial infarct size and limit ischemia/reperfusion injury. Although many of these therapies showed promise in preclinical studies, most did not work …
Soluble fibrin causes an acquired platelet glycoprotein VI signaling defect: implications for coagulopathy.

SummaryBackground In coagulopathic blood, circulating thrombin may drive platelet dysfunction. Methods/Results Using calcium dye-loaded platelets, the effect of thrombin exposure and soluble fibrin generation on subsequent platelet GPVI function was investigated. Exposure of apixaban-treated platelet-rich plasma (12% PRP) to thrombin (1-10 nM), but not ADP or thromboxane mimetic U46619 exposure, dramatically blocked subsequent GPVI activation by convulxin, collagen-related peptide, or fibrillar collagen. Consistent with soluble fibrin multimerizing and binding GPVI, the onset of convulxin-insensitivity required 200-500 seconds of thrombin exposure, was not mimicked by exposure to PAR-1/4 activating peptides, was not observed with washed platelets, and was blocked by fibrin polymerization inhibitor (GPRP) or Factor XIIIa inhibitor (T101). PAR-1 signaling through Gαq was not required since vorapaxar blocked thrombin-induced calcium mobilization but had no effect on the ability of thrombin to impair GPVI-signaling. Convulxin-insensitivity was unaffected by the metalloprotease inhibitor GM6001 or the αIIbβ3 antagonist GR144053, indicating negligible roles for GPVI shedding or αIIbβ3 binding of fibrin. Thrombin treatment of washed platelets resuspended in purified fibrinogen also produced convulxin-insensitivity that was prevented by GPRP. Exposure of apixaban/PPACK-treated whole blood to thrombin-treated fibrinogen resulted in >50% decrease in platelet deposition in a collagen microfluidic assay that required soluble fibrin assembly. Conclusions Conversion of only 1% plasma fibrinogen in coagulopathic blood would generate 90 nM soluble fibrin, far exceeding ~1 nM GPVI in blood. Soluble fibrin, rather than thrombin-induced platelet activation through PAR-1 and PAR-4, downregulated GPVI-signaling in response to stimuli, and may lead to subsequent hypofunction of endogenous or transfused platelets. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Melanoma Therapeutic Strategies that Select against Resistance by Exploiting MYC-Driven Evolutionary Convergence

Diverse pathways drive resistance to BRAF/MEK inhibitors in BRAF-mutant melanoma, suggesting that durable control of resistance will be a challenge. By combining statistical modeling of genomic data from matched pre-treatment and post-relapse patient tumors with functional interrogation of >20 in vitro and in vivo resistance models, we discovered that major pathways of resistance converge to activate the transcription factor, c-MYC (MYC). MYC expression and pathway gene signatures were suppressed following drug treatment, and then rebounded during progression. Critically, MYC activation was necessary and sufficient for resistance, and suppression of MYC activity using genetic approaches or BET bromodomain inhibition was sufficient to resensitize cells and delay BRAFi resistance. Finally, MYC-driven, BRAFi-resistant cells are hypersensitive to the inhibition of MYC synthetic lethal partners, including SRC family and c-KIT tyrosine kinases, as well as glucose, glutamine, and serine metabolic pathways. These insights enable the design of combination therapies that select against resistance evolution.
The rise of the railroad in Virginia: A historical analysis of the emergence of corporate public relations in the United States:

This article explores the origins of corporate public relations by examining the untold story of railroad development and expansion in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Understanding the circumstances ...
A Low Power, High Throughput, Fully Event-Based Stereo System

We introduce a stereo correspondence system implemented fully on event-based digital hardware, using a fully graph-based non von-Neumann computation model, where no frames, arrays, or any other such data-structures are used. This is the first time that an end-to-end stereo pipeline from image acquisition and rectification, multi-scale spatiotemporal stereo correspondence, winner-take-all, to disparity regularization is implemented fully on event-based hardware. Using a cluster of TrueNorth neurosynaptic processors, we demonstrate their ability to process bilateral event-based inputs streamed live by Dynamic Vision Sensors (DVS), at up to 2,000 disparity maps per second, producing high fidelity disparities which are in turn used to reconstruct, at low power, the depth of events produced from rapidly changing scenes. Experiments on real-world sequences demonstrate the ability of the system to take full advantage of the asynchronous and sparse nature of DVS sensors for low power depth reconstruction, in environments where conventional frame-based cameras connected to synchronous processors would be inefficient for rapidly moving objects. System evaluation on event-based sequences demonstrates a ~ 200 A— improvement in terms of power per pixel per disparity map compared to the closest state-of-the-art, and maximum latencies of up to 11ms from spike injection to disparity map ejection.
FTO mediates cell-autonomous effects on adipogenesis and adipocyte lipid content by regulating gene expression via 6mA DNA modifications.

SNPs in the first intron of α-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase (FTO) convey effects on adiposity by mechanisms that remain unclear, but appear to include modulation of expression of FTO itself, as well as other genes in cis. FTO expression is lower in fibroblasts and iPSC-derived neurons of individuals segregating for FTO obesity risk alleles. We employed in vitro adipogenesis models to investigate the molecular mechanisms by which Fto affects adipocyte development and function. Fto expression was upregulated during adipogenesis, and was required for the maintenance of CEBPB and Cebpd/CEBPD expression in murine and human adipocytes in vitro. Fto knockdown decreased the number of 3T3-L1 cells that differentiated into adipocytes as well as the amount of lipid per mature adipocyte. This effect on adipocyte programming was conveyed, in part, by modulation of CCAAT enhancer binding protein (C/ebp)β-regulated transcription. We found that Fto also affected Cebpd transcription by demethylating DNA N6-methyldeoxyadenosine in the Cebpd promoter. Fto is permissive for adipogenesis and promotes maintenance of lipid content in mature adipocytes by enabling C/ebpβ-driven transcription and expression of Cebpd. These findings are consistent with the loss of fat mass in mice segregating for a dominant-negative Fto allele.
Preliminary Analysis on Phenological Data of Plants in an Urban Environment

Phenology is the study of the influence of climate on periodic life cycle events of plants and animals, a discipline that has important applications in several research fields like Agrometeorology, Aerobiology, and climate change impact on the environment. Many studies have investigated the relationship between plant phenology and rising temperatures, however, even if the most evident effect of global warming is the increasing of heat island effect in urban areas, a few studies have focused on the impact of climate change on urban plants. In this type of research, monitoring and data collection activities are the most challenging and resource demanding. In 2004, the Institute of Biometeorology started a project aiming to test if the use of an Internet software application could improve phenological data collection by volunteers’ participation. A prototype was developed and used to collect observations on the timing of the main phenological phases of plant species commonly widespread in the city of Florence. In this chapter the architecture of the system and the experience of the project is presented. Data on the timing of spring flowering of two species (early spring flowering Prunus pissardii and late spring flowering Tilia x europaea) are presented. Finally, preliminary results on the analysis of the relationship between the timing of flowering of the two species and the average monthly temperature are discussed.
Collaborative IDS Configuration: A Two-Layer Game-Theoretic Approach

To cope with the increasingly sophisticated intrusions, collaborative intrusion detection systems (CIDSs) are proposed in the literature. In particular, intrusion detection systems (IDSs) in collaboration can dynamically share available computational resources among themselves to enhance the overall detection performance. However, due to resource limitation, it is infeasible for the IDSs to respond to all the intrusion detection requests from their collaborative peers. In the meantime, obtaining the optimal IDS configuration in CIDSs is far from trivial. With such consideration, the collaborative IDS configuration problem is formulated as a two-layer stochastic game (SG). To solve this two-layer SG, a centralized Vickrey–Clarke–Groves auction based collaboration scheme and a distributed game-theoretic incentive mechanism are proposed in this paper. The effectiveness of the proposed schemes is validated through both analysis and numerical experiments. The proposed approach can be applied to more general collaborative settings.
The role of spared spinal cord in post-surgery recovery depends on age in cervical spondylotic myelopathy–a case series study

Object: New evidence shows that the degree of microscopic alterations in spinal cord (SC) regions appearing normal on conventional MRI has some predictive value of neurological impairment and recovery in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). Although SC physiological reserves and plastic potential are likely to decrease as a function of age, the effects of age on such relationships remain unknown. We hypothesized that the preoperative level of spared SC microscopic alterations projects the postoperative functional outcome and this prediction is age-dependent Methods: Nine CSM patients exhibiting neurological symptoms less than one year underwent decompressive surgery. Preoperative neuronal (N-acetylaspartate, NAA) and cellular turnover (choline, Cho) biomarkers were quantified by means of MR spectroscopy (MRS) in spared SC regions in the closed proximity to the compression level (C2 level). Pre- and postoperative (at six months after surgery) clinical status were assessed using modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) and 9-Hole Peg test (9HPT). Relationships between MRS biomarkers and clinical changes were determined and controlled for patient’s age. Results: Consistent with prior findings, significant clinical improvement was detected at six months after surgery (mJOA, p=0.002; 9HPT, p=0.001). As predicted, NAA and NAA/Cho significantly related to changes in mJOA (p=0.02) and 9HPT (p=0.005) scores respectively. Notably, these relationships did not survive age correction (p=0.1 and p=0.06 respectively). Conclusions: Our preliminary results are consistent with MRS potential to assay the degree of microscopic injury and viability of the spared SC to prognosticate functional recovery after decompressive surgery in this population. Likewise, our findings provide initial evidence that the contribution of the spared SC in postoperative recovery depends on the patient’s age at the diagnosis.
Broad-spectrum catalytic metallopeptide inactivators of Zika and West Nile virus NS2B/NS3 proteases

Flaviviruses possess a conserved protease that is vital for viral maturation. We have designed catalytic metallopeptides for inactivation of both Zika and West Nile viral proteases, and potentially other viral homologues, by irreversible target destruction and low off-target activity against host proteases. Oxidative damage promoted by metallopeptides was characterized by mass spectrometry, localized to specific active site residues, and correlated with catalyst activity.
Colorectal Surgical Site Infection Prevention Kits Prior to Elective Colectomy Improve Outcomes.

INTRODUCTION Patient compliance with preoperative mechanical and antibiotic bowel preparation, skin washes, carbohydrate loading, and avoidance of fasting are key components of successful colorectal ERAS and surgical site infection (SSI)-reduction programs. In July 2016, we began a quality improvement project distributing a free SSI Prevention Kit (SSIPK) containing patient instructions, mechanical and oral bowel preparation, chlorhexidine washes, and carbohydrate drink to all patients scheduled for elective colectomy, with the goal of improving patient compliance and rates of SSI. METHODS This was a prospective data audit of our first 221 SSIPK+ patients, who were compared to historical controls (SSIPK-) of 1760 patients undergoing elective colectomy from January 2013 to March 2017. A 1:1 propensity score system accounted for nonrandom treatment assignment. Matched patients' complications, particularly postoperative infection and ileus, were compared. RESULTS SSIPK+ (n = 219) and SSIPK- (n = 219) matched patients were statistically identical on demographics, comorbidities, BMI, surgical indication, and procedure. SSIPK+ patients had higher compliance with mechanical (95% vs 71%, P < 0.001) and oral antibiotic (94% vs 27%, P < 0.001) bowel preparation. This translated into lower overall SSI rates (5.9% vs 11.4%, P = 0.04). SSIPK+ patients also had lower rates of anastomotic leak (2.7% vs 6.8%, P = 0.04), prolonged postoperative ileus (5.9% vs 14.2%, P < 0.01), and unplanned intubation (0% vs 2.3%, P = 0.02). Furthermore, SSIPK+ patients had shorter mean hospital length of stay (3.1 vs 5.4 d, P < 0.01) and had fewer unplanned readmissions (5.9% vs 14.6%, P < 0.001). There were no differences in rates of postoperative pneumonia, urinary tract infection, Clostridium difficile colitis, sepsis, or death. CONCLUSION Provision of a free-of-charge SSIPK is associated with higher patient compliance with preoperative instructions and significantly lower rates of surgical site infections, lower rates of prolonged postoperative ileus, and shorter hospital stays with fewer readmissions. Widespread utilization of such a bundle could therefore lead to significantly improved outcomes.
Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Mortality: Contributions and Variations by Rurality in the United States, 2012–2015

The value of disaggregating non-metropolitan and metropolitan area deaths in illustrating place-based health effects is evident. However, how place interacts with characteristics such as race/ethnicity has been less firmly established. This study compared socioeconomic characteristics and age-adjusted mortality rates by race/ethnicity in six rurality designations and assessed the contributions of mortality rate disparities between non-Hispanic blacks (NHBs) and non-Hispanic whites (NHWs) in each designation to national disparities. Compared to NHWs, age-adjusted mortality rates for: (1) NHBs were higher for all causes (combined), heart disease, malignant neoplasms, and cerebrovascular disease; (2) American Indian and Alaska Natives were significantly higher for all causes in rural areas; (3) Asian Pacific islanders and Hispanics were either lower or not significantly different in all areas for all causes combined and all leading causes of death examined. The largest contribution to the U.S. disparity in mortality rates between NHBs and NHWs originated from large central metropolitan areas. Place-based variations in mortality rates and disparities may reflect resource, and access inequities that are often greater and have greater health consequences for some racial/ethnic populations than others. Tailored, systems level actions may help eliminate mortality disparities existing at intersections between race/ethnicity and place.
1H, (13)C, and (15)N NMR assignments of the hypothetical Nudix protein DR0079 from the extremely radiation-resistant bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans.

Letter to the Editor. Biological context Deinococcus radiodurans is a bacterium that is extremely resistant to the lethal and mutagenic effects of ionizing radiation, ultraviolet radiation, and other physical and chemical DNA-damaging agents (Battista, 1997). It has been suggested that this resistance is due to unusually efficient DNA repair mechanisms (Minton, 1994). Analysis of the complete genome sequence of D. radiodurans reveals a full suite of genes with potential DNA repair activities (White et al, 1999), essentially all of which have functional homologues in other procaryotes. These hypothetical DNA repair genes display a high amount of redundancy and include 21 genes that have sequence homology with the Nudix family of polyphosphate pyrophosphohydrolases (Bessman et al., 1996). Nudix proteins are identified by the consensus sequence GX5EX7REUXEEXGU (where U= I, L, or V and X= any amino acid) that forms part of the catalytic site for diphosphate hydrolysis (Bessman et al., 1996). Consequently, a nucleoside diphosphate linkage is a feature common in Nudix substrates that include NADH, nucleotide sugars, dinucleotide polyphosphates, and (deoxy)ribonucleoside triphosphates (NTPs). The general biochemical function of the Nudix family of proteins is believed to be sanitizing the cell (Bessman et al., 1996). For example, MutT preferably hydrolyzes themore » promutagenic NTP 7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanosine triphosphate to nucleotide monophosphate and inorganic phosphate. Despite the identification of over 450 putative Nudix proteins in genomes on the basis of the Nudix consensus sequence (Gabelli et al., 2001), few Nudix protein structures have been determined (Holbrook et al., 2002). To better understand the relevance, function, and mechanism of the Nudix family of proteins, and to better understand the roles played by the hypothetical D. radiodurans Nudix proteins in radiation-resistance, we have crystallized the hypothetical D.« less
Bringing home lessons from abroad

Establishing a strong personal rapport through peer education can make a difference to clinical practice, thinks Ying Wu
Climate change, cultural adaptations, and lower coastal plain occupations of Georgia and Florida from the early to middle Holocene: Extrapolating spatial trends into the offshore

Abstract Predictive modeling for high probability zones for detection of submerged prehistoric sites remains an integral part of this subdiscipline. It typically relies on a combination of physiographic parameters detectable in offshore zones and known archaeological trends, most of which lie onshore, not offshore. These models are not always temporally and spatially scaled to account for changes in cultural practices and/or baseline ecological conditions associated with climate changes, however. To account better for these potential variations, we used a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) based spatial statistical analysis method. Our study seeks evidence of variation in site correlations to environmental patterns to detect spatial and temporal variation in site locations, and for where site patterns depart from robust quantitative correlations to ecological conditions. Our results support a hypothesis that sites do tend to correlate to certain ecological parameters, but these effects vary across the study area and through time. We also found that some site groups did not correlate well to any particular set of hypothetically favorable ecological conditions, suggesting that other undetected variables played significant roles in those site locations. These may be undetected/untested ecological variables or may represent culturally-based decision making with non-linear relationships with ecological conditions.
The Warburg Effect and lactate signaling augment Fgf-MAPK to promote sensory-neural development in the otic vesicle.

Recent studies indicate that many developing tissues modify glycolysis to favor lactate synthesis (Agathocleous et al., 2012; Bulusu et al., 2017; Gu et al., 2016; Oginuma et al., 2017; Sa et al., 2017; Wang et al., 2014; Zheng et al., 2016), but how this promotes development is unclear. Using forward and reverse genetics in zebrafish, we show that disrupting the glycolytic gene phosphoglycerate kinase-1 (pgk1) impairs Fgf-dependent development of hair cells and neurons in the otic vesicle and other neurons in the CNS/PNS. Fgf-MAPK signaling underperforms in pgk1- / - mutants even when Fgf is transiently overexpressed. Wild-type embryos treated with drugs that block synthesis or secretion of lactate mimic the pgk1- / - phenotype, whereas pgk1- / - mutants are rescued by treatment with exogenous lactate. Lactate treatment of wild-type embryos elevates expression of Etv5b/Erm even when Fgf signaling is blocked. However, lactate's ability to stimulate neurogenesis is reversed by blocking MAPK. Thus, lactate raises basal levels of MAPK and Etv5b (a critical effector of the Fgf pathway), rendering cells more responsive to dynamic changes in Fgf signaling required by many developing tissues.
Monolithic High Mobility InAs-on-Oxide Grown at Low Temperature

Here, we demonstrate high electron mobility single crystal InAs mesas monolithically integrated on amorphous dielectric substrates at a growth temperature of 300°C. Critically, a room temperature m...
Deciding what to observe: Thoughts for a post-WEIRD generation

Abstract The evolutionary social sciences (ESSs) are thriving, and seem to have entered a period of normal science. This is a good time to examine our own practices, theoretical and empirical, and to ask how we might improve. Here I review papers published in the past five years in EHB to explore major trends in the field. Theoretically, the popularity of certain topics (cooperation, mating, life history) has led to great progress, but might have narrowed our theoretical vision. Empirically, most research is still conducted in WEIRD populations, with a smaller mode of research in small-scale societies, and very little in the middle. I offer suggestions for broadening our theoretical and empirical scope, centered around the project of constructing a representative map of the human psychological and behavioral phenome.
Women Physicians and Promotion in Academic Medicine.

Abstract Background In 2000, a landmark study showed that women who graduated from U.S. medical schools from 1979 through 1997 were less likely than their male counterparts to be promoted to upper ...
Impact of laboratory work-up of lymphoma guidelines on cytopathology practices

A multi-society expert panel recently published evidence-based guidelines and recommendations for the primary diagnosis and classification of lymphoma, which included a public comment period. The guideline concludes: “primary diagnosis and classification of lymphoma can be achieved with a variety of specimens.” The guideline recommends that fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) cytomorphology not be used without ancillary testing, and that either flow cytometry or immunohistochemical immunophenotyping be performed for any type of specimen. Either excisional or core biopsy should be obtained when there is a high suspicion of lymphoma, and excision is recommended when feasible for Hodgkin lymphoma primary diagnosis. The use of cerebrospinal fluid to diagnose central nervous system lymphoma is discussed. For any patient with initial negative biopsy or fluid specimens and a high suspicion of lymphoma, additional tissue samples should be obtained. Additional molecular testing and good practice statements are summarized in the guideline. Cytopathologists should continue to advocate for judicious use of lymph node FNAB as an excellent triage tool that may require additional tissue biopsy for definitive diagnosis.
Temporal trends in rates of opioid misuse among delivery-related hospitalizations in North Carolina from 2000 to 2014.

Opioid misuse during pregnancy is increasing at an alarming rate across the United States. To determine the prevalence, temporal trends, and resource usage of delivery-related hospitalizations of w...
A 33% Tuning Range Cross-Coupled DCO with “Folded” Common Mode Resonator Covering both 5G MMW Bands in 16-nm CMOS FinFet

This paper presents state of the art digitally controlled oscillator (DCO) suitable for the emerging 5G standard. This design utilizes a very compact common-mode resonator “folded” within the primary LC tank minimizing the area of the oscillator while ensuring high performance. The implemented DCO cover 11 to 15.4 GHz, yielding a fractional tuning range (FTR) of 33.3%. When used with a proper frequency generation scheme this DCO can cover both K and Ka band 5G allocated frequencies. Measured phase noise at 1 MHz offset is −108.8 dBc/Hz at 15.4GHz. Consumed power is 5.2 mW from a 0.8 V supply, obtained figure of merit (FoM) is higher than 185.4 dBc/Hz. The design occupies an area of 0.052 mm2.
Solution structure of zinc-seamed C-alkylpyrogallol[4]arene dimeric nanocapsules

The structural stability and solution geometry of zinc-seamed-C-propylpyrogallol[4]arene dimers has been studied in solution using in situ neutron scattering and 2D-DOSY NMR methods. In comparison with the structures of the analogous copper-/nickel-seamed dimeric entities, the spherical geometry of the PgC3Zn species (R = 9.4 A; diffusion coefficient = 1.05 × 10−10 m2 s−1) is larger due to the presence of ligands at the periphery in solution. This enhanced radius in solution due to ligation is also consistent with the findings of model molecular dynamics simulations of the zinc-seamed dimers.
One Size May Not Fit All: The Need for a More Inclusive and Intersectional Psychological Science on Stigma

In their review, Remedios and Snyder (2015) articulated how models of stigma fall short of explaining stigmatization of women of color, because they do not consider intersectionality of multiple stigmatized identities. Using the example of the intersection of race and gender, they reviewed literature on how targets of stigma detect and respond to prejudice (making prejudice attributions, the role of identity processes such as centrality), highlighting the complexity of these processes once multiple identities (namely non-prototypical categories of race and gender) are considered. In response, we provide more in depth discussion of the challenges to inclusion and intersectionality including current and traditional psychological science approaches and the perceived politicization of intersectional research, as well as the complexity of integrating multiple identities (social class, sexual orientation and gender diversity) into stigma research, including recruitment, measurement, and analysis. We offer practical suggestions in the areas of recruitment, measurement, and analysis, to facilitate more inclusive and intersectional research, given that such work would provide a more complete understanding of the experience of stigma.
Huxley, Julian Sorrell (1887–1975)

This article has no abstract. Keywords: Huxley, Julian Sorrell (evolutionary theory); “cline” and “ evolutionary synthesis”
Quantitative modeling of immune responses.

We were impelled to put together this volume on ‘Quantitative Modeling of Immune Responses’ to confront the fact that such studies have had little or no impact on the experimental development of the field. Yet, we remain convinced of the growing importance of such studies. We hope that the presentation of a collection of theoretical investigations in a variety of immunological areas would give the experimentalist a chance to appraise their value. In a previous volume of Immunological Reviews (1) a different tack was used, namely, to present one comprehensive theory of immune function and ask experimentalists to comment. While this engendered enthusiastic criticism, the most striking result was that no one felt that the effort to generalize was of value to them. Fifteen years have passed since that volume has appeared, so it is time to see whether and/or how thinking has changed. The central role of theoretical studies in genetics and evolutionary biology is well recognized. By contrast, in immunology, we remain crassly empirical. Even the theoretician has become a victim of this view, often equating theory to a tool to store or catalogue the vast amount of complex data being generated. Simulation, the extrapolation of which is called a prediction, is viewed as understanding. As theoreticians, we must face the fact that building a mathematical web around a random collection of observations does not in and of itself increase understanding. Theoreticians in this field believe that today’s experimentalists are not sufficiently adroit in the use of mathematics and computer modeling and, therefore, are not prepared to deal with immunology as it increases in complexity. Experimentalists believe that most theoretical studies are sterile meanderings into Neverland, either because they are too general to be useful or so specific that they become another way of describing what we know already. Clearly, interactive discussion is needed. The theorist conjures up the various ways that the system might work; the experimentalist determines which of those
Geometric Image of Statistical Learning (Morphogenetic Neuron)

We present a neural model called Morphogenetic Neuron. This model generates a geometric image of the data given by a table of features. A point in the n-dimensional geometric space is a set of the values of the attributes of the features. In each point we compute a value of a field by a linear superposition of the values of the attributes in the point. The coefficients of the linear superposition are the same for all the points and are invariant for any symmetric transformations of the geometric space. The morphogenetic neuron can compute the coefficients by data without recursive methods, to reproduce the wanted function by samples (classification , learning and so on) . Non-linear primitive functions cannot be represented in the morphogenetic geometric space. Primitive non-linear functions are considered as new coordinates for which the dimensions of the space are incremented. The geometry in general is non Euclidean and its structure is determined by the positions of the points in the space. The type of geometry is one of the main difference respects to the classical statistical learning and other neuron models. Connection between statistic properties and coefficients are founded.
Biosynthesis of Long Chain Fatty Acids by Subcellular Particles of Mature Brain

Mature rat brain mitochondria and microsomes incorporated acetyl coenzyme A and malonyl coenzyme A into a variety of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids by a chain elongation mechanism. ATP and a reduced pyridine nucleotide were required for this process. Malonyl-CoA was found to be the active precursor in fatty acid biosynthesis by the microsomal elongation system, while both malonyl-CoA and acetyl-CoA were active precursors in mitochondria. Microsomes incorporated malonyl-CoA mainly into 18:0 (33% of the total radioactivity) and into polyunsaturated fatty acids, 22:4 and 22:6 (about 60% of the total). The main synthetic products for the mitochondrial acetyl-CoA system were 20:1 (about 38%), 18:0 (18%), and the polyunsaturated fatty acids, 22:4 and 22:6 (about 20%). When incubated with malonyl-CoA in the absence of ATP, both particulate fractions synthesized only 14:0, 16:0, and 18:0 by a mechanism de novo. The decarboxylation ratios in the complete system suggest, however, that in brain, unlike in liver, synthesis de novo is not the major metabolic route of fatty acid synthesis. A significant amount of the fatty acids synthesized by microsomes and mitochondria were incorporated into phospholipids, as well as into triglycerides, cholesterol, and cholesterol esters. The myelin fraction was almost completely inactive with respect to fatty acid synthesis in vitro. This finding may reflect the low myelin turnover of mature animals.