cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Observation of Keshan Disease in Nanhua County of Yunnan Province in 2010

Objective: To provide scientific basis for prevention and treatment of KSD and to guide and assess the effect.Methods: Observe residents in the observation sites through the following ways: filling in forms,enquiring about medical history,having clinical examinations,performing Electrocardiography and taking X-rays of suspected cases and patients.Results: No acute disease or sub acute disease in Nanhua in 2010.Detection rates were 0.12% and 0.23% for potential Keshan disease and chronic Keshan disease.Conclusion: KSD generally occurs at a very steady and low incidence while there are emerging cases of chronic Keshan disease and potential Keshan disease.
Effects of the Plant Nutritions on Improvement of Rice Essential Amino Acid Content and Rice Yield

Based on 3-year field experiments and laboratory analysis method, the effect of improving the essential amino acid content and grain yield of rice was studied. The results showed that the plant nutrients deal was relative to the water control, and the total amount of seven essential amino acids, which were the threonine, methionine, valine, phenylalanine, isoleucine, leucine and lysine was improved 6.82%~26.56%, the results relative to, up 6.80% to 16.80%, compared with the results to the conventional foliar fertilization Shenqi120 was improved by 6.80% to 16.08%. On the other hand, the Lysine was improved by 3.61% to 59.26% compared with the water, 5.58%~35.31% with the Shenqi120. Plant nutrients can comprehensively improve rice amino acid content,and the content of 15 kinds of amino acids tested had all been improved by 3.73% to 13.48% compared with the water and 2.92% to 29.49% compared with Shenqi120. Plant nutrients can stimulate the formation of essential amino acids in refined rice.and the total amino acid content and essential amino acids were 1.48% and 1.74% higher than those of hulled rice, and the total amino acid content and essential amino acids of water were 2.04% and 3.92% higher than those of refined rice. Moreover, plant nutrients increased the rice protein content from 8.5% to 9.6%, without affecting the flavor of the rice. In addition, plant nutrients can improve rice yield by 8.32% to 9.03%.
Towards Increasing the Clinical Relevance of In Silico Methods to Predict Pathogenic Missense Variants

The 21st century has thus far been marked by a heroic effort in genomic science and technology. If not yet upon us, the age of personalized genomic medicine appears imminent. Deriving medically relevant insight from these advances requires the ability to interpret the genetic variation and similarity observed in the population. One approach for interpreting genetic variation is the use of bioinformatics methods; simply put, these approaches are unified by a reliance on molecular/biological information (DNA, RNA, and protein sequence and annotation, protein structure, etc.) [1–4]. Many bioinformatics classifiers, primarily focused on amino acid substitution variants (cSNVs), have been and continue to be developed, typically achieving classification accuracies much better than random and thus supporting the use of molecular information [5–9]. These methods appear, however, to have reached a performance bottleneck; currently realized limits in performance all but forbid the consultation of bioinformatics cSNV classifiers in clinical settings. This bottleneck might be, in part, the result of simplifying assumptions inherent to the prediction of qualitative, dichotomous, or categorical phenotypes from individual missense variants. A complementary and beneficial strategy could be greater use of endophenotypes, quantitative measurements that are related to phenotypes via shared underlying genetics [10,11]. Endophenotypes can include phenomena at diverse biological scales; some examples include protein catalytic rate or melting temperature (stability), cell growth rate, and blood pressure. In this perspective we make a case for the increased use of endophenotypes, beginning with a brief overview of in silico bioinformatics methods for assessing phenotypic impact of cSNVs and the performance reported in recently published comparative studies. We compare the utility of endophenotypes and phenotypes in the context of CFTR cSNVs in cystic fibrosis, and of LDLR cSNV impact on cardiovascular-related diseases such as familial hypercholesterolemia. We also provide examples of bioinformatics methods that have been used to predict endophenotypes from cSNVs.
Human papillomavirus infection and anogenital neoplasia: speculations for the future.

SUMMARY HPV infections of the female genital tract are common. The association of these viruses with anogenital neoplasia has stimulated efforts to devise practical methods of detection and typing of HPV. Although experimental diagnostic tests are available, they are, for the most part, complex and time consuming and are limited to medical centers researching HPV. New methods for preparing probes with higher sensitivities for hybridization tests will allow use of in-situ methods on formalin-fixed tissues and will probably be the method of choice. Antigen detection systems are not available except for anti-sera directed against the common structural antigens. The most useful immunologic test will be directed toward detection of nonstructural antigens in fixed tissues; such a system could also be useful for virus typing. Therapies based on use of these antigens to stimulate the immune system may be applicable as an alternative to current therapies. Most intriguing are the prospects for a vaccine based on either structural or nonstructural viral antigens. It has been estimated that as many as 20 per cent of female cancer deaths worldwide are associated with HPV. Thus, use of an effective vaccine would relieve considerable human suffering. However, until the host immune response to HPV infection is better defined, much of the effort dedicated to developing a vaccine may be futile.
High-resolution mapping of the N-myc amplicon core domain in neuroblastomas

The N-myc proto-oncogene is amplified in 25% of neuroblastomas. Amplification is strongly correlated with advanced disease stage and rapid tumor progression. We have constructed a detailed restriction map of the amplified core region in neuroblastomas which will allow the identification of structural features such as joint fragments, rearrangements and CpG islands. Using probes that had been obtained previously, twenty YACs were isolated from a library constructed from a double-minute-containing neuroblastoma cell line with 150-fold amplification of N-myc. Twenty-one YACs also were isolated from two normal human libraries. Normal and neuroblastoma YAC contiguous arrays (contigs), each spanning over 1 Mb of DNA, have been assembled (Molec Cell Biol 12:5563, 1992). A high-resolution restriction map of over 200 kb of contiguous DNA containing N-myc has been generated by subcloning YACs into cosmids. Using cosmids from this region plus additional amplified probes, we have determined that the amplicons from 33 neuroblastomas range in size from 350 kb to over 1 Mb. Rearrangements and deletions were identified in both tumors and cell lines. However joint fragments were not always amplified to the same level as the major amplicon, and may therefore represent a subset of amplicons. We have defined a 130 kb region which was amplified in 32 of the 33 tumors, and one additional tumor had deleted 65 kb of this region from its amplicon. The only CpG island found in this region was within the N-myc gene. Cosmids were screened with radiolabeled total cDNA probes and no highly expressed genes other than N-myc were found in the amplicon.
Modified Frailty Index Is an Effective Risk Assessment Tool in Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Abstract Background Frailty is described as decreased physiologic reserve and typically increases with age. Hospitals are being penalized for reoperations and readmissions, which can affect reimbursement. The purpose of this study was to determine if the modified frailty index (MFI) could be used as a risk assessment tool for preoperative counseling and to make an objective decision on whether or not to perform total hip arthroplasty (THA) on a frail patient. Methods The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried by Current Procedural Terminology code for primary THA (27130) from 2005-2014. MFI was calculated using 11 variables extracted from the medical record. Bivariate analysis was performed for outcomes and complications and multiple logistic regression model was used to compare MFI to other predictors of readmission, any complication, and reoperation. Results 51,582 patients underwent primary THA during the study period. MFI was a significant and stronger predictor than ASA and age for readmission (OR 14.72, 95% CI: 6.95-31.18, p Conclusion MFI is a simple and effective risk assessment tool to preoperatively counsel and make an objective decision on whether or not to perform THA on a frail patient.
Multidimensional Correlations in Asymmetric Catalysis through Parameterization of Uncatalyzed Transition States

The study of the oxidative amination of tetrahydroisoquinolines under chiral-anion phase-transfer (CAPT) catalysis by multidimensional correlation analysis (MCA) is revisited. The parameterization of the transition states (TSs) for the uncatalyzed reaction, the introduction of conformational descriptors, and the use of computed interaction energies and distances as parameters allowed access to a considerably simplified mathematical correlation of substrate and catalyst structure to enantioselectivity. The equation obtained is suggestive of key interactions occurring at the TS. Specifically, the CAPT catalyst is proposed to coordinate the intermediate iminium cation by P=O⋅⋅⋅H-O hydrogen-bonding and N⋅⋅⋅H-C electrostatic interactions. The conformational freedom of the benzyl substituent of the substrate was also found to be important in providing an efficient mode of molecular recognition.
Flexible Gallium Nitride for High‐Performance, Strainable Radio‐Frequency Devices

Flexible gallium nitride (GaN) thin films can enable future strainable and conformal devices for transmission of radio-frequency (RF) signals over large distances for more efficient wireless communication. For the first time, strainable high-frequency RF GaN devices are demonstrated, whose exceptional performance is enabled by epitaxial growth on 2D boron nitride for chemical-free transfer to a soft, flexible substrate. The AlGaN/GaN heterostructures transferred to flexible substrates are uniaxially strained up to 0.85% and reveal near state-of-the-art values for electrical performance, with electron mobility exceeding 2000 cm2 V-1 s-1 and sheet carrier density above 1.07 × 1013 cm-2 . The influence of strain on the RF performance of flexible GaN high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) devices is evaluated, demonstrating cutoff frequencies and maximum oscillation frequencies greater than 42 and 74 GHz, respectively, at up to 0.43% strain, representing a significant advancement toward conformal, highly integrated electronic materials for RF applications.
The nature of natural capital and ecosystem income

Abstract The natural capital concept is generating broad interest that extends well beyond economists. Economics has a long history of applying capital theory to natural resources. However, measurement of the value of ecosystems has mostly focused on income flows rather than valuing stocks of natural assets. While, the two concepts are interconnected, measuring the value of natural capital is important for improving social benefit-cost analysis and to allow nature to be more fully included in sustainability-focused wealth accounts. Typical bookend assumptions of the social planner optimally managing natural capital versus open access driving its marginal value to zero are insufficient to capture the actual spectrum of imperfect institutions. This chapter develops theory and techniques for measuring natural capital shadow prices or asset values in real world situations.
Representation of Time Series

Basically, one can describe time series either in the time domain or in the frequency domain. Difference equations are used in the former, and frequency spectra or transfer functions are used in the latter to specify the dynamic structure of time series. Both representations are used in this book. This chapter discusses time series models first in the time-domain, then using transfer functions in the frequency domain. The time domain representation of time series can further be divided into two broad and different modes: the traditional and the newer Markovian, i.e., state space representation mentioned in Chapter 2.
Vision and Mating Behavior in Limulus

Modulation of sensory function can provide a key for understanding the organization of sensory systems. This is indeed the case for the visual system of the horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus. Large fluctuations in sensitivity occur every day in the lateral eyes of this animal. They are generated by nerve signals transmitted from a circadian clock located in the animal’s brain (Barlow, Bolanowski, and Brachman 1977; Kaplan and Barlow 1980; Barlow 1983). The clock’s signals can increase lateral eye sensitivity by as much as 100,000 times at night (Barlow, Bolanowski, and Brachman 1977; Barlow, Chamberlain, and Kass 1984).
Sinonasal malignancies: Endoscopic treatment outcomes

Sinonasal malignancies are rare and heterogeneous cancers located adjacent to critical neurovascular structures. Proximity to the orbit, brain, cranial nerves, and carotid arteries make surgical resection technically challenging and potentially morbid. The gold standard surgical procedure for these cancers has traditionally been the open craniofacial resection. Endoscopic endonasal approaches emerged in the last two decades as a viable alternative for carefully selected patients. The rarity and heterogeneity of the cancers precludes randomized controlled trials. Evidence for surgical approaches is based on case series and multi-analyses. Current evidence demonstrates that endoscopic approaches do not compromise survival and have lower complication rates. This article provides an update of the current literature examining outcomes for the endoscopic treatment of sinonasal malignancies.
The effects of Piedmontese inheritance and myostatin genotype on the palatability of longissimus thoracis, gluteus medius, semimembranosus, and biceps femoris.

The objective of this study was to deter- mine the relative contributions of Piedmontese inheri- tance (0, 25, 50, or 75%) and myostatin genotype (+/+, mh/+, and mh/mh) to tenderness of four major muscles. Matings were made to produce animals with 0 (+/+), 1 (mh/+), or 2 (mh/mh) inactive myostatin alleles that were known to result in normal muscling, heavy mus- cling, and extremely heavy muscling, respectively. Over a 4-yr period, 395 steers and heifers (14 to 17 mo of age) were humanely slaughtered and the carcasses were chilled 48 h at 0°C. An eight-member trained de- scriptive attribute panel evaluated tenderness, ease of fragmentation, connective tissue amount, juiciness, and beef flavor intensity of longissimus thoracis (LD), gluteus medius (GM), semimembranosus (SM), and bi- ceps femoris (BF) steaks at 14 d postmortem. Data were analyzed for the main effects of group (eight combina- tions of myostatin genotype and percentage Piedmont- ese; (+/+)/0%, (+/+)/25%, (+/+)/50%, (mh/+)/25%, (mh/+)/ 50%, (mh/+)/75%, (mh/mh)/50%, (mh/mh)/75%) and muscle. Muscle × group interactions were not signifi- cant (P > 0.05). Within myostatin genotypes, contrasts
Heritability and genome-wide association study of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in the eMERGE network

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) results in a significant public health burden due to the morbidity caused by the disease and many of the available remedies. As much as 70% of men over 70 will develop BPH. Few studies have been conducted to discover the genetic determinants of BPH risk. Understanding the biological basis for this condition may provide necessary insight for development of novel pharmaceutical therapies or risk prediction. We have evaluated SNP-based heritability of BPH in two cohorts and conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of BPH risk using 2,656 cases and 7,763 controls identified from the Electronic Medical Records and Genomics (eMERGE) network. SNP-based heritability estimates suggest that roughly 60% of the phenotypic variation in BPH is accounted for by genetic factors. We used logistic regression to model BPH risk as a function of principal components of ancestry, age, and imputed genotype data, with meta-analysis performed using METAL. The top result was on chromosome 22 in SYN3 at rs2710383 (p-value = 4.6 × 10−7; Odds Ratio = 0.69, 95% confidence interval = 0.55–0.83). Other suggestive signals were near genes GLGC, UNCA13, SORCS1 and between BTBD3 and SPTLC3. We also evaluated genetically-predicted gene expression in prostate tissue. The most significant result was with increasing predicted expression of ETV4 (chr17; p-value = 0.0015). Overexpression of this gene has been associated with poor prognosis in prostate cancer. In conclusion, although there were no genome-wide significant variants identified for BPH susceptibility, we present evidence supporting the heritability of this phenotype, have identified suggestive signals, and evaluated the association between BPH and genetically-predicted gene expression in prostate.
Waitlist Mortality of Patients With Amyloid Cardiomyopathy who Are Listed for Heart Transplantation and Implications for Organ Allocation

ABSTRACT Background Outcomes of patients with amyloid cardiomyopathy (ACM) undergoing heart transplantation have been reported, but there are scant data concerning the waitlist mortality (WLM) of these patients. Aim The aim of this study was to investigate whether patients with ACM have higher waitlist mortality compared to those with other types of cardiomyopathies. Methods We queried the United Network for Organ Sharing registry for all patients (age ≥ 18 years) listed for heart transplantation between 2008 and 2015. We compared patients with ACM to those with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) or idiopathic restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) for WLM and waitlist mortality or delisting for deterioration (WLM/D). We identified 306 patients with ACM, 183 with RCM and 8416 with DCM. Patients with ACM were older (ACM 61 vs RCM 49 vs DCM 51 years, P Results Patients with ACM are listed with lower acuity and have higher waitlist mortality compared with those with dilated cardiomyopathies. Further studies are needed to identify whether special prioritization should be considered for patients with ACM listed for heart transplantation.
Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire Spina Bifida (TRAQ-SB) specific module and its association with clinical outcomes among youth and young adults with spina bifida

Purpose In order to transition to adulthood and independence, youth with spina bifida must assume significant self-management responsibilities including monitoring for shunt malfunction, maintaining intact skin in areas that are insensate, and maintaining proper bowel and bladder function. Validated measures of specific spina bifida self-management skills are lacking and this hampers the ability of clinical personnel to support successful transition for youth with spina bifida. Methods We developed a self-report measure specific to SB self-management skills consistent with the framework of the Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ). To test the predictive validity of the tool we surveyed 90 youth and young adults ages 12-25 with spina bifida attending a multidisciplinary clinic participating in the National Spina Bifida Patient Registry (NSBPR). Results Adjusted for age, gender, race, insurance status and lesion level, higher scores on the TRAQ-SB (increased self-management) were negatively associated with urinary incontinence in the past month. Only lesion level, and not TRAQ-SB scores, was a significant predictor of stool incontinence and skin breakdown. Conclusions Higher TRAQ-SB scores are negatively associated with bladder incontinence in youth with spina bifida. While stool continence and skin breakdown were not associated with TRAQ-SB scores, this relation is complex and may be obfuscated by either reporting bias or outcome measurement bias. To further refine the questionnaire and understand this relationship we need to field it prospectively in the SB network with larger samples. The TRAQ-SB questionnaire, however, does have value in the clinical setting to help promote the acquisition of specific self-management skills among youth with spina bifida.
Chapter 7 – Mangrove Rivulus

This inch-long killifish (Cyprinodontidae) is special in several regards. Among vertebrate species, it is the world’s only animal known to self-fertilize routinely. Inside each hermaphrodite is an ovotestis organ that simultaneously produces eggs and sperm, which unite within the fish’s body to produce zygotes that are expelled to the outside world. Also intriguing is the fact that pure males exist in this species too, reaching substantial frequencies in some androdioecious populations. Furthermore, these males sometimes mediate outcross events with the hermaphrodites, thereby unleashing extreme recombinational potential among the resulting progeny. The outcross events apparently transpire when a hermaphrodite sheds a few unfertilized ova that then are fertilized externally by a male’s sperm. Thus, the Mangrove Rivulus actually displays a “mixed-mating” system of occasional outcrossing against a backdrop of predominant selfing. Continued self-fertilization leads to a quasi-clonal population structure that occasional outcrossing then tends to dismantle. All of these facts, and others, have emerged from molecular genetic investigations on this peculiar little fish.
Development of an Experimentally Validated MCNP6 Model for 11C Production via the 14N(p,α) Reaction Using a GE PETtrace Cyclotron

The General Electric (GE®) PETtrace 860 cyclotron at the Missouri University Research Reactor (MURR) facility is used extensively for medical and research radioisotope production. However, no model...
Place Meaning and Consistency with Offshore Wind: An Island and Coastal Tale

Abstract This work continues a series of analyses using surveys of local communities regarding the Block Island Offshore Wind Project. Data collection focused on island and coastal resident attitudes toward the project and cognitions of the coastal setting. We report results from the first and final surveys. Multivariate statistical analysis was used to evaluate relationships among variables. Results indicate that attitudes about the project have solidified as more people have seen it. A majority support the project, and a small percent consider the project inconsistent with specific meanings associated with the ocean environment. These meanings stand out amongst other place constructs. Furthermore, the relationship among turbine descriptions and place meanings and their consistency with the project as a use of the ocean, along with general support for the project is explored. The results continue to validate a place-based understanding of the responses of people to a changing energy landscape.
Differential Association between Actual and Perceived Obesity between African Americans and Whites in the United States.

Background and aims: Although actual and perceived obesity are associated, some research has shown that this association may differ across racial and ethnic groups. Accordingly, this cross-sectional study tested racial differences regarding the association between actual and perceived obesity among American adults.Methods: The Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 5- Cycle 3) is a representative survey of American adults conducted in 2019. A total number of 3731 adults entered our analysis, including 3054 (81.9%) non-Hispanic Whites and 677 (18.1%) African Americans (AAs). The independent variable was actual obesity, which was defined as a body mass index of 30 or greater. The outcome was perceived as obesity. In addition, age, gender, marital status, education, and income were considered as control variables (confounders), and the race was the focal effect modifier. Finally, logistic regressions without and with interaction terms were utilized to analyze the data.Results: Overall, actual and perceived obesity were associated, with obese individuals having higher odds of seeing themselves as obese (odds ratio [OR] = 25.82, 95% CI = 18.58-35.89, P < 0.001). Furthermore, race showed a statistical interaction with actual on perceived obesity (OR = 0.27, 95% CI = 0.14-0.55, P < 0.001), indicating a weaker link between the two for AAs compared to non-Hispanic Whites. Race-stratified models also confirmed the same pattern with the actual and perceived obesity, showing a weaker association for AAs (OR = 15.61, 95% CI = 9.53-25.59, P < 0.001) in comparison with non-Hispanic Whites (OR = 46.23, 95% CI = 27.01-709.14, P < 0.001).Conclusion: AAs compared to non-Hispanic Whites differed in the effect of their actual obesity on their perceived obesity. This may explain the looser association of obesity and depression in AAs as compared to Whites.
Hereditary Disorders of Cardiovascular Calcification

Arterial calcification is a common phenomenon in the elderly, in patients with atherosclerosis or renal failure and in diabetes. However, when present in very young individuals, it is likely to be associated with an underlying hereditary disorder of arterial calcification. Here, we present an overview of the few monogenic disorders presenting with early-onset cardiovascular calcification. These disorders can be classified according to the function of the respective disease gene into (1) disorders caused by an altered purine and phosphate/pyrophosphate metabolism, (2) interferonopathies, and (3) Gaucher disease. The finding of arterial calcification in early life should alert the clinician and prompt further genetic work-up to define the underlying genetic defect, to establish the correct diagnosis, and to enable appropriate therapy.
Define Phase: D Is for Define

Six Sigma projects start with the Define phase. This phase concentrates on selecting and identifying the research question or problem that will be analyzed in the Six Sigma project. In this phase, the details of the problem are identified along with the costs, expected benefits, and financial portrait of the problem. Projects should include an improvement opportunity within an existing process, product, or problem. Problems may emerge internally or externally in the environment of the organization. The voice of the customer is taken into consideration to identify what kind of topics should be analyzed in the Define phase. If possible, the potential value of the project should be linked with the organizational goals and objectives. The financial impact of the project is analyzed at the beginning and end of the process, which makes project evaluation more rigorous and meaningful. The financial assessment helps decision-makers evaluate and compare potential and current financial contribution of all efforts. The CTQ characteristics and performance metrics/indicators related to the project are then identified and linked with the estimated benefits of the project. The Define phase contains six main deliverables: (1) process analysis outcomes, (2) stakeholder analysis outcomes, (3) customer needs and expectations, (4) project prioritization and selection, (5) project charter, and (6) project plans.
Powering the local review engine at Yelp and Google: intensive and extensive approaches to crowdsourcing spatial data

This paper explores how two major location-based services in the United States, Yelp and Google Maps, use volunteer top-contributor programmes to ensure access to reliable spatial data. Through the...
Contemporary procedure characteristics and outcomes of accessory atrioventricular pathway ablations in an integrated community-based health care system using a tiered approach

Background Since the early descriptions of large series of accessory atrioventricular pathway ablations in adults and adolescents over 20 years ago, there have been limited published reports based on more recent experiences of large referral centers. We aimed to characterize accessory pathway distribution and features in a large community-based population that influence ablation outcomes using a tiered approach to ablation. Methods Retrospective analysis of 289 patients (age 14-81) who underwent accessory ablation from 2015-2019 was performed. Pathways were categorized into anteroseptal, left freewall, posteroseptal, and right freewall locations. We analyzed patient and pathway features to identify factors associated with prolonged procedure time parameters. Results Initial ablation success rate was 94.7% with long-term success rate of 93.4% and median follow-up of 931 days. Accessory pathways were in left freewall (61.6%), posteroseptal (24.6%), right freewall (9.6%), and anteroseptal (4.3%) locations. Procedure outcome was dependent on pathway location. Acute success was highest for left freewall pathways (97.1%) with lowest case times (144 ± 68 min) and fluoroscopy times (15 ± 19 min). Longest procedure time parameters were seen with anteroseptal, left anterolateral, epicardial-coronary sinus, and right anterolateral pathway ablations. Conclusions In this community-based adult and adolescent population, majority of the accessory pathways are in the left freewall and posteroseptal region and tend to be more easily ablated. A tiered approach with initial use of standard ablation equipment before the deployment of more advance tools, such as irrigated tips and 3D mapping, is cost effective without sacrificing overall efficacy.
Strategic supermarket pricing of private labels and manufacturer brands

Large, low-cost entrants can have a disrupting impact on incumbents. Supercenters may influence competing supermarkets’ prices, but their effects on competition between supermarkets’ private labels and manufacturer brands remain poorly understood. This study examines the impact of Wal-Mart Supercenters on supermarkets’ strategic use of private labels and the control they may exercise over the pricing of manufacturer brands. We use a structural model to investigate alternative pricing scenarios in which the supermarkets have varying control over manufacturer-brand retail prices. The analysis is applied to the milk market in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex in an early period of Supercenter growth: 1996–2001. We find that Wal-Mart induces supermarkets to price their private label more competitively and has a very small effect on the pricing of the manufacturer brand. We also identify the type of consumers Wal-Mart Supercenters can attract from supermarkets, leaving incumbents to face a different composition of consumers. Consumers that continue shopping at traditional supermarkets are found to be less price-sensitive, view incumbents as less heterogeneous, and experience the manufacturer brand as more differentiated from private labels.
Development of metabolic and contractile alterations in development of cancer cachexia in female tumor-bearing mice.

Cancer cachexia (CC) results in impaired muscle function and quality of life and is the primary cause of death for ~20-30% of cancer patients. We demonstrated mitochondrial degeneration as a precur...
Posttraumatic Stress Namong Pediatric Critical Care Physicians in the United States in Association with Coronavirus Disease 2019 Patient Care Experiences.

Posttraumatic stress among pediatric critical care physicians in the United States in association with coronavirus disease 2019 patient care experiences. Our objective was to assess the prevalence of posttraumatic stress (PTS) and its association with COVID-19 patient care experiences among pediatric critical care physicians. Our study was a cross-sectional study of pediatric critical care physicians in the United States. We measured PTS which included posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and subthreshold posttraumatic stress disorder (SubPTSD) using validated PTSD Checklist- 5 survey tool. Association of PTS with COVID-19 patient care experiences was analyzed using regression analysis. Prevalence of PTS was noted in 120 among 294 pediatric critical care physicians (41%; 95% CI, 35-47%). The predominant symptoms were that of hyperarousal and feelings of negative cognition and mood. Among our physicians with PTS, 19% had PTSD and 81% had SubPTSD. Demographic and practice characteristics were not significant for increased PTS on regression analysis. Posttraumatic stress was significantly associated with physicians testing positive or taking time off for COVID-19 illness, self-isolation, fear of infecting their loved ones, families scared of being infected, feeling helpless, patients expressing fears of dying, having pre-existing depression, anxiety, or insomnia, working beyond comfort level of training and having thoughts of quitting (p < 0.05). Thoughts of quitting was associated with the highest significant increase in PTS scores (coefficient:11.643; 95% CI:8.551,14.735; P < 0.01) followed by feeling of helplessness (coefficient:11.055; 95% CI: 8.484,13.624; P < 0.01) and need for additional medications for depression, anxiety and insomnia (coefficient: 10.980; 95% CI: 4.970, 16.990; P < 0.01). Posttraumatic stress is high in pediatric critical care physicians and is associated with various COVID-19 patient care experiences. Thoughts of quitting was associated with highest increase in posttraumatic stress score which could have major implications for the workforce in the future. Subthreshold posttraumatic stress disorder should be recognized, and mental health issues of pediatric critical care physicians addressed.
Difficulties in using GRBs as Standard Candles

Gamma-Ray Bursts have been detected uniformly all over the observable universe, ranging in comoving distance from a few hundred Mpc to a few thousand Mpc, representing the farthest observable objects in the universe. This large distance coverage is highly attractive to those who study cosmology and the history of the early universe since there are no other observed objects that represent such a deep and comprehensive probe of the history of the universe. For this reason, there have been extensive studies into the possibility of using GRBs as standard candles much like Type Ia Supernovae, even though little is known about the physical mechanism that produces the observed burst of gamma-rays. We discuss the attempts at defining GRBs as standard candles, such as the search for a robust luminosity indicator, pseudo-redshift predictions, the complications that emission collimation introduces into the estimation of the rest-frame energetics, and the difficulty introduced by the widely varying observed properties of GRBs. These topics will be examined with supporting data and analyses from both Fermi and Swift observations. Problems with current studies using GRBs as standard candles will be noted as well as potential paths forward to solve these problems.
Cell adhesion/recognition and signal transduction through glycosphingolipid microdomain.

Glycosphingolipids (GSLs) and sphingomyelin in animal cells are clustered and organized as membrane microdomains closely associated with various signal transducer molecules such as cSrc, Src family kinases, small G-proteins (e.g., RhoA, Ras), and focal adhesion kinase. GSL clustering in such microdomains causes adhesion to complementary GSLs on the surface of counterpart cells or presented on plastic surfaces, through carbohydrate-to-carbohydrate interaction. GSL-dependent cell adhesion in microdomain causes activation of the signal transducers, leading to cell phenotypic changes. A retrospective of the development of this concept, and current status of our studies, are presented.
Microdissection of peripheral nerve: Collagen and lipid distribution with morphological correlation

Peripheral nerve is a complex tissue composed of endoneurial fascicles surrounded by perineurium and epineurium. We separated endoneurium from peri- and epineurium in human sural nerves by "endoneurial plucking", a method of microdissection. Endoneurial contents (axons, myelin sheaths, Schwann cells, vessels, and interstitial collagen) were cleanly separated in high yield from enveloping connective tissue, by both microscopic and biochemical criteria. Most of the nerve sulfatide and unesterified sterol was found in the endoneurial fraction while most of the collagen was in the peri-epineurial fraction. This microdissection method should prove useful in biochemical investigations of peripheral nerve.
The urine proteome as a biomarker of radiation injury

Terrorist attacks or nuclear accidents could expose large numbers of people to ionizing radiation, and early biomarkers of radiation injury would be critical for triage, treatment and follow-up of such individuals. However, no such biomarkers have yet been proven to exist. We tested the potential of high throughput proteomics to identify protein biomarkers of radiation injury after total body X-ray irradiation in a rat model. Subtle functional changes in the kidney are suggested by an increased glomerular permeability for macromolecules measured within 24 hours after TBI. Ultrastructural changes in glomerular podocytes include partial loss of the interdigitating organization of foot processes. Analysis of urine by LC-MS/MS and 2D-GE showed significant changes in the urine proteome within 24 hours after TBI. Tissue kallikrein 1-related peptidase, cysteine proteinase inhibitor cystatin C and oxidized histidine were found to be increased while a number of proteinase inhibitors including kallikrein-binding protein and albumin were found to be decreased post-irradiation. Thus, TBI causes immediately detectable changes in renal structure and function and in the urinary protein profile. This suggests that both systemic and renal changes are induced by radiation and it may be possible to identify a set of biomarkers unique to radiation injury.
Transgenic analysis of GFAP promoter elements.

Transcriptional regulation of the glial fibrillary acidic protein gene (GFAP) is of interest because of its astrocyte specificity and its upregulation in response to CNS injuries. We have used a transgenic approach instead of cell transfection to identify promoter elements of the human GFAP gene, since previous observations show that GFAP transcription is regulated differently in transfected cultured cells from in the mouse. We previously showed that block mutation of enhancer regions spanning from bp −1488 to −1434 (the C1.1 segment) and −1443 to −1399 (C1.2) resulted in altered patterns of expression and loss of astrocyte specificity, respectively. This analysis has now been extended upstream to bp −1612 to −1489 (the B region), which previously has been shown especially important for expression. Block mutation of each of four contiguous sequences, which together span the B region, each decreased the level of transgene activity by at least 50%, indicating that multiple sites contribute to the transcriptional activity in a cooperative manner. Several of the block mutations also altered the brain region pattern of expression, astrocyte specificity and/or the developmental time course. Transgenes were then analyzed in which mutations were limited to specific transcription factor binding sites in each of the 4 B block segments as well as in C1.1 and C1.2. Whereas mutation of the conserved consensus AP-1 site unexpectedly had little effect on transgene expression; NFI, SP1, STAT3, and NF-κB were identified as having important roles in regulating the strength of GFAP promoter activity and/or its astrocyte specificity.
Phenobarbital: Too much of a good thing?

The treatment of infants with antiepileptic medications after the resolution of neonatal seizures is highly variable and controversial. Infants are commonly treated with phenobarbital after their seizures have resolved to prevent recurrence. Data to support this practice are lacking but animal models suggest that the neonatal brain is vulnerable to repeated seizures. Yet exposure of the developing brain to phenobarbital for prolonged periods may have deleterious consequences. We discuss current clinical practice and present information on risks and benefits of continued treatment with phenobarbital after resolution of neonatal
Sober on intelligent design

This response to Sober's (2008) Evidence and Evolution draws out and criticizes some consequences of his analysis because of its reliance on a likelihood framework for adjucating the dispute between (Intelligent Design) creationism and evolution. In particular, Sober's analysis does not allow it to be formally claimed that evolutionary theory better explains living phenomena than Intelligent Design and makes irrelevant the contribution of the theory of evolution by natural selection to assessments of the status of the argument from design. Finally, a rudimentary alternative framework for theory confirmation is presented here which avoids these conclusions by rejecting likelihoodism and deploying multiple criteria to the problem of scientific theory choice.
Combined Treatments (Medications plus Psychotherapy)

Research has sought to examine how medication and psychotherapy can be combined to produce better outcomes. For most of the major mental disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, the evidence supports the use of combined medication and psychotherapy in their acute treatment. However, there is less evidence to support the long-term efficacy of combined treatment over either monotherapy. The current literature on the treatment of anxiety disorders in adults, and depression and anxiety in children and adolescents, also suggests that combined treatment is more efficacious in the short term relative to monotherapy. However, research in these areas also indicates that over the long term, psychotherapy alone is more efficacious compared to combined treatment or medication alone. Limitations of the current state of the evidence are highlighted, as well as areas in which additional research is needed to better determine the efficacy of combined treatment over either monotherapy. Keywords: psychopharmacology; psychotherapies; anxiety; depression
Extracorporeal Support: Improves Donor Renal Graft Function After Cardiac Death

Donors after cardiac death (DCD) could increase the organ pool. Data supports good long-term renal graft survival. However, DCDs are 50 mL/h in all DCDs, except in DCD-30 (6.8 mL/h ± 1.7). DCD-30 had lower CrCl (0.9 mL/min ± 0.2) and higher UrPr >200 mg/dL, compared to other DCDs >10 mL/min and <160 mg/dL, respectively. Normothermic ECS can resuscitate kidneys to transplantable status after 30 min of cardiac arrest/WI.
Characterization of Plasma Membrane Proteins in Mammalian Kidney I. PREPARATION OF A MEMBRANE FRACTION AND SEPARATION OF THE PROTEIN

A simplified method has been developed for the separation of plasma membrane material from isotonic homogenates of rat kidney. When examined by electron microscopy, the preparation consists of membrane vesicles free of nuclei and essentially free of intact mitochondria. Membranes have been solubilized by sonic oscillation or with Lubrol W-X detergent. Gel filtrate chromatography of solubilized membranes on 6% agarose gel yields two major protein peaks. The first protein peak elutes in the void volume and contains macromolecules with a molecular weight exceeding 1,000,000. The second protein peak has an elution profile similar to proteins of approximately 45,000 molecular weight. Sodium-potassium-dependent, ouabain-sensitive ATPase activity is associated with fractions of the first peak. Protein material associated with the second peak is mostly insoluble when membranes are extracted with 1-butanol. The bulk of the protein material associated with the second peak is solubilized when membranes are extracted with NaI. When proteins eluted from agarose gel columns are subjected to polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis, a portion of the high molecular weight protein in the first column peak moves, separating into five protein bands. The sodium-potassium-dependent ATPase activity appears to be associated with the nonmobile portion. All proteins in the low molecular weight second peak move, separating into more than eight bands. Incorporation in vivo of radioactive leucine into membrane protein was measured. After column fractionation a considerable variation in radioactivity of membrane fractions was observed. The findings in this study indicate heterogeneity of membrane protein constituents.
Blacks in space: land tenure and well-being in Perry County, Alabama

An exploratory research project has examined the relationship between land tenure and well-being in a rural, predominantly Afro-American, forested county in the USA. Poverty in Alabama’s Black-Belt is endemic, especially among Afro-Americans. The question explored is the relationship between the spatial concentration of Afro-Americans and the well-being of the Afro-American population. This relationship is explored at the sub-county level in Perry County which has a 67% Afro-American population and over 1416 Afro-American landowners, of whom 238 have been identified as owning properties listed in the Plat (property parcel) maps. The analysis was done at the census block-group (sub-county) level. Analysis of Census 2000 block-group data on income, employment and poverty rates shows that areas with higher concentrations of Afro-American landownership are more likely to have Afro-American populations with higher well-being. The research findings provide some insights into the theoretical, methodological and data requirements for a geographically expanded study of forestry practices, land tenure and well-being issues, at the sub-county level.
Effect of Interhemispheric Field-Aligned Currents on Region-1 Currents

An asymmetry in ionospheric conductivity between two hemispheres results in the formation of additional, interhemispheric field-aligned currents flowing between conjugate ionospheres within two auroral zones. These interhemispheric currents are especially significant during summer-winter conditions when there is a significant asymmetry in ionospheric conductivity in two hemispheres. In such conditions, these currents may be comparable in magnitude with the Region 1 field-aligned currents. In this case, the R1 current is the sum of two FACs: one is going from to the solar wind, and another is flowing between conjugate ionospheres. These interhemispheric currents can also cause the formation of auroras extended along the nightside polar cap boundary, which may be related to the so-called double auroral oval. In this study, we present the results of analytical and numerical solutions for the interhemispheric currents and their effect on the Region 1 currents.
Hepatocyte-specific localization and copper-dependent trafficking of the Wilson's disease protein in the liver.

Wilson’s disease is an inherited disorder of copper metabolism characterized by hepatic cirrhosis and neuronal degeneration. In this current study, a polyclonal antiserum specific for the Wilson’s ...
Critical Technology Limits to Silicon Material and Sheet Production

The reduction in scope of the Flat-Plate Solar Array Project has resulted in sharply focusing the developments within the programs involving silicon material and silicon sheet production. This has been accomplished by limiting the research to those elements which have the most impact on the long-term potential of each process under development,