cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patho-Physiological Observations of Sertoli Cells in Patients with Germinal Aplasia or Severe Germ Cell Depletion. Ultrastructural Findings and Hormone Levels

The purpose of this study was to examine the fine structure of Sertoli cells in patients with a severe or complete depletion of germ cells. In normal seminiferous tubules Sertoli cells are characterized by a cytoplasm rich in the common cellular organelles, particularly smooth endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria. Lipid droplets, Golgi, rough endoplasmic reticulum, dense granules, annulate Iamellae and crystals of Charcot-B#{246}ttcher are also present, although the latter two Structures are not constantly observed. Occluding junctional complexes join adjacent Sertoli cells near the base of the seminiferous epithelium. In patients exhibiting germinal aplasia or severe germ cell depletion there are three morphological features of the Sertoli cells which stand out: 1) A marked increase in the number of fine filaments in the basal portion of the Sertoli cell cytoplasm. In some of these regions few other organdIes are present; 2) Extensive junctional complexes between neighboring Sertoli cells extending from the base of the tubule to the lumen; and 3) Elaborate interdigitations between the plasma membrane of adjacent Sertoli cells. In addition to these special features, many areas of Sertoli cells in germinal aplasia show the common organdies found in normal humans. It has previously been assumed that Sertoli cells are normal in patients with germinal aplasia, but the present ultrastructural study demonstrates that they possess certain morphological abnormalities. These observations are consistent with the conjecture that in patients with severe germ cell depletion the increase in plasma FSH may be due to impaired Sertoli cell function resulting in diminished feedback inhibition of gonadotropin release.
Induction of Phyletic Phenocopies in Streptocarpus (Gesneriaceae) by Three Antagonists of Hydroxyproline-Protein Synthesis

Plants in the family Gesneriaceae display a wide range of vegetative morphologies. The family separates into two subfamilies on the basis of the relative size of the cotyledons of their respective plants (Burtt 1963). In the subfamily Gesnerioideae, cotyledons remain equal, a phenomenon that is a basal synapomorphy of dicotyledons. In the subfamily Cyrtandroideae, cotyledons develop unequally, a condition known as anisocotyly. Burtt (1970) suggests that the evolutionary advantage of the untypical and unusual seedling morphology be tied to environmental factors. He couples anisocotyly with numerous, tiny seeds lacking endosperm. Microspermy, which in other forest plants is ameliorated by symbiosis or saphrophytism, is in this case helped by the immediate production of photosynthetic tissue because of the precocious enlargement of one of the cotyledons. In some species of the genus Streptocarpus, as well as other genera scattered throughout the Cyrtandroideae, the single cotyledon continues development to become the entire vegetative structure of the mature plant. This reaches an extreme in the genus Monophyllaea, which completely lacks a shoot apical meristem (Cronk and Moeller 1997). The “fuzzy morphology” (Rutishauser 1995) of this self-contained organism (half leaf-like, half stem-like) has been termed a phyllomorph, and the axis, a combination stem/petiole, is known as a petiolode (Jong 1970, 1973).
Division of Labor in Medical Office Practices

This paper examines the staffing, division of labor, and resulting profitability of primary care physician practices. Division of labor is viewed as a mechanism to increase the efficiency of production processes through specialization. At the same time, division of labor also introduces coordination cost as handoffs and communication needs increase. We attempt to empirically assess the net effect in primary care physician offices. We collected data from a sample of these practices and tested two hypotheses: (H1) controlling for staff size, greater delegation through the use of more staff types will decrease the throughput of visits, and (H2) controlling for staff size, income per unit time generated by the practice is decreasing in the number of staff types. We find evidence supporting both hypotheses. We conclude that many physicians are gaining little financial benefit from delegating work to support staff. This suggests that small practices with few staff may be viable alternatives to traditional practice designs.
Issues related to slice based modeling of MPEG VBR encoded video

The objective of the paper is to explore the possibility of developing a slice based model whose random variable is independent and would fit classical distributions. The authors analyze four MPEG-1 VBR encoded high quality, color video sequences. None of the sequences contain audio. The authors present three types of slice based models and discuss the merits of each. They show the distributions given by each of the models and show their fit to the gamma and Pareto distributions using the QQ plot.
Leveraging electronic medical records for surveillance of surgical site infection in a total joint replacement population.

objective. To evaluate whether a hybrid electronic screening algorithm using a total joint replacement (TJR) registry, electronic surgical site infection (SSI) screening, and electronic health record (EHR) review of SSI is sensitive and specific for SSI detection and reduces chart review volume for SSI surveillance. design. Validation study. setting. A large health maintenance organization (HMO) with 8.6 million members. methods. Using codes for infection, wound complications, cellullitis, procedures related to infections, and surgeon-reported complications from the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification, we screened each TJR procedure performed in our HMO between January 2006 and December 2008 for possible infections. Flagged charts were reviewed by clinical-content experts to confirm SSIs. SSIs identified by the electronic screening algorithm were compared with SSIs identified by the traditional indirect surveillance methodology currently employed in our HMO. Positive predictive values (PPVs), negative predictive values (NPVs), and specificity and sensitivity values were calculated. Absolute reduction of chart review volume was evaluated. results. The algorithm identified 4,001 possible SSIs (9.5%) for the 42,173 procedures performed for our TJR patient population. A total of 440 case patients (1.04%) had SSIs (PPV, 11.0%; NPV, 100.0%). The sensitivity and specificity of the overall algorithm were 97.8% and 91.5%, respectively. conclusion. An electronic screening algorithm combined with an electronic health record review of flagged cases can be used as a valid source for TJR SSI surveillance. The algorithm successfully reduced the volume of chart review for surveillance by 90.5%.
Deriving Traffic-Performance Measures and Levels of Service from Second-Order Statistical Features of Spatiotemporal Traffic Contour Maps

Little information has been successfully extracted from the wealth of data collected by intelligent transportation systems. Such information is needed for the efficiency of operations and management functions of traffic-management centers. A new set of second-order statistical measures derived from texture characterization techniques in the field of digital image analysis is presented. The main objective is to improve the data-analysis tools used in performance-monitoring systems and assessment of level of service. The new measures can extract properties such as smoothness, homogeneity, regularity, and randomness in traffic operations directly from constructed spatiotemporal traffic contour maps. To avoid information redundancy, a correlation matrix was examined for nearly 14,000 15-min speed contour maps generated for a 3.4-mi freeway section over a period of 5 weekdays. The result was a set of three second-order measures: angular second moment, contrast, and entropy. Each measure was analyzed to examine...
Angiographic Appraisal of Distal Vessel Suitability for Aortocoronary Bypass Graft Surgery

The accuracy of preoperative coronary arteriography in determining distal vessel operability was evaluated in 166 patients studied arteriographically before and after bypass surgery. Appraisal accuracy correlated closely with the type of distal vessel filling, being highest (97%) in poststenotic vessels with antegrade filling; lower (76%) beyond occlusions with generous retrograde collateral flow; and least (65%) in postocclusion vessels filled by insufficient collaterals. Optimum data collection is favored by the use of high-definition serial roentgenography with extended filming in multiple projections; competent interpretation requires the integrated assessment of interdependent variables, including distal vessel morphology, filling patterns, branch disease, run-off capacity, and myocardial status.
Speciation in the White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis): a multilocus perspective.

Inferring the evolutionary and ecological processes that have shaped contemporary species distributions using the geographic distribution of gene lineages is the principal goal of phylogeographic research. Researchers in the field have recognized that inferences made from a single gene, often mitochondrial, can be informative regarding the pattern of diversification but lack conclusive information regarding the evolutionary mechanisms that led to the observed patterns. Here, we use a multilocus (20 loci) data set to explore the evolutionary history of the White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis). A previous single-locus study found S. carolinensis is comprised of four reciprocally monophyletic clades geographically restricted to the pine and oak forests of: (i) eastern North America, (ii) southern Rocky Mountain and Mexican Mountain ranges, (iii) Eastern Sierra Nevada and Northern Rocky Mountains and (iv) Pacific slope of North America. The diversification of the clades was attributed to the fragmentation of North American pine and oak woodlands in the Pliocene with subsequent divergences owing to the Pleistocene glacial cycles. Principal component, clustering and species tree analyses of the multilocus data resolved the same four groups or lineages found in the single-locus study. Coalescent analyses and hypothesis testing of nested isolation and migration models indicate that isolation and not gene flow has been the major evolutionary mechanism responsible for shaping genetic variation, and all the divergence events within S. carolinensis have occurred in response to the Pleistocene glacial cycles.
Distinct domains of a nucleolar protein mediate protein kinase binding, interaction with nucleic acids and nucleolar localization

Nopp44/46 is a phosphoprotein of the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei that is localized to the nucleolus. Based on the primary sequence, Nopp44/46 appears to be a protein composed of distinct domains. This communication describes the relationship of these domains to the known functional interactions of the molecule and suggests that the amino-terminal region defines a novel homology region that functions in nucleolar targeting. We have previously shown that Nopp44/46 is capable of interacting with nucleic acids and associating with a protein kinase. Using in vitro transcription and translation, we now demonstrate that the nucleic acid binding function maps to the carboxy-terminal domain of the molecule, a region rich in arginine-glycine-glycine motifs. Our experiments reveal that a central region containing a high proportion of acidic residues is required for association with the protein kinase. Analysis of transfectants expressing epitope-tagged Nopp44/46 deletion constructs showed that the amino-terminal 96 amino acids allowed nuclear and nucleolar accumulation of the protein. This region of the molecule shows homology to several recently described nucleolar proteins. Deletion of a 27-amino-acid region within this domain abrogated nucleolar, but not nuclear, localization. These studies show that Nopp44/46 is composed of distinct modules, each of which plays a different role in molecular interactions. We suggest that this protein could facilitate interactions between sets of nucleolar molecules.
MicroRNA molecular profiling from matched tumor and bio-fluids in bladder cancer

MicroRNAs have been identified as potential cancer biomarkers due to their presence and stability in many body fluids including urine and plasma, but the relationship of the pattern of expression of these messengers across various biological media has not been addressed and could provide important information in order to translate these biomarkers for epidemiologic or clinical use. We analyzed microRNA of matched FFPE-tumor tissue, plasma, urine exosomes (n = 16) and WBCs (n = 11) from patients with bladder cancer, using Nanostring miRNA assays and droplet digital PCR for validation. Pearson correlations were used to compare expression between media. Numerous microRNAs were detected and overlapping from specific bio-specimen sources. MiR-4454 and miR-21 overexpression was found in three sources: tumor, WBCs and urine. Additionally, miR-15b-5p, miR-126-3p, miR-93-5p, and miR-150-5p were common to tumor/WBCs, while miR-720/3007a, miR-205, miR-200c-3p and miR-29b-3p common to tumor/urine. Significant associations were noted between the log-adjusted average miRNA counts in tumor vs. WBCs (r = 0.418 p < 0.001), and tumor vs. urine (r = 0.38 p < 0.001). No association was seen tumor vs. plasma exosome miRs (r = 0.07 p = 0.06). MicroRNA profiling from matched samples in patients shows a significant number of microRNAs up regulated in bladder tumors are identifiable in urine exosomes and WBCs of the same patient, but not in blood plasma. This study demonstrated varying relationships between miRNA detected in biological media from the same patient, and serves to inform the potential of urine-based microRNAs as biomarkers for bladder cancer and potentially other malignancies.
Metastable skyrmions: Beat the heat

Magnetic skyrmion lattices can be stabilized outside the narrow region where they are thermodynamically favoured by exploiting their topological protection.
Vandermonde Operators and Common Multiples

Let L1(λ),…,Lr(λ) be monic operator polynomials acting on a Banach space x. An operator polynomial L(λ) acting on x is called monic left common multiple of L1,…,Lr if L(λ) is monic and L(λ) = M1(λ)L1(λ) =…= M1(λ)Lr(λ) for some (necessarily monic) operator polynomials M1 (λ),…,Mr(λ). In this chapter we shall study Bionic left common multiples. The main tool of our investigation will be the Vandermonde operator and its properties. This operator is introduced in Section 3.1.
Inhibition of Hemoglobin Synthesis by Cyanate In Vitro

Cyanate inhibits sickling and prolongs red cell survival in sickle cell anemia. However, cyanate markedly inhibits hemoglobin synthesis in vitro. Incorporation of radioactive amino acid into hemoglobin by human sickle reticulocytes or bone marrow and by rabbit reticulocytes (whole cell or cell-free lysate) was inhibited by as little as 2 mM cyanate and abolished by 50 mM. Both alpha- and beta-S chains were equally affected. The inhibition was only partially reversible by washing the cells after exposure to cyanate. Transport of radioactive amino acid into the cell was not impaired, and free intracellular amino acid was not carbamylated. Aminoacylation of transfer RNA was not inhibited; the acylated amino acid was not carbamylated. Examination of polysome patterns by sucrose density gradient centrifugation revealed degradation of polysomes to monosomes, suggesting inhibition of initiation of protein synthesis by cyanate. In a cell-free lysate, cyanate prevented hemin stimulation of initiation. We conclude that cyanate profoundly inhibits initiation of hemoglobin synthesis in vitro.
Self Forward and Information Dissemination Prediction Research in SINA Microblog Using ELM

With the popularity of social network, information propagation prediction based on social network is also becoming popular. As far as we know, people do not concern the user who forwards its own microblog in information propagation prediction. In our investigation the self forward behavior can cause the further spreading of the information. Thus in this paper we propose a self forward prediction model to predict the self forward behavior. We use ELM to train and predict self forward behavior. Based on this model we proposed an algorithm to predict the information dissemination. The experiment results show that our algorithm is real and effective and it significantly improves the forecast accuracy. It also can be seen in the experimental results that the results of ELM has a better performance than SVM.
Endoscopically Placed Gianturco Endoprosthesis in the Treatment of Malignant and Benign Biliary Obstruction

Since the introduction of the Z-stent by Cesare Gianturco in 1985, the prominent role of endoscopically placed transpapillary endoprostheses as the treatment of choice to relieve malignant biliary obstruction has stimulated much interest and research in the evolution of his initial design. This article reviews the efficacy and limitation of prior Z-stent models in their attempt to relieve malignant and benign biliary obstructions and previews improvements in the design currently being evaluated in a large, multicenter trial.
Ameliorative effects of dietary protein restriction in chronic aminonucleoside nephrosis.

Abstract Because many investigators have demonstrated the efficacy of dietary protein restriction in various experimental models of glomerular injury that progress to focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), we used this dietary maneuver in chronic aminonucleoside nephrosis. This model of glomerular disease, which uses a single intravenous injection of the puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN), slowly progresses over 18 weeks with mesangial cell proliferation and FSGS as the pathologic hallmarks. We performed renal functional and histopathologic studies in 21 rats with chronic aminonucleoside nephrosis. Group 1 rats (n = 10) were fed a standard rodent diet containing 23.4% protein, whereas group 2 animals (n = 11) were maintained with a 6% protein diet replete with electrolytes, minerals, and vitamins. In those animals subjected to dietary protein restriction, proteinuria was significantly reduced at 14, 28, 84, and 126 days after PAN administration. In rats maintained with the 6% protein diet at 126 days after PAN delivery, there was also a significant reduction in the percent of glomeruli with segmental areas of glomerulosclerosis or hyalinosis and mesangial cell proliferation. We conclude that the renal functional and histologic consequences of chronic aminonucleoside nephrosis can be blunted by dietary protein restriction.
Achieving a 5-star rating: Analysis of Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores among patients undergoing elective colorectal operations

Background Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) is a publicly reported survey of patients’ hospital experience. Methods All inpatient, elective colorectal resections with completed HCAHPS surveys at a single institution between June 2012 and April 2015 were identified. HCAHPS measures were analyzed according to published methodologies. Univariate logistic regression evaluated associations of various HCAHPS measures with age, sex, ostomy, approach, diagnosis, and prolonged length of stay (PLOS; ≥7 days). Key driver analysis demonstrated associations between the individual HCAHPS measures and the global hospital rating measure. Results We identified 755 patients. Younger age, inflammatory bowel disease, open approach, ostomy construction, and PLOS were associated with low quality of pain management. Patients with inflammatory bowel disease, open approach, and PLOS had a low overall star score (all P Conclusion Efforts aimed at improving pain management among patients with colorectal resection should focus on patients with inflammatory bowel disease, open operations, ostomies, and PLOS. Improving care transitions and communication about medications are important targets for improvement to increase the overall hospital score. Considering the importance of improving patient-centered outcomes, we suggest that all institutions utilize their existing HCAHPS data in this manner.
Vectors and Tensors

It is assumed that the reader is familiar with the representation of vectors by arrows, with their addition and their resolution into components, i.e. with the vector parallelogram and its extension to three dimensions. We also assume familiarity with the dot product and later (p. 36) with the cross product. Vectors subjected to this special kind of algebra will be called Gibbs type vectors and will be denoted by boldface letters.
A fully packaged D-band MIMO transmitter using high-density flip-chip interconnects on LCP substrate

In this paper, a fully packaged D-band MIMO phased-array transmitter using system-on-package (SoP) technology is presented. The transmitter chip is implemented in a 32nm CMOS SOI process and assembled on the liquid crystal polymer (LCP) substrate by flip-chip interconnects. The MIMO operation is enabled by an on-chip transformer based 4×4 Butler Matrix. The package fabrication realizes a consistent minimum feature size of 20µm on a 2-mil flexible LCP substrate. Moreover, the CMOS chip with a total of 72 RF and DC pads is well aligned with and successfully bonded onto the corresponding patterns on the LCP package. The capability of package fabrication with fine features and high-density chip-to-package interconnections enables the implementation of cost-effective and high-performance hybrid complex systems at mm-wave. Measurement results based on probing demonstrate the functionalities of the entire system.
Community as Curriculum

This chapter suggests that those responsible for the leadership of schools consider community of such importance that the building and sustaining of community must be seen as an essential part of the curriculum of the school. I suggest that school leaders move beyond the informal curriculum of “building community”, effected by various institutional supports such as schools within schools, or houses or clusters, cooperative learning, student governments, conflict-resolution teams, school assemblies and smaller groups addressing active antiracism and the like — all helpful and desirable in their own right. School leaders should embrace community as an explicit, intentional, and programmatic component of the school curriculum. In the United States, at least, the multicultural, multiliterate and rapidly changing conditions of late modernity make the work of personal and social construction of the self and of community absolutely essential. The curriculum of community requires an explicit presence at the table of curriculum, that it be written in as a main course on the menu, rather than be added on as an after-dinner candy.
Air-Sea Turbulent Flux Parameterizations in Tropical Cyclone Models

This chapter is the last of the three-lecture series on the physical processes that are accounted for in numerical models of tropical cyclones. There are two sections in this chapter. Section 1 is intended to provide an overview of the physical processes required to be included in TC models near the air-sea interface under tropical cyclones, and Section 2 presents results from a recent study on the sensitivity of simulated TC intensification to parameterized physical processes. Materials presented in Section 1 are derived from an overview book chapter by Bao et al. (2002), while those presented in Section 2 are based on Bao et al. (2011).
Finite element analysis of electroactive polymer and magnetoactive elastomer based actuation for origami folding

The incorporation of smart materials such as electroactive polymers and magnetoactive elastomers in origami structures can result in active folding using external electric and magnetic stimuli, showing promise in many origami-inspired engineering applications. In this study, 3D finite element analysis (FEA) models are developed using COMSOL Multiphysics software for three configurations that incorporate a combination of active and passive material layers, namely: (1) a single-notch unimorph folding configuration actuated using only external electric field, (2) a double-notch unimorph folding configuration actuated using only external electric field, and (3) a bifold configuration which is actuated using multi-field (electric and magnetic) stimuli. The objectives of the study are to verify the effectiveness of the FEA models to simulate folding behavior and to investigate the influence of geometric parameters on folding quality. Equivalent mechanical pressure and surface stress are used as external loads in the FEA to simulate electric and magnetic fields, respectively. Compared quantitatively with experimental data, FEA captured the folding performance of electric actuation well for notched configurations and magnetic actuation for a bifold structure, but underestimated electric actuation for the bifold structure. By investigating the impact of geometric parameters and locations to place smart materials, FEA can be used in design, avoiding trial-and-error iterations of experiments.
Gianturco Z-Stent Fixation of a Modified Iliac Limb Stent-Graft Endoprosthesis for the Treatment of Malignant Superior Vena Cava Syndrome.

Superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome, characterized by facial and arm swelling, is most frequently caused by intrathoracic malignancies. Decompression may be achieved with endovenous stent placement. Polytetrafluoroethylene-covered stents have shown to have higher long-term cumulative patency rates compared with uncovered stents for the treatment of malignant SVC syndrome. Unfortunately, polytetrafluoroethylene-covered stents are not readily available worldwide. Moreover, the existing armamentarium, including balloon-expandable iCAST stents (maximum diameter 10 mm) and heparin-coated Viabahn stent-graft endoprostheses (maximum diameter 13 mm), is too small to adequately treat malignant obstruction of the SVC. This report describes a patient with SVC syndrome and SVC tumor thrombus secondary to recurrent nonseminomatous germ cell carcinoma of the mediastinum treated with a Gianturco Z-stent–fixed modified EXCLUDER abdominal aortic aneurysm iliac limb endoprosthesis.
Social Scientific Analysis of Nuclear Weapons: Past Scholarly Successes, Contemporary Challenges, and Future Research Opportunities

Scholars interested in researching nuclear security are increasingly expressing the fear that the “important questions” have already been answered. At the same time, recent studies highlight the po...
CD1: From Molecules to Diseases

The human cluster of differentiation (CD)1 system for antigen display is comprised of four types of antigen-presenting molecules, each with a distinct functional niche: CD1a, CD1b, CD1c, and CD1d. Whereas CD1 proteins were thought solely to influence T-cell responses through display of amphipathic lipids, recent studies emphasize the role of direct contacts between the T-cell receptor and CD1 itself. Moving from molecules to diseases, new research approaches emphasize human CD1-transgenic mouse models and the study of human polyclonal T cells in vivo or ex vivo in disease states. Whereas the high genetic diversity of major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-encoded antigen-presenting molecules provides a major hurdle for designing antigens that activate T cells in all humans, the simple population genetics of the CD1 system offers the prospect of discovering or designing broadly acting immunomodulatory agents.
Inflection in Lingua Franca: from Haedo’s Topographia to the Dictionnaire de la langue franque

The Mediterranean contact language Lingua Franca (LF), although usually categorized as a pidgin, is known to display a number of non-pidgin-like characteristics. A number of these pertain to its inflection, which shows (for a pidgin) an unusually high degree of retention of lexifier inflectional material. The present paper attempts to situate the inflectional categories of LF, as well as their exponence, between those that are generally found in pidgins and those that characterize LF’s Romance lexifiers. In doing so, the paper contributes both to the descriptive analysis of LF and to the theoretical understanding of its place in the typology of contact languages.
Process measures facilitate maturation of pediatric enhanced recovery protocols.

Abstract Background/purpose The role of process measures used to predict quality in pediatric colorectal surgery enhanced recovery protocols has not been described. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of abstracting and monitoring process measures over protocol improvement iteration. Methods Patients enrolled in the Pediatric Colorectal Enhanced Recovery After Surgery pathway at our institution were grouped by stage of implementation. We used a quality improvement database to compare multistage enhanced recovery process measures and 30-day patient outcomes. Results We identified 58 surgical patients with 28(48%) cases enrolled in the pathway. There was increased use of regional anesthesia techniques in pathway patients (83% versus 20%, p Conclusions Process measures complement outcome measures in assessing quality and effectiveness of a pediatric colorectal recovery protocol. Adherence to processes may reduce complications. Level of evidence Treatment study, Level III.
Representing Blackness in Brazil’s Changing Television Landscape: The Cases of Mister Brau and O Grande Gonzalez

Since the late 1960s TV Globo, Brazil’s largest and most commercially successful broadcast network, has been producing long-form serial narratives known as telenovelas. Followed by millions of domestic viewers and exported to more than 130 countries worldwide, these melorealist serials have served as a primary source for what it means to be Brazilian in both the domestic and global social imaginaries. A number of excellent studies, however, have shown that the country’s most important fictional television genre has historically underrepresented Brazilians of color while at the same time producing a symbolic good that emphasizes whiteness as the ideal social marker. This article shifts the focus from the telenovela to an examination of the series, an emerging and understudied area of Brazilian television fiction. By analyzing representations of blackness in two contemporary Brazilian serial comedies: Mister Brau (TV Globo, 2015–) and The Great Gonzalez (O Grande Gonzalez, Fox Brasil and Porta dos Fundos, 2015), the article reveals the initial stages of recent developments that have the potential to significantly alter both the field of television production and the way Brazil is portrayed on the small screen. Resumo Desde o final da decada de 1960, a TV Globo, a maior e comercialmente mais bem-sucedida rede de televisao do Brasil, vem produzindo telenovelas. Seguidos fielmente por milhoes de telespectadores domesticos e exportados para mais de 130 paises no mundo, esses melodramas realistas ao longo dos anos se transformaram na ficcao televisiva brasileira por excelencia, alem de servir como a principal fonte para a construcao do que significa ser brasileiro, tanto no imaginario social local como global. Alguns estudos excelentes mostraram que o genero televisivo ficcional mais importante do pais tem historicamente sub-representado brasileiros de cor e, ao mesmo tempo, produzido um bem simbolico que enfatiza a branquitude como o marcador social ideal. Este artigo desloca o foco da telenovela para uma analise de series, um genero emergente e pouco estudado da ficcao televisiva brasileira. Abordando as representacoes do negro em duas comedias seriadas brasileiras contemporâneas, Mister Brau (TV Globo, 2015–) e O Grande Gonzalez (Fox e Porta dos Fundos, 2015), o artigo revela as fases iniciais de recentes transformacoes que tem o potencial de alterar significativamente tanto o campo de producao de televisao como a maneira pela qual o Brasil e retratado na tela pequena.
Etiology of Pituitary Tumours

Pituitary adenomas account for ≈10% of all clinical presentations with primary intracerebral tumors (1), are found incidentally in 3–27% of autopsies (2,3), and a further 10% of asymptomatic adults harbor pituitary adenomas (4), making pituitary adenomas the most common tumor in the central nervous system. This apparent vulnerability of the pituitary gland to neoplastic change is somewhat at odds with the closely regulated, highly specialized cellular phenotypes, which characterize the anterior pituitary. However, recent advancement in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in pituitary tumorigenesis suggest that the same highly specific hormones, growth factors and cytokines derived from intra-and extra-pituitary sites, but under tight hypothalamic-pituitary control, may contribute to pituicyte transformation.
Teaching Parallel Programming with Active Learning

Today parallel computing is essential for the success of many real-world applications and software systems. Nonetheless, most computer science undergraduate courses teach students how to think and program sequentially. Further, software professionals have complained about the computer science curriculum's lag behind industry in their failing to cover modern programming technologies such as parallel programming. The emphasis on parallel programming has become even more important due to the increasing adoption of horizontal scaling approaches to cope with massive datasets. In order to help students coming from a serial curriculum comprehend parallel concepts, we used an innovative approach that utilized active learning, visualizations, examples, discussions, and practical exercises. Further, we conducted an experiment to examine the effect of active learning on students' understanding of parallel programming. Results indicate that the students that were actively engaged with the material performed better in terms of understanding parallel programming concepts than other students.
P068 The novel recombinant HLA-A*11:271 story: Serology to the rescue of the misnomenclature

Aim The wide spread use of NGS for HLA typing has resulted in exponential growth of novel alleles reported to the IMGT. However, the majority of these novel alleles have not been serologically characterized which has significant clinical implications in solid organ and HCT, particularly pertaining to assignment of donor specific HLA antibodies. Methods The identified novel allele had been originally and unsuccessfully tested by rSSOP, SSP, Sanger SBT and Real-Time PCR. Subsequently, the sample was tested by NGS using Mia Fora reagents and analysis software (Immucor). The subject was redrawn for serologic typing using Terasaki trays (One Lambda). A family study analysis was conducted to determine the segregation of the novel allele carrying haplotype by descent. Results With the exception of NGS, none of the molecular methods produced a result of the A locus. NGS revealed a novel HLA-A allele that appears to result from a recombination between A*11:01:01:01 (ex 1 and partial ex 2) & A:01:01:01 (starting from ex 2) as depicted in the figure of the nucleotide and amino acid partial sequence alignments and the NGS coverage plot. The Mia Fora software assigned the HLA A locus typing as A*33:03:01 and the second allele as novel with the closest reference allele match as A*01:01:01:01. The haplotype assignment function of Mia Fora identified the 2 haplotypes of the subject carrying the novel allele which was confirmed by a family study. The novel allele was confirmed by NGS using TruSight HLA typing kit (Illumina) and submitted to IMGT and assigned the name A*11:271. Serological typing was performed and showed positive reactions with 2 operationally monospecific A1 antisera and one polyspecific (A1 & A36) sera, but with neither of the 2 operationally monospecific A11 antisera on the typing tray. Download : Download high-res image (465KB) Download : Download full-size image Conclusions This report presents a cautionary note that in the absence of serological characterization of HLA alleles, the current IMGT nomenclature may not reflect the clinically relevant antigen specificity of these alleles.
Who Did It? Attribution of Cyber Intrusions and the Jus in Bello .

The central concepts that make up the law of armed conflict (LOAC) have not been easy to adapt to cyber operations. In addition to their kinetic history and orientation, the core LOAC principles do not in most instances anticipate the kind of cyber-specific analysis that should accompany the use of increasingly advanced cyber systems and tools in conflict. Cyber operations rarely cause physical damage, much less injury or death. More often they cause cyber harm—by corrupting, manipulating or stealing data, denying access to a website, or interfering temporarily with the functionality of information systems. Or they indirectly disrupt or damage objects that are not part of the cyber domain. Measuring the harm from a cyber incident and calculating that harm in ways that the LOAC credits remains challenging, as does defining and distinguishing civilian and military objects, and accounting for the indirect effects of cyber operations. Nor has the LOAC settled on a legal status for critical national security-related components of the cyber domain, including data and dual-use infrastructure.
Path Planning and Control of Autonomous Vehicles in Dynamic Reach-Avoid Scenarios

This paper addresses the dynamic adversarial reach-avoid problem in which the attacker aims at visiting a fixed target while avoiding the other vehicle (defender), which is trying to capture the attacker. We address the problem of control and path planning for both the attacker and the defender vehicles, capture the assumptions and requirements of this dynamic complex problem in the form of an LTL formula, and construct a hybrid controller which generates wining strategies for the vehicle under control while respecting its physical constraints.
Social contexts and Black men’s cardiovascular health: The role of gender norms and college attendance

The relationship between endorsement of traditional masculinity with adverse physical health outcomes warrants more research scrutiny among Black men because enactment of masculine behaviors in pre...
Collections of Historical Markers and Signage and Public Programming Online at Public History Institutions Such as Museums and Archives

Historical designations are communicated to audiences through interpretive signage. Historic markers as signage for outdoor interpretation constitute a body of managed outdoor collections. Implicat...
The fine art of rummaging: successors and the life cycle of copyright

This chapter argues that a possible justification for the extension of copyright beyond the death of the author is the key role that copyright successors may serve in the life cycle of artistic works. In particular, with respect to an artist’s unpublished work, a time-sensitive decision must be made about whether or not to keep the physical artifacts associated with copyrights—an obligation that often falls to these successors. Bulky canvases, sketches, negatives, and myriad other items must be sifted through in order to separate the wheat from the chaff. In this way, the post-death cleanup period offers a once-in-a-lifetime event in which copyright successors can serve a socially valuable function.
Accuracy of bound peptide structures determined by exchange transferred nuclear Overhauser data: a simulation study.

The exchange-transferred NOE method to determine the three-dimensional structure of peptides bound to proteins, or other macromolecular systems, is becoming increasingly important in drug design efforts and for large or multicomponent assemblies, such as membrane receptors, where structural analysis of the full system is intractable. The exchange-transferred nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (etNOESY) method allows the determination of the bound-state conformation of the peptide from the intra-molecular NOE interactions between ligand protons. Because only ligand–ligand NOEs are generally observable, the etNOESY method is restricted to fewer NOEs per residue than direct protein structure determination. In addition, the averaging of relaxation rates between free and bound states affects the measured cross-peak intensities, and possibly the accuracy of distance estimates. Accordingly, the study reported here was conducted to examine the conditions required to define a reliable structure. The program CORONA was used to simulate etNOE data using a rate-matrix including magnetic relaxation and exchange rates for two peptide–protein complexes derived from the reference complex of cAMP-dependent protein kinase ligated with a 24-residue inhibitor peptide. The results indicate that reasonably accurate peptide structures can be determined with relatively few NOE interactions when the interactions occur between non-neighboring residues. The reliability of the structural result is suggested from the pattern of NOE interactions. A structure with an accuracy of approximately 1.3 A rms difference for the main-chain atoms can be obtained when etNOE interactions between non-neighboring residues occur over the length of the peptide. The global precision is higher (approximately 0.9 A rms difference) but is not correlated to global accuracy. A local definition of precision along the backbone appears to be a good indicator of the local accuracy.
Metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 5 (mGlu5) is necessary for estradiol mitigation of light-induced anxiety behavior in female rats

Abstract Anxiety-related behaviors are influenced by steroid hormones such as 17β-estradiol and environmental stimuli such as acute stressors. For example, rats exhibit increased anxiety-related behaviors in the presence, but not the absence, of light. In females, estradiol potentially mitigates these effects. Experiments across behavioral paradigms and brain regions indicate that estradiol action can be mediated via activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors, including Group I subtype five (mGlu5). mGlu5 has been implicated in mediating estradiol's effects upon psychostimulant-induced behaviors, dopamine release and neuron phenotype in striatal regions. Whether estradiol activation of mGlu5 modulates anxiety or locomotor behavior in the absence of psychostimulants is unknown. Here we test if mGlu5 is necessary for estradiol mitigation of light-induced acute anxiety and locomotor behaviors. Ovariectomized adult female rats were pre-treated with either the mGlu5 antagonist MPEP or saline before estradiol or oil treatment. Anxiety and locomotor behaviors were assessed in the presence or absence of white light to induce high and low acute anxiety behavior phenotypes, respectively. In the presence of white light, estradiol treatment mitigated light-induced anxiety-related behaviors but not overall locomotor activity. MPEP treatment blocked estradiol effects upon light-induced anxiety-related behaviors but did not affect overall locomotor activity. In the absence of white light, estradiol or MPEP treatment did not influence anxiety-related behaviors or locomotor activity, consistent with a low anxiety phenotype. These novel findings indicate that mGlu5 activation is necessary for estradiol mitigation of anxiety-related behaviors induced by an acute stressor.
Screening for Childhood Adversity: Contemporary Challenges and Recommendations

Childhood adversity is prevalent in the USA, affecting at least half of all children and youth. Growing awareness of its prevalence and harmful effects on individual health and development over the lifespan has prompted considerable interest among policymakers, program leaders, and other stakeholders in screening individual children for adversity as a first step in preventing and mitigating its negative effects. Given the vulnerability of this population, concerted efforts first should be made to ensure screening for adversity is beneficial to children and minimizes potential harm. Of particular concern is widespread use of screening tools that define adversity narrowly, failing to account for social and structural inequities (e.g., poverty, discrimination, forcible separation from a parent) or to take a child’s trauma symptoms, overall development, strengths, and culture into account. Furthermore, screening in the absence of a system for referral and treatment risks being ineffective, and even harmful, to children and their families. This paper reviews major challenges related to developing and selecting tools to screen for childhood adversity, and offers recommendations for a comprehensive, strengths-based, trauma-informed screening approach that incorporates sensitivity to a child’s development, environment, and culture.
Chapter 6 – Multidimensional Problems

Publisher Summary This chapter explores the nature of the solutions and their attendant difficulties in dynamic programming problems with a single-state variable and two or more decision variables at each stage. It explores problems for which there were more than one state variable and/or more than one decision variable at each stage that became intractable in terms of both the storage and computation that were required. The chapter discusses a nonlinear allocation problem with several decision variables and a stochastic decision problem. It describes a problem in product development and planning. It also presents an example of quadratic smoothing that has numerous applications in control theory and data analysis. It describes a problem in product development and planning.
In ACS, prasugrel reduces 30-day MACE and mortality vs. ticagrelor or clopidogrel; no differences for major bleeding.

SOURCE CITATION Baldetti L, Melillo F, Moroni F, et al. Meta-analysis comparing P2Y12 inhibitors in acute coronary syndrome. Am J Cardiol. 2020;125;1815-22. 32305225.
Do Presumed-Consent Laws Raise Organ Procurement Rates?

In Western countries, the legal procurement of cadaveric human organs is everywhere organized as a gi!-exchange. Yet despite this basic similarity, donation rates vary widely, and this fact is o!en overlooked in debates about the merits of gi!versus marketbased systems. I investigate the sources of variation in procurement rates using time-series data from seventeen oecd countries. I focus on the e.ect of laws that (at least in principle) allow for the consent of the donor to be presumed, and the wishes of the next-of-kin to be overridden. Countries with presumed consent laws are found to have higher procurement rates, but the e.ect is relatively weak. Evidence from two presumed-consent countries where procurement rates have grown rapidly (Spain and Italy) suggests that presumed consent laws are a marker for organizational practices that boost procurement rates rather than real causes of higher donation. Gi!-giving and voluntary donation are the standard ways of obtaining organs for transplant, particularly organs like hearts and lungs whichmust come from the dead.1 Yet this gi!-exchange does not happen everywhere in the same way or to the same extent. Despite the universality of voluntary donation, there is considerable crossnational variation in donor procurement rates. Some countries do much better than others. /is variability has not received the attention it deserves, partly because the dominant ethical and policy debates focus on the relative merits of voluntary versus market systems. /is has had two consequences. First, these debates tend to draw a sharp contrast between gi!and market-based systems, encouraging us to think in terms of a clear choice between the two. /e assumption is that once the overall exchange system is 0xed, certain consequences for the volume and composition of the supply will tend to follow more or less directly. Second, there is a tendency for 1Donation is also the main source of organs from living donors, a growing illegal trade in organ sales notwithstanding. See Scheper-Hughes (2000) and Cohen (1999) for accounts of the black market in organs. consentlaw.tex 1 Rev 1.1 2005/10/07