cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Metagenome sequencing and 98 microbial genomes from Juan de Fuca Ridge flank subsurface fluids

The global deep subsurface biosphere is one of the largest reservoirs for microbial life on our planet. This study takes advantage of new sampling technologies and couples them with improvements to DNA sequencing and associated informatics tools to reconstruct the genomes of uncultivated Bacteria and Archaea from fluids collected deep within the Juan de Fuca Ridge subseafloor. Here, we generated two metagenomes from borehole observatories located 311 meters apart and, using binning tools, retrieved 98 genomes from metagenomes (GFMs). Of the GFMs, 31 were estimated to be >90% complete, while an additional 17 were >70% complete. Phylogenomic analysis revealed 53 bacterial and 45 archaeal GFMs, of which nearly all were distantly related to known cultivated isolates. In the GFMs, abundant Bacteria included Chloroflexi, Nitrospirae, Acetothermia (OP1), EM3, Aminicenantes (OP8), Gammaproteobacteria, and Deltaproteobacteria, while abundant Archaea included Archaeoglobi, Bathyarchaeota (MCG), and Marine Benthic Group E (MBG-E). These data are the first GFMs reconstructed from the deep basaltic subseafloor biosphere, and provide a dataset available for further interrogation.
Lost in translation: applying 2D intercellular communication via tunneling nanotubes in cell culture to physiologically relevant 3D microenvironments

Tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) are membranous conduits for direct cell-to-cell communication. Until the past decade, little had been known about their composite structure, function, and mechanisms of action in both normal physiologic conditions as well as in disease states. Now TNTs are attracting increasing interest for their key role(s) in the pathogenesis of disease, including neurodegenerative disorders, inflammatory and infectious diseases, and cancer. The field of TNT biology is still in its infancy, but inroads have been made in determining potential mechanisms and function of these remarkable structures. For example, TNTs function as critical conduits for cellular exchange of information; thus, in cancer, they may play an important role in critical pathophysiologic features of the disease, including cellular invasion, metastasis, and emergence of chemotherapy drug resistance. Although the TNT field is still in a nascent stage, we propose that TNTs can be investigated as novel targets for drug-based treatment of cancer and other diseases.
Designer drugs including bath salts and spices

Starting from 2010, designer drugs bath salts (synthetic cathinones with structural similarity to amphetamine), spices, and K2 blonde (synthetic marijuana) are gaining popularity among drug abusers. These synthetic drugs are more dangerous than commonly abused drugs such as cocaine and marijuana, and cause fatalities. This chapter will provide an overview of these designer drugs with real life case studies showing fatality related to abuse of spices and bath salts.
Case 24-2017. An 8-Month-Old Girl with Fever and an Abdominal Mass.

An 8-month-old girl presented with a 6-day history of fever and decreased oral intake. The abdomen was distended and nontender; a multicystic mass in the midabdomen was seen on imaging. Diagnostic procedures were performed.
US Power Production at Risk from Water Stress in a Changing Climate

Thermoelectric power production in the United States primarily relies on wet-cooled plants, which in turn require water below prescribed design temperatures, both for cooling and operational efficiency. Thus, power production in US remains particularly vulnerable to water scarcity and rising stream temperatures under climate change and variability. Previous studies on the climate-water-energy nexus have primarily focused on mid- to end-century horizons and have not considered the full range of uncertainty in climate projections. Technology managers and energy policy makers are increasingly interested in the decadal time scales to understand adaptation challenges and investment strategies. Here we develop a new approach that relies on a novel multivariate water stress index, which considers the joint probability of warmer and scarcer water, and computes uncertainties arising from climate model imperfections and intrinsic variability. Our assessments over contiguous US suggest consistent increase in water stress for power production with about 27% of the production severely impacted by 2030s.
Differentiating Patriotism and Nationalism: Influence of Valence in Primes

Individuals’ feelings of patriotism and nationalism may rise and fall with events that are broadcasted through media outlets or when elected political officials in times of war use phrases like, “you’re either with us or you’re with the terrorists,” or refer to other countries as “the dark side”. The differential effects of these phrases are important, as feelings of patriotism and nationalism may be influenced by political news and/or broadcasted traumatic events. The current study examined to what extent priming influences nationalistic based attitudes such as patriotism, nationalism, xenophobia, and military approval. Specifically, the current study examined the influence of priming through political quotes that reference the in-group (i.e., America) versus the out-group (i.e., other countries). Keywords : Priming, Patriotism, Nationalism, Xenophobia
Storm-Clouds on the Horizon: John Ruskin and the Emergence of Anthropogenic Climate Change

This article treats John Ruskin’s lectures on The Storm-Cloud of the Nineteenth Century as an experimental foray in cultural climatology, suggesting that Ruskin’s efforts to document, and develop conceptual rubrics for, an unprecedented meteorological phenomenon offer important insights for the task of the humanities in a time of climate change. A correction article related to this research can be found here: https://doi.org/10.16995/ntn.854/
Environmental Problems and Solutions Associated with the Development of the World’s Largest Lead Mining District

The world’s most modern lead industries have developed in the remote Ozarks region of S. E. Missouri during the past five years. In 1970 the “Viburnum Trend” of “New Lead Belt” ranked first in the world by producing 432,576 tons of lead ore, and in 1971 continued to pace the United States in lead production. This industrial development in a sparsely populated rural forest region has resulted in the release of lead, copper, zinc, cadmium and other metals into a formerly unaffected ecosystem. Due to this abrupt change, the mining district has become an unique area for studying the impact of trace metals on a wide variety of bio-geochemical systems and developing new techniques to control detrimental effects. See Figure 1 for the area location. Pollution abatement studies have been conducted since 1967 and during the past 15 months, an interdisciplinary team supported by the National Science Foundation RANN program with the assistance of local citizens, the mining industry, concerned local, state and Federal agencies, have continued with an extensive investigation on the possible environmental effects of this industrial development. A complete report of this investigation has been published.1
The Power of Congress without Limitation: The Property Clause and Federal Regulation of Private Property

Congress has overlooked a powerful tool for regulating within state jurisdictions: the Property Clause of the United States Constitution. The United States Government owns land in every state and approximately thirty percent of the total land in the United States. The federal government's authority to regulate its property within states derives from the Property Clause and has been described by the Supreme Court as "without limitation." Professor Appel traces the historical development of the Constitution's Property Clause, from its pre-constitutional origins through modern Supreme Court decisions and academic conceptions. Professor Appel compares the narrow view of Property Clause scholarship - that the federal government is vested only with the powers of an ordinary proprietor - with the broader view - that the federal government is both proprietor and sovereign over its property. Appel concludes that both history and Supreme Court precedent support the broader view, yet its implications go unrealized by Congress and most constitutional scholars. The Article goes on to suggest that the federal government's jurisdiction over extraterritorial matters should be viewed by anaology to the Commerce Clause, while federal action over its own property and activities thereon is most analogous to Congress's spending power. The Article suggests that, although the federal government's ability to regulate intrastate activities has recently been curtailed in Commerce Clause jurisprudence, the expansive - and often ignored - Property Clause could empower Congress where the Commerce Clause fails to provide such foundation. The Article contends that application of the reformulated view of the Property Clause would vest in the government broad authority to regulate its property in direct contravention of state law. This Article concludes that the broad authority conferred by the Property Clause could furnish an alternative basis for federal authority over environmental regulations.
Inflammation in individuals with schizophrenia - Implications for neurocognition and daily function.

Abstract Individuals with schizophrenia display substantial deficits in neurocognition, resulting in poor daily functioning and disability. Recent reports have suggested that neurocognitive dysfunction in this population is linked to increased inflammation. However, there is paucity of evidence supporting this link, as well as lack of information about the putative link of inflammation to daily functioning. We examined neurocognition (MCCB) and daily functioning (SLOF), as well as inflammatory markers (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and IL-12p70) in 41 individuals with schizophrenia. Poor neurocognition was significantly associated with increased peripheral TNF-α and IL-12p70 (r = −0.44 and r = −0.38, respectively, controlling for BMI, depression and antipsychotic medication). Notably, difficulties with daily functioning were significantly associated with increased peripheral TNF-α (r = −0.51) and a trend with increased IL-12p70. Our findings support previous hypotheses linking neurocognitive impairment to increased inflammation in individuals with schizophrenia. Our results extend these associations in this population, linking inflammation to poor daily functioning in this population.
Bumble bee ( Bombus ) distribution and diversity in Vermont, USA: a century of change

Bumble bees (Bombus) play key roles as pollinators in temperate ecosystems. Some North American species have declined due to factors that include habitat loss, parasites, pesticides, and climate change. In many regions conservation is hampered by lack of quantitative data on historical abundance and distribution, making status assessments difficult. From 2012 to 2014, with help from 53 citizen scientists, we conducted surveys to determine the status of bumble bees throughout Vermont, USA. For historical comparison, we identified and digitized bumble bee specimens from 13 public and private collections. Our dataset contained 12,319 records, which we separated into historic (1915–1999; n = 1669) and modern (2000–2014; n = 10,650) periods, with our survey contributing 94% of modern data. Of 17 species, four were not detected and four showed significant declines. Rarefaction indicated that both modern and historic datasets slightly underestimated known species richness, diversity, and abundance, but confirmed a strong decline for all three parameters. Declining species broadly accorded with those reported elsewhere in eastern North America, and included those in subgenera Bombus, Fervidobombus, and Psithyrus. Four species in the subgenus Pyrobombus (B. bimaculatus, B. impatiens, B. ternarius, and B. vagans) greatly increased in relative abundance in the modern period. Landscape factors such as road density, elevation, and land use strongly predicted distribution of some species. Species diversity was correlated positively with grasslands, and negatively with deciduous and mixed forest cover, while abundance was correlated positively with evergreen forest cover, yet negatively with deciduous forest.
Adverse Maternal Outcomes Associated with Uterine Extensions at the Time of Cesarean Delivery.

Objective We sought to compare adverse maternal outcomes between women with and without a uterine extension at the time of cesarean. Study Design We conducted a retrospective cohort study of women with and without a uterine extension during a primary low transverse cesarean of a full-term singleton gestation. The primary outcomes were (1) estimated blood loss (EBL) and (2) composite maternal morbidity (defined as ≥ 1 of the following: blood transfusion, endometritis, or readmission). Pearson's chi-square or Fisher's exact test was used to compare categorical data; Student's t-test or Mann–Whitney's U-tests was used for continuous data. Linear and logistic regressions were used to adjust for confounding factors. Results There were 252 women included (126 with extension and 126 without an extension). Women with extensions had a higher EBL (1,038 vs. 832 mL, p Conclusion Uterine extensions are associated with adverse maternal outcomes including higher EBL and increase in maternal morbidity.
Is it Possible to Implant and Manage Patients with Durable LVADs Who Refuse Blood Products

Purpose Bloodless left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation is rarely performed in patients who refuse blood products under all circumstance including death. The aim of this study is to investigate a single center's experience with these patients regarding LVAD implantation and long term management. Methods This is a retrospective review from a single center academic institution of all patients who refused blood products and received LVADs from 2012 to 2018. Demographics, readmissions, length-of-stay, hemoglobin, INR, distance traveled for therapy, adverse events and overall survival were investigated. Results Total patients N=18. Blood products administered 0. Demographics: 10 (55%) male; age 59+/-11; 76% African American; 82% Intermacs 1-2; miles traveled for therapy 408+/- 366. Operative: devices HVAD 72%, HM2 28%; reoperation sternotomy 33%; concomitant valve procedures 88%; length of stay 22 +/-12 days. Early and late adverse events see table 1. Survival: 30 days 100%, 1 year 88%, 2 year 72%, mean duration of support 2.3 years. Conclusion This study showed that LVADs can be implanted and managed successfully in patients who refuse blood products with severe cardiogenic shock and high surgical complexity. Both short term and long term management is feasible. Refusal of blood products is not a contraindication for LVAD implantation.
Student Reflection to Improve Access to Standards-Based Grading Feedback

In this Research-to-Practice Full Paper, two different reflection prompts in the form of unstructured and structured reflections were implemented in an engineering course to guide students towards improved self-regulated learning behaviors, specifically accessing feedback on their assignments. The course setting for this study employed standards-based grading (SBG) which provides rich feedback on students' proficiency with the course learning objectives. Low student access to feedback, delivered through a learning management system (LMS), was seen as a considerable learning opportunity loss. Negative binomial regression models were used to investigate whether semester (2016 or 2017) and refection (presence or absence) had an impact on the (1) number of days students accessed the LMS gradebook or rubrics, (2) the number of times students accessed the gradebook to view grades, or (3) the number of times students accessed rubrics to view feedback. Semester, which relates to implementation changes in the SBG system, significantly increased students’ number of days of access and number of gradebook and rubric accesses. Reflection, particularly structured reflection, significantly improved students’ access to the rubrics. Pairing reflection with a well-developed SBG system has the potential to improve students’ access to feedback.
Establishing Stress Behaviors in Response to Manual Restraint in Cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus).

Avian patients are presented commonly to veterinarians for preventive and disease-induced care. Physical examinations commonly are used to assess the overall patient, but this requires manual restraint, which often leads to increased stress and subsequent deleterious effects. To develop a noninvasive evaluation of the stress response in cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus), we evaluated the behavior of 26 juvenile cockatiels during their normal daily routine and after an acute stressful event (manual restraint and physical examination). Nonstressed behavior budgets were established by performing quantitative ethograms using 10-minute focal animal sampling methods with point samples recorded every 5 seconds. The ethograms then were repeated after a >10-minute restraint period for physical examination and venipuncture. Plasma corticosterone levels at baseline ( 10 minutes) were compared to accompanying behaviors. Plasma corticosterone levels significantly increased after restraint. Overall, reactionary behaviors and inactivity increased, while locomotion, feeding, interaction with the environment, and displays of aggression decreased in the stressed birds. Maintenance behaviors were not significantly different before and after restraint, but the subjective character changed, with stressed birds displaying an increase in behaviors that were short in duration with minimal decrease in vigilance. Our results will be helpful to develop a method of quantifying stress in companion avian patients by using behavioral indicators. However, further study into specific behaviors of significance is needed.
T Cell Profile After Systemic Steroid Burst in Inner-City Asthmatic Children with Recurrent Infections.

Background: Systemic corticosteroids are the standard of care for acute asthma exacerbation. Respiratory infections are known as common triggers of asthma exacerbation, but the risk of immune suppression from frequent periodic use of systemic steroids in poorly controlled asthmatic children is not well studied. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 26 children, 3-15 years old with poorly controlled, moderate-to-severe persistent asthma who received ≥2 systemic corticosteroid/year. The data collected include absolute T cell, B cell, and natural killer (NK) cell counts; lymphocyte proliferation studies to phytohemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin A (CON A), and pokeweed mitogen; immunoglobulin G and M; and antibody titers to tetanus, diphtheria, and pneumococcus. Frequency tables and crosstabs were used to analyze the data. Results: Low CD4+ T cell counts were found in 47.8% of the patients, and 45.8% had low CD3+ T cell counts. The lymphocyte proliferation studies data exhibited variability, but 21.4%-75% of the subjects who demonstrated normal T cell counts had decreased lymphocyte proliferation studies to PHA and CON A. All the patients had normal immunoglobulins, B cell, and NK cell counts. All but 1 patient had adequate antibody responses to Streptococcus pneumoniae. Conclusions: Frequent systemic corticosteroid use may suppress T cell number and function in asthmatic children. This can potentially lead to increase susceptibility for future infections and asthma exacerbations. Depressed lymphocyte proliferations are observed even in patients who demonstrated normal T cell counts. This emphasizes the importance of adherence to asthma controller medications, and control of asthma triggers, to limit the frequency of steroid use.
Comparison of the load response of closed-ended and open-ended pipe piles driven in gravelly sand

Slow-maintained static load tests were performed on closed-ended and open-ended steel pipe piles driven side by side in a gravelly sand soil profile. The site investigation consisted of multiple cone penetration tests (CPTs) and standard penetration tests (SPTs), as well as laboratory tests on soil samples collected at various depths from the test site to determine basic soil properties. The test piles were densely instrumented with a combination of electrical-resistance and vibrating-wire strain gauges. The open-ended test pile was a specially fabricated double-wall, fully-instrumented pile, allowing for separation of the measurements of the inner and outer shaft resistances. Detailed comparison of the load test results, in terms of driving resistance, load response and profiles of unit shaft and base resistances for the two test piles, is presented and discussed. The applicability of three CPT-based pile design methods is assessed through a layer-by-layer comparison of the estimated resistances with those measured in the static load tests.
Potential of the dense media cyclone for gold ore preconcentration

The dense media cyclone (DMC) has had wide application in beneficiation of coal, iron ore, diamonds and base metals, with limited applications in preconcentrating precious metals such as gold. This...
Responses of the Magnetosphere to Interplanetary Disturbances

Large-scale interplanetary disturbances, their origins and their effects on the magnetosphere, have been discussed in a number of reviews (cf. S.T.P., Chapter 7). In studying magnetospheric substorms, it is important, first of all, to identify characteristics of the response of the magnetosphere to various interplanetary disturbances, and to distinguish them from substorm-associated changes. This is because these interplanetary disturbances are almost always present even during a fairly quiet period. Thus, when magnetospheric quantities are monitored by satellite-borne instruments or by ground-based instruments, the response of the magnetosphere to these disturbances is recorded as ‘noise’ in addition to the substorm ‘signal’. For example, a weak shock wave compresses the magnetosphere, and its effect is observed as an increase of the magnetic field of order of 10 y throughout the magnetosphere. This amount is relatively small on the ground where the field intensity is large (~50000 γ). However, it is relatively a very large change in the magnetotail, since the magnetotail field intensity in the high latitude lobe is only of order 10–30 γ. Thus, one must identify the compression effects in the records, by monitoring the solar wind pressure, and distinguish them from substorm-associated changes. In the following, we discuss three elementary interplanetary disturbances and their magnetospheric responses.
Connecting on a Cellular Level

Topic Significance & Study Purpose/Background/Rationale • With the increase in Immune Effector Cell (IEC) technology in both research and clinical settings, clinicians are challenged with the task of treating acute known adverse events, including cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and IEC-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS), along with the determining and managing long-term complications of IEC therapies, many of which are unknown. Methods, Intervention, & Analysis • Initiate a standardized protocol for early intervention of treatment for CRS and ICANS with recommendations by the ASTCT (American Society of Transplant and Cellular Therapy). • Create an institutional framework for an IEC therapy long-term follow up clinic for. • Collect data on long-term adverse events post-IEC therapy and subsequently develop a standardized approach to appropriately diagnose and treat this patient population. Findings & Interpretation • The logistics of treating a patient with IEC therapy through clinical trials has helped standardize the process with commercial therapies. • Through IEC clinical research, acute care of adverse events has informed clinical care with commercial products and these lessons will inform long-term follow up care of this patient population. • The need for a dedicated long-term IEC follow up clinic, with specialized clinicians, has been identified to appropriately follow and treat side effects as needed. • The ever-increasing amount of data on patients that have received IEC therapies will continue to shape how these patients are followed in the future. • Focus on the long-term needs of IEC therapy patients will include: immunizations, hypogammaglobulinemia, HIV/other viral reactivation, increased infections, etc. Discussion & Implications • The vision of creating a long-term follow up clinic with dedicated clinicians to help create a standardized approach to surveillance of IEC patients post-therapy is undergoing feasibility assessment. • The integrated approach to implementing clinical trials processes within the commercial IEC environment has helped shape the way we treat and follow up with this patient population. With the lack of long-term data on late breaking side effects that may arise, these IEC patients should be followed by a specialized team/clinic to increase positive patient outcomes.
Making Acids and Bases MORE Basic: Supporting Students' Conceptualization of Acid–Base Chemistry through a Laboratory Exercise That Connects Molecular-Level Representations to Symbolic Representations and Experimentally Derived Evidence

Acid–base chemistry is an important and challenging topic for virtually all chemistry students. Recent works have focused on conceptually linking molecular and symbolic representations to experimental evidence for many chemical concepts. In this work we describe a laboratory exercise designed to address students’ conceptual challenges regarding acid–base chemistry, particularly with respect to organic acids, titrations, and pKa’s. This work is part of a series of laboratory exercises developed for prehealth students using the MORE (model, observe, reflect, explain) pedagogy. In this lab, students titrated an amino acid with sodium hydroxide according to lab procedures typically used in a prehealth lab. Our work differs from traditional laboratories in the emphasis on connecting molecular-level representations to symbolic representations and experimentally derived evidence. Using this course environment, we sought to understand the ways in which students’ understandings (molecular-level, symbolic, or evidential) are coconstructed or discrete. We further sought to guide students toward connecting these understandings and report on our successes and areas for improvement.
Impact of prebiopsy magnetic resonance imaging on biopsy and radical prostatectomy grade concordance

Background Adoption of prostate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before biopsy is based on evidence demonstrating superior detection of clinically significant prostate cancer on biopsy. Whether this is due to the detection of otherwise occult higher grade cancers or preferential sampling of higher grade areas within an otherwise low-grade cancer is unknown. Methods To distinguish these two possibilities, this study examined the effect of prebiopsy MRI on the rate of pathologic upgrading and downgrading at prostatectomy in Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare linked data from 2010 to 2015. Logistic regression was performed to assess the effect of MRI use on the Gleason grade change between biopsy and prostatectomy. Results Among biopsy-naive men, those who underwent prebiopsy MRI had higher odds of downgrading at prostatectomy (odds ratio [OR], 1.32; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05-1.66). In contrast, the odds of upgrading were significantly lower for men who underwent prebiopsy MRI (OR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.61-0.99). Limitations included a low overall rate of MRI-utilization prior to biopsy and an inability to distinguish between template, software-assisted and cognitive fusion biopsy. Conclusions Prebiopsy MRI is associated with both oversampling of higher grade areas, which results in downgrading at prostatectomy, and the detection of otherwise occult higher grade lesions, which results in less upgrading at prostatectomy.
An Examination of American Perceptions of the Immigrant-Crime Relationship

The notion that immigrants are more crime prone or increase crime has been largely debunked by criminologists over the last two decades. However, there is a lack of contemporary research on explaining perceptions of immigrant criminality, specifically. This study examines the factors that relate to American’s belief that immigrants increase crime rates in local communities. Using weighted blocked logistic regression analyses, this study found that individual factors related to identity (e.g. race, gender, age, religion, etc.) were not significant predictors of the view that immigrants increase crime. Instead, individuals who believe immigrants are a burden to society, already have negative views of immigrants, and are more resistant to societal and cultural change are more likely to believe this falsehood. Overall, the findings offer partial support for the social disorganization and conflict perspectives, with the latter receiving the most support. Economic competition hypotheses received no support.
Systematic reviews and metaanalyses of air pollution epidemiological studies

Abstract This chapter provides basic definitions and methods used to synthesize epidemiological studies of air pollution effects in systematic reviews and metaanalyses and describes the use of systematic reviews and metaanalyses in policy- and decision-making and burden of disease/health impact assessments. We illustrate the elements of systematic reviews through an evaluation of systematic reviews of traffic-related air pollution and health and the strengths and limitations of the systematic review methods used in this topic area. We also discuss how the strength of evidence can be assessed using systematic review and metaanalyses, and importance and relevance to evidence-based decisions. High-quality systematic reviews are a critical input into evidence-based decision making.
Learning and Applying a Function Over Distributions

We present a method for learning a function over distributions. The method is based on generalizing nonparametric kernel regression by using the earth mover’s distance as a metric for distribution space. The technique is applied to the problem of learning the dependence of pitcher performance in baseball on multidimensional pitch distributions that are controlled by the pitcher. The distributions are derived from sensor measurements that capture the physical properties of each pitch. Finding this dependence allows the recovery of optimal pitch frequencies for individual pitchers. This application is amenable to the use of signatures to represent the distributions and a whitening step is employed to account for the correlations and variances of the pitch variables. Cross validation is used to optimize the kernel smoothing parameter. A set of experiments demonstrates that the new method accurately predicts changes in pitcher performance in response to changes in pitch distribution and also outperforms an existing technique for this application.
Developing Unique Nontarget High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry Signatures to Track Contaminant Sources in Urban Waters.

Diffuse pollution in urban receiving waters often adversely impacts both humans and ecosystems. Identifying such pollution sources is challenging and limits the effectiveness of management actions ...
Resilience in the Aftermath of Childhood Abuse? Changes in Religiosity and Adulthood Psychological Distress

Of all the forms of adversity experienced during childhood, childhood abuse is known to have the largest impacts on mental health. Yet, we have a limited understanding of factors that may cushion the blow of these early insults, and it remains unclear whether stability or increases/decreases in religiosity facilitate or hinder the ability of religion/spirituality to act as a buffer. Using two waves of MIDUS data, results suggest that increases in positive religious coping (seeking comfort through religion/spirituality) during adulthood buffer the association between childhood physical and emotional abuse on psychological distress, while decreases in religious comfort exacerbate it. Religious attendance had no discernible buffering effect. Taken together, results show that the stress-moderating effects of religion depend on changes in religious coping processes over the life course.
Medical malpractice in stress urinary incontinence management: A 30-year legal database review.

Background The purpose of this study is to investigate the most common reasons for and judicial outcomes of malpractice claims related to stress urinary incontinence (SUI) management. Materials and methods Using the Westlaw database, a search was performed using the terms "medical malpractice" or "negligence" in combination with "stress incontinence" or "stress urinary incontinence" between January 1, 1990 and January 1, 2020. Extracted information included trial date, demographic information, defendant profession, procedure performed, procedure complications, alleged malpractice, trial outcome, and monetary award. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results The Westlaw search yielded 79 case results. Of the cases, 70.4% (n = 38/54) had a defense verdict, 22.2% (n = 12/54) had a plaintiff verdict, and 7.4% (n = 4/54) were settled. The most commonly implicated procedure was mid-urethral sling (63.2%, n = 36/57). Among the plaintiffs, 48.4% (n = 61/126) claimed negligence in preoperative care, 33.3% (n = 42/126) claimed negligence in surgical performance, and 18.3% (n = 23/126) claimed negligence in postoperative care. Lack of informed consent was the most common complaint related to negligence in preoperative care (42.6%, n = 26/61). The average indemnity payment was $1,253,644 for preoperative care negligence, $1,254,491 for surgical performance negligence, and $2,239,198 for postoperative care negligence. Of the defendants, 63.4% (n = 52) were gynecologists and 36.6% (n = 30) were urologists. Conclusions Negligent preoperative care, with a particular emphasis on failure to obtain informed consent, and negligent surgical performance are the leading causes of malpractice claims during SUI management. Mid-urethral sling was the most commonly litigated procedure. This study highlights key factors to consider in minimizing malpractice risk during SUI management.
Safety and Sourcing of Topical Cannabinoids: Many Questions, Few Answers.

Background Topical cannabinoid products are increasingly being recommended and used for a variety of dermatologic conditions. Despite this, safety and efficacy data of topical preparations are lacking, and the differences between topical and oral formulations are not well characterized. Objective We reviewed the literature to gather published data on topical cannabinoid products and the differences between topical and oral formulations. Methods The PubMed/MEDLINE literature database was searched using the terms "cannabinoids," "cannabidiol," "CBD," "topical cannabidiol," "transdermal cannabidiol," "hemp" and "skin." Results were manually screened to identify published data on topical formulations of cannabinoids or cannabidiol use, adverse effects, sourcing, and solubility. Results Topical formulations of cannabinoids might be more nuanced than oral formulations, due not only to dosing differences, but also to potential differences in transcutaneous absorption. Safety and efficacy might need to be evaluated on a product-by-product basis until universal standards for topical preparations are better established. CONCLUSION: Topical cannabinoid products might be an important addition to the dermatologic armamentarium, with the potential to dose cannabinoids directly to the skin while minimizing systemic exposure. However, before this can be done reliably, important formulation parameters must be established and verified.
Maternal nutrient restriction alters gene expression in the ovine fetal heart

Adequate maternal nutrient supply is critical for normal fetal organogenesis. We previously demonstrated that a global 50% nutrient restriction during the first half of gestation causes compensatory growth of both the left and right ventricles of the fetal heart by day 78 of gestation. Thus, it was hypothesized that maternal nutrient restriction significantly altered gene expression in the fetal cardiac left ventricle (LV). Pregnant ewes were randomly grouped into control (100% national research council (NRC) requirements) or nutrient-restricted groups (50% NRC requirements) from day 28 to day 78 of gestation, at which time fetal LV were collected. Fetal LV mRNA was used to construct a suppression subtraction cDNA library from which 11 cDNA clones were found by differential dot blot hybridization and virtual Northern analysis to be up-regulated by maternal nutrient restriction: caveolin, stathmin, G-1 cyclin, α-actin, titin, cardiac ankyrin repeat protein (CARP), cardiac-specific RNA-helicase activated by MEF2C (CHAMP), endothelial and smooth muscle derived neuropilin (ESDN), prostatic binding protein, NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2, and an unknown protein. Six of these clones (cardiac α-actin, cyclin G1, stathmin, NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2, titin and prostatic binding protein) have been linked to cardiac hypertrophy in other species including humans. Of the remaining clones, caveolin, CARP and CHAMP have been shown to inhibit remodelling of hypertrophic tissue. Compensatory growth of fetal LV in response to maternal undernutrition is concluded to be associated with increased transcription of genes related to cardiac hypertrophy, compensatory growth or remodelling. Counter-regulatory gene transcription may be increased, in part, as a response to moderating the degree of cardiac remodelling. The short- and long-term consequences of these changes in fetal heart gene expression and induction of specific homeostatic mechanisms in response to maternal undernutrition remain to be determined.
Enzymic degradation of isotopically labeled compounds. I. Degradation of 14C-labeled glycerol.

Abstract A method for the degradation of 14C-labeled glycerol in which all carbons are converted to CO2 is deseribed, using commercially available enzymes. Glycerol is enzymically phosphorylated and oxidized to phosphoglyceric acid in a one-step procedure. The conversion is nearly quantitative. Phosphoglyceric acid is hydrolyzed to glyceric acid. Glyceric acid is oxidized by periodate, yielding CO2 from C-1, formaldehyde from C-3, and formic acid from C-2. Formaldehyde and formic acid are separated and oxidized to CO2. The CO2 is converted to BaCO3 for the determination of specific activity. The procedure employs simple equipment, is rapid, and lends itself to simultancous processing of several samples. A procedure for glyceric acid assay based on oxidation to glyocylic acid is deseribed. Glyoxylic acid is assayed with lactic acid dehydrogenase. We have observed that phosphate is required for the complete oxidation of glycerate by periodate. In the absence of phosphate, in a pH range from 2 to 8, glyceric acid is oxidized rapidly to glyoxylic acid, which is oxidized further at a slow rate.
Minimum Specific Energy in Compound Open Channel

A compound-channel Froude number is derived to reflect correctly the occurrence of minimum specific energy in open channels with overbank flow. The limitations of conventional Froude-number formulations are described and comparisons with the proposed compound-channel Froude number are presented. The results of a laboratory investigation into the occurrence of two points of minimum specific energy are presented, and this phenomenon can occur for certain compound-channel geometries as predicted by the compound-channel Froude number. The experimental investigation indicates that the upper point of minimum specific energy can properly be considered the limit of subcritical flow.
Interval Estimation of Treatment Effects In Randomized Trials: When do Confidence Intervals Have Nominal Coverage?

Summary In the classical theory of randomized trials (RTs), the treatment effect is defined as a mean difference of potential outcomes. To achieve nominal coverage probability for confidence intervals (CIs) on treatment effects in RTs, certain assumptions are necessary. Specifically, one must either make assumptions about the joint distribution of potential outcomes or enroll subjects in the trial by random sampling of the target population on which the treatment effect is defined. In practice, no such sampling usually takes place and assumptions about the joint distribution of potential outcomes cannot be verified based on observed data. Furthermore, the most common of these assumptions, such as treatment-unit additivity (TUA) or independence are biologically implausible in most RTs involving human subjects. Hence, it is not usually possible to construct CIs on treatment effects with nominal coverage probability. However, for any joint distribution of potential outcomes, the standard estimator of the variance of the difference of two independent sample means produces CIs with asymptotic coverage at least at the nominal level. This interpretation of CIs as conservative bounds may not always hold in conventional regression models applied to RT data. Resume Dans la theorie classique des experiences randomisees (Randomized Trials ou RTs), l'effet-traitement est defini comme une difference entre reponses potentielles. Pour que les intervalles de confiance sur ces effets-traitements atteignent la probabilite de couverture nominale, des hypotheses sont necessaires. Soit ces hypotheses portent sur la loi jointe des reponses potentielles, soit elles concernent la facon dont sont selectionnes, par echantillonnage de populations-cibles, les sujets participant a l'experience. En pratique, de tels echantillonnages sont fictifs, et les hypotheses sur les lois jointes de reponses potentielles ne peuvent etre testees sur base d'observations. En outre, les plus repandues de ces hypotheses, telle l'hypothese d'additivite traitement-sujet (treatment-unit additivity ou TUA), sont biologiquement peu plausibles dans les experiences faisant intervenir des sujets humains. Il est donc en general impossible de construire pour les effets-traitements des intervalles de confiance dont le taux de couverture egale le niveau de confiance nominal. L'estimateur standard de la variance de la difference de deux moyennes empiriques independantes fournit des intervalles de confiance dont le niveau de couverture est au moins egal au niveau nominal. Cette interpretation conservative des intervalles de confiance n'est toutefois pas toujours correcte pour les modeles de regression conventionnels dans le cadre d'observations provenant d'experiences randomisees.
Terrorists and Sponsors. An Inquiry into Trust and Double-Crossing

We consider the conditions that lead to the dissolution of state-terrorist coalitions. While such coalitions have well known advantages, they also have structural weaknesses that are largely ignored in the literature on the state sponsorship of terrorism. Each player in the coalition has interests that are only partially shared and, in some cases, at odds with those of its partner. Long term cooperation must be based on mutual advantage and mutual trust, both of which are subject to change over time.We examine the conditions that are needed to begin and maintain a cooperative strategy and the circumstances that lead a state and a terrorist group to leave the coalition and double-cross its partner. Equilibrium strategies for both players are defined and interpreted.
Pre‐exposure to adenosine, acting via A2A receptors on endothelial cells, alters the protein kinase A dependence of adenosine‐induced dilation in skeletal muscle resistance arterioles

Adenosine (ADO) is an endogenous vasodilatory purine widely recognized to be a significant contributor to functional hyperaemia. Despite this, many aspects of the mechanisms by which ADO induces dilation in small resistance arterioles are not established, or appear contradictory. These include: identification of the primary receptor subtype; its location on endothelial (EC) or vascular smooth muscle cells; whether ADO acts on KATP channels in these resistance vessels; and the contribution of cAMP/protein kinase A (PKA) signalling to the response. In intravital microscopy studies of intact or EC-denuded skeletal muscle arterioles, we show that ADO acts via A2A receptors located on ECs to produce vasodilation via activation of KATP channels located on vascular smooth muscle cells. Importantly, we found that the signalling pathway involves cAMP as expected, but that a requirement for PKA activation is demonstrable only if the vessel is not pre-exposed to ADO. That is, PKA-dependent signalling varies with pre-exposure to ADO. Further, we show that PKA activation alone is not sufficient to dilate these arterioles; an additional EC calcium-dependent signalling mechanism is required for vasodilation to ADO. The ability of arterioles in situ to respond to occupancy of a specific receptor by utilizing different cell signalling pathways under different conditions to produce the same response allows the arteriole to respond to key homeostatic requirements using more than a single signalling mechanism. Clearly, this is likely to be physiologically advantageous, but the role for this signalling flexibility in the integrated arteriolar response that underlies functional hyperaemia will require further exploration.
An improved approximation algorithm for scheduling task trees on linear arrays

Addresses the problem of finding near-optimal schedules for in-tree structured task graphs on a linear array with a fixed number m of identical processors. Each node of the tree requires one unit of execution time and every (directed) edge of the tree denotes that a task can begin execution only after receiving a message from all of its predecessors. The communication links between the processors are bidirectional and can transmit only one message in each direction in one unit of time. The natural goal is to prescribe a schedule that results in the fastest execution (e.g. minimizes the schedule length or makespan) of all the tasks in the tree. For this problem, we present an O(n log n) time algorithm that outputs a schedule that is guaranteed to be no more than 11 times the optimal schedule length. This is a significant improvement over the results of Kalpakis and Yesha(1993). Further, we demonstrate through simulation experiments that our algorithm performs extremely well in practice, with an approximation factor that is close to 2 and not more than 3.
Constraints on the reciprocal propagation of a quantum particle through a one-dimensional localized complex potential

In the propagation of an electron through a one-dimensional asymmetric complex potential, it is known that while the conventional Green function reciprocity symmetry will ensure transmission to be symmetric between a “left-incident” and a “right-incident” beam, no such symmetry exists for the case of reflection. Here we derive generalized reciprocity relations for both the amplitude and phase of the reflected waves as constraints on the left- and right-incident beams, in complete analogy to what was established in optics. We further provide illustrations of these relations via direct analytical calculations in the case of a real potential, and via numerical studies in the case of a complex potential.