cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Health Disparities of Same-Sex Cohabitors at the Intersection of Race-Ethnicity and Gender.

We work from a minority stress perspective to theorize health disparities across union status at the intersection of sexual minority status, race-ethnicity, and gender. We use pooled data from the ...
Analytical and finite element modeling of a machining system to minimize inaccuracy in milling and using rapid prototyping for die manufacturing

84 Introduction to Conventional Methods 86 Preparation before Machining 90 Practical Application 91 Previous Research and Proposed Methods 97 Three Better Processes 99 Conclusions 108 References 108 Acknowledgments 109 CHAPTER 6. DISCUSSION, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CON­ CLUSIONS 110 Discussion and Recommendations 110 Conclusions Ill
Analysis of feline splenic radiographic measurements and their correlation to ultrasonographic measurements

Objectives The purpose of this study was to establish a method for feline splenic measurement on abdominal radiographs and evaluate for correlation between the radiographic measurements and ultrasonographic measurements. Methods One hundred cats with normal abdominal radiographs and ultrasound (US) studies of the spleen were evaluated. The hypothesis was that the measurement of the spleen on the radiographs would correlate with the measurement of the spleen on US. The radiographic and ultrasonographic measurements were tabulated and compared using linear regression and t-tests using unequal variances. Results The measurement of the spleen on the ventrodorsal projection was characterized as one of three shapes (A, B or C), and thereby based on the thickest part of the spleen (when corrected for radiographic magnification: A = 9.9 ± 2.2 mm; B = 8.1 ± 1.8 mm; C = 8.0 ± 2.3 mm). There were 48 cats where the head of the spleenwas seen on the right lateral (n = 10), the left lateral (n = 24) or both (n = 14) projections. On one left lateral, both the head and tail of the spleen were seen. There was weak correlation between the radiographic and US measurements(R ⩼0.6). Splenic thickness of shape A on the ventrodorsal projection was significantly greater than categories B and C. Conclusions and relevance Radiographic measurement of the spleen is not a reliable indicator of its ultrasonographic measurement. The ultrasonographic measurements seen in this study (mean of 8.0 ± 1.6 mm) were similar to measurements of the spleen reported in previous studies. It is rare to see the tail of the spleen on lateral feline abdominal radiographs.
Health Care in the 2016 Election — A View through Voters’ Polarized Lenses

This report of public opinion polls about the 2016 U.S. election contrasts the health policy views of Republican and Democratic likely voters and discusses how the outcome of the congressional and presidential elections may affect health policy.
The Threat of an Avian Flu Pandemic is Over-Hyped.

An attorney argues that an avian flu pandemic is unlikely despite the high level of attention the topic has received in the media and public health community. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Analysis and Critical Thinking Skills: A Line-for-Line Copy Draping Project

Most university-level educators maintain that developing a student’s critical thinking (CT) skills is extremely important. The way to accomplish that goal, however, is open to debate. Students aspiring to a career in fashion and technical design need analytical and CT skills in order to successfully contribute to their chosen field. Apparel design and construction classes are ideally suited for hands-on, active, problem-based learning in order to develop the skills as opposed to the traditional lecture format (McKeatchie, Pintrich, Lin, & Smith, 1987).
Human Epistatic Interaction Controls IL7R Splicing and Increases Multiple Sclerosis Risk

Summary Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disorder where T cells attack neurons in the central nervous system (CNS) leading to demyelination and neurological deficits. A driver of increased MS risk is the soluble form of the interleukin-7 receptor alpha chain gene (sIL7R) produced by alternative splicing of IL7R exon 6. Here, we identified the RNA helicase DDX39B as a potent activator of this exon and consequently a repressor of sIL7R, and we found strong genetic association of DDX39B with MS risk. Indeed, we showed that a genetic variant in the 5′ UTR of DDX39B reduces translation of DDX39B mRNAs and increases MS risk. Importantly, this DDX39B variant showed strong genetic and functional epistasis with allelic variants in IL7R exon 6. This study establishes the occurrence of biological epistasis in humans and provides mechanistic insight into the regulation of IL7R exon 6 splicing and its impact on MS risk.
The Black Death and the Human Impact on the Environment

This article examines how plague depopulation had a direct effect on the environment of the Egyptian province of al-Buḥayra in the late medieval period. Egypt witnessed a period of robust expansion and irrigation infrastructure development in late thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries. This irrigation infrastructure was the key to the region’s agricultural wealth and the Mamluk sultanate expended a great deal of energy in developing, improving, and expanding this system in the province of al-Buḥayra. It is estimated that overall agricultural output increased by as much as 50 % between 1250 and 1315. Al-Buḥayra was at the center of this expansion, where the Mamluk sultanate may have increased its cultivated area by some 60,000 hectares through excavation projects on the Nāṣir, Ṭayriyya, and Alexandria Canals. It seems clear that plague depopulation, starting in 1347, brought a halt to all of this growth and started Egypt on a path of severe economic decline. The irrigation system suffered heavily during this period, which extended from the mid fourteenth century well into the early modern period. This article focuses on how damage to the irrigation system profoundly altered the environment of this province. Irrigation decay led to desiccation in many areas, depriving rich farmland of its water supply, altered the saline balance of the soil, had a profound effect on the usage of viable flood basin acreage, and shifted the land’s ecology from arable to pasture, thereby shifting the balance of power from the peasants to the Bedouins. The province of al-Buḥayra provides a microcosm of what was happening in other parts of Egypt, and it offers us a window into some of the devastating changes that plague mortality was having on the Islamic world in the late medieval period.
CURVED-PATH WALKING: WHEN VARIABILITY IS GOOD

The Figure-of-8 Walk test (F8W), a measure of walking skill, incorporates both straight and curved paths. While gait variability during straight-path walking is associated with adverse outcomes, variability during curved-path walking is critical for efficient turning. We examined variability of step length (SLV), step time (STV), and stride width (SWV) during F8W and expected greater variability in those with better motor skill. Thirty-two older adults (mean age 72.1 ± 9.3 yrs) completed the F8W (walking a figure-of-8 around two cones 5 feet apart) on an instrumented walkway. Gait measures were: 1) variability, standard deviations of SLV, STV, and SWV, 2)F8W number of steps and time to complete, s. We examined differences in variability by skill group using ANOVAs (F8W time ≤ 8 seconds (F8H, high skill), F8W time > 8 seconds (F8L, low skill)). Correlations (r) adjusted for speed were used to examine associations between F8W and variability. Motor skill groups differed for SLV (SLV: F8H = 22.2, F8L= 18.2, p=.024) and SWV (F8H = 23, F8L = 17.2, p<.001); no group differences for STV. Variability measures related to curved-path walking ability, F8W time (SLV, r= -.40, SWV r=-.70, STV r=-.51), and number of steps (SLV, r= -.42, SWV r=-.80, STV r=-.60). Better motor skill in walking is associated with greater spatial variability. Individuals with better curved path walking ability (F8W time) are able to actively adjust spatial parameters for the walking task. Rehabilitation should include practice of curved paths and experience in active adjustments of step length and width.
Dual Role of Transport Competition in Amino Acid Deprivation of the Central Nervous System by Hyperphenylalaninemia

Evidence is presented that an amino acid such as phenylalanine accumulating in the organism to excessive concentrations may occasion not only a direct inhibition of the passage of endogenous amino acids across the blood-brain barrier, but also muscle and liver sequestration of certain amino acids. These are not precisely the same amino acids whose passage to the brain undergoes direct inhibition. This action explains, we believe, the lowering of the plasma levels of the affected-amino acids and may further handicap the nutritional flow of amino acids to the brain. We propose that the total effect of these two actions determines which amino acids will be depleted in the brain in hyperphenylalaninemia (both experimental and phenyl-ketonuric) or in leucinemia or, possibly, other amino acid accumulations in the body.
Regional variations in the gross structure of the enteric nervous system: some new views.

The enteric nervous system exhibits a high degree of independence from the central nervous system. Its nerve cells and circuits operate with a broad range of functions. The system encompasses those nerve elements that lie within the wall of the viscera, excluding the extrinsic nerves that join the gut to the central nervous system. The connections of the enteric nervous system to the central nervous system appear in Figure 1. The usual teaching considers the nerves that lie in the walls of the gastrointestinal tract as though they were arranged in much the same way throughout the whole system. Actually, major variations exist among regions. These are the subject of this paper. This paper is an overview of work that I have done on this matter since I turned from physiology to neuroanatomy seven years ago in my career-long study of gastrointestinal motility. The general geography of the enteric nervous system is diagrammed in Figure 2. These silhouette tracings exhibit the myenteric plexus as seen at low magnification. Round or stellate nodes, uniformly distributed in one plane, are joined together by strands. The nodes are ganglia, aggregates of neuronal cell bodies, and the internodal strands or interganglionic fascicles are bundles of axons arising from these nerve cells. This basic pattern prevails throughout the gut in both the myenteric and submucous plexuses, but Figure 2 suggests that some variations exist. These are drawings of the myenteric plexus of the guinea-pig colon. In panel A, the density of the plexus is somewhat greater at the left-hand margin, which is near the mesenteric insertion. The plexus in panel B is clearly sparser than it is in panel A. It represents the rectum. Thus, one difference, a difference in the density of the intramural plexuses, has long been recognized, but the magnitude of these variations is much greater than Figure 2 suggests.
Human papillomavirus vaccine motivators and barriers among community college students: Considerations for development of a successful vaccination program.

Abstract Background Previous interventions in colleges to improve human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination have not been highly successful. Although barriers have been assessed in traditional colleges, less is known about vaccination barriers in community colleges. Methods We approached students aged 18–26 years old enrolled at a community college for an in-person semi-structured qualitative interview on HPV vaccination and health, with questions guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior. Data collection took place between April 2015 and December 2015. Thematic analysis techniques were used to analyze the data. Results During interviews with 19 students, 4 themes emerged, including: general vaccine attitudes, barriers to HPV vaccination, motivators to HPV vaccination, and social influences. Participants felt that vaccines were beneficial, but were concerned about side effects. They felt that getting the HPV vaccine would be inconvenient, and they did not know enough about it to decide. Most would not trust their friends’ opinions, but would want to know about side effects that their vaccinated friends experienced. Conclusions Successful interventions at community colleges should include several components to increase convenience as well as utilize interactive methods to promote HPV vaccine awareness.
Knowledge extraction through learning from examples

We present a method for a knowledge-base compression, restricted to rules of specific form, which uses a learning from examples facility. A large medical knowledge-base, which was a source of more than 5000 training examples, was compressed to 3% of its original size. Most of the extracted rules turned out to be quite meaningful from the medical point of view.
The Characteristics of Specific Chlorophylls and Their Roles in Biogenesis of the Photosynthetic Apparatus

This chapter promotes a concept that provides insight into unique biological functions of the accessory chlorophylls b and c. The basis for the concept is the nature of atoms and molecules as malleable clouds of electrons. The distribution of electron density in the chlorophyll macrocycle, which is readily probed by absorption of light energy, is affected by functional groups on the periphery of the structure. Spectroscopic and molecular orbital data support the proposal that the central Mg ion in chlorophylls b and c is less shielded by the molecular electron cloud than in chlorophylls a and d. Consequently, the extent to which the Mg ion is exposed causes it to interact differently with ligands. Chlorophylls a and d are versatile Lewis acids and form coordination bonds with a range of Lewis bases, from electron-rich neutral structures such as the imidazole group of histidine and the charge-compensated ion-pair of the carboxyl group of glutamate with the guanidinium group of arginine, to those with a strong dipole moment such as amide groups and water. In contrast, chlorophyll b (and probably chlorophyll c) is found only with “hard” Lewis bases that have a strongly electronegative, oxygen-containing dipole moment. For a coordination bond to form between chlorophyll b and a protein, the potential ligand apparently must have a sufficiently strong dipole to displace a strongly bound water molecule. Chlorophyll b is required for accumulation of light-harvesting complexes in chloroplasts, a role that is attributed to interaction with a backbone peptide bond carbonyl group near the N-terminus of the apoproteins. Experiments on chloroplast development with the alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii show that synthesis of chlorophyll b in the chloroplast envelope inner membrane is required to retain the proteins in this membrane during import into the organelle.
Design Approaches and Methods

How should an interface designer describe a design approach or method or process for use by others? Thorough design descriptions are difficult to accomplish, especially within reasonable amounts of time and space. The design of an algorithm to solve a problem with a computer is a relatively limited and well-defined procedure. The design of a software compiler is substantially more complicated, requiring a number of different algorithms and software engineering techniques in effective coordination. The design of a complete interface system for HCI is even more complex. It must subsume the separate designs of component parts, including the applications software (at least the analysis thereof) and the various interactive tools and techniques required for taking advantage of that software. In addition, it must compose all of them into a cohesive whole, consistent with specified interface design principles and factors.
Examining Twitter Content of State Emergency Management During Hurricane Joaquin

Those tasked with disseminating life-protecting messages during crises have many factors to consider. Social media sites have become an information source for individuals during these times, and mo...
Diabatic internal source flow

A study is made of diabatic internal source flow. It is shown that for such a flow self similar solutions to the full equations of motion are possible provided that the transport properties (μ and k) are assumed constant. Solutions are presented for several cases representing internal heat generation in a confined supersonic flow.
Association of Buprenorphine-Waivered Physician Supply With Buprenorphine Treatment Use and Prescription Opioid Use in Medicaid Enrollees

Importance Expanding treatment for opioid addiction has been recognized as an essential component of a comprehensive national response to the opioid epidemic. The Drug Addiction Treatment Act and its amendments attempted to improve access to treatment by involving office-based physicians in the provision of buprenorphine treatment. Objectives To estimate the association of availability of buprenorphine-waivered physicians with buprenorphine treatment use and, secondarily, with prescription opioid use among Medicaid enrollees. Design, Setting, and Participants This economic evaluation study used state-level panel data analysis to estimate the association between the number of buprenorphine-waivered physicians and the Medicaid-covered buprenorphine prescribing rate and opioid prescribing rate among Medicaid fee-for-service and managed care enrollees throughout the United States between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2016. Main Outcomes and Measures Buprenorphine prescribing rate and opioid prescribing rate, measured as the number of buprenorphine prescriptions and opioid prescriptions covered by Medicaid on a quarterly basis per 1000 enrollees. Results The sample included 1059 quarterly observations. Two additional 100-patient-waivered physicians per 1 000 000 residents (approximately a 10% increase) were associated with an increase in the quarterly number of Medicaid-covered buprenorphine prescriptions of 0.46 (95% CI, 0.24-0.67) per 1000 enrollees and a reduction in the quarterly number of opioid prescriptions of 1.01 (95% CI, −1.87 to −0.15) per 1000 enrollees. Furthermore, 5 additional 30-patient-waivered physicians per 1 000 000 residents (approximately a 10% increase) were associated with an increase in the quarterly number of Medicaid-covered buprenorphine prescriptions of 0.37 (95% CI, 0.22-0.52) per 1000 enrollees and a reduction in the quarterly number of opioid prescriptions of 0.96 (95% CI, −1.85 to −0.07) per 1000 enrollees. A 10% increase in the number of buprenorphine-waivered physicians was associated with an approximately 10% increase in the Medicaid-covered buprenorphine prescribing rate and a 1.2% reduction in the opioid prescribing rate. Conclusions and Relevance Expanding capacity for buprenorphine treatment holds the potential to improve access to opioid addiction treatment, which may further reduce prescription opioid use and slow the ongoing opioid epidemic in the United States.
Electron scattering in quantum waveguides with sources and absorbers. II. Applications

We show that in quantum waveguides, the Fano resonance profile associated with propagating modes has its analogs with evanescent modes as well. This is found to be an unusual and a universal effect for any attractive potential. Further, we show that quantum dots or attractive impurity potentials embedded in the interior of a quantum waveguide yield significantly large Seebeck coefficient (thermopower) and power factor. Hence, they are good candidates for enhancing the thermoelectric energy conversion efficiency. We study the effect of a waveguide tapering on transport properties for the first time and the effect of curvature on the transmission coefficients. We propose a nanoscale current rectification device in two dimensions using tapered quantum waveguides.We show that in quantum waveguides, the Fano resonance profile associated with propagating modes has its analogs with evanescent modes as well. This is found to be an unusual and a universal effect for any attractive potential. Further, we show that quantum dots or attractive impurity potentials embedded in the interior of a quantum waveguide yield significantly large Seebeck coefficient (thermopower) and power factor. Hence, they are good candidates for enhancing the thermoelectric energy conversion efficiency. We study the effect of a waveguide tapering on transport properties for the first time and the effect of curvature on the transmission coefficients. We propose a nanoscale current rectification device in two dimensions using tapered quantum waveguides.
Suppression of Bipolar Degradation in Deep-P Encapsulated 4H-SiC Trench MOSFETs up to Ultra-High Current Density

The bipolar degradation of Deep-p encapsulated 4H-SiC trench MOSFETs was investigated by using the pulse-current conduction system up to ultra-high current density. The fabricated MOSFETs exhibit the low hole injection compared with the PN diodes and conventional MOSFETs, resulted in the fabricated MOSFETs suppressed the bipolar degradation up to a current density of 3000 A/cm2.
Studies in Mediterranean (Cooley's) anemia. I. Clinical and hematologic aspects of splenectomy, with special reference to fetal hemoglobin synthesis.

THE WIDESPREAD INCIDENCE of Mediterranean anemia beyond the original geographic and racial confines has resulted in a growing interest in problems of management. In locations such as the New York metropolitan area, with large concentrations of genetically susceptible persons of Italian and Greek origin, 1 the establishment of clear-cut criteria for splenectomy represents a recurring challenge when frequently repeated transfusions fail to support adequate hemoglobin levels.
Spezifische Wrme und magnetische Suszeptibilitt von Vanadincarbiden VC x@@@Specific heats and magnetic susceptibilities of vanadium carbides VC x

Es werden von gesinterten Vanadincarbidproben die spezifischen Warmen bei tiefen Temperaturen und die magnetischen Suszeptibilitaten bei Zimmertemperatur gemessen. Die Abhangigkeiten von γ und χ von der Kohlenstoffkonzentration werden diskutiert und mit denen bei Niob- und Tantalcarbiden verglichen.
An Essential Quaternary Clock for Earth System Sciences: An Overview of the Theory and Applications of U and Th Decay Series Isotopes for the Dating of Young Igneous and Sedimentary Rocks

Abstract U-series radionuclides provide an essential Quaternary chronometer for both igneous and sedimentary systems. Here, we overview the nuclear theory, geochemical principles, and application of U decay series isotopes for the dating of young igneous and sedimentary rocks. The various radionuclides utilized for these chronometers have a large range of half-lives and geochemical characteristics and, thus, provide temporal information on a wide range of time scales for a wide assortment of Quaternary geological problems. Specific examples are presented of individual applications in both igneous and sedimentary systems, demonstrating how, when combined with other geochemical, geochronological and observational data, the U-series chronometers often add a new gestalt of understanding. We conclude with a historical overview of current and past analytical methodologies and highlight recent enhancements in mass spectrometry that are influencing this field of study.
Terminal alkyne semi-tritiation with Lindlar catalyst and its mechanism implications

It has been nearly 70 years since the discovery of Lindlar catalyst and its valuable ability to semi-hydrogenate alkynes to cis olefins. The Lindlar catalyst semi-hydrogenation mechanism appears to still be an ongoing discussion. Spectroscopy (NMR, MS) results are presented regarding the Lindlar catalyst semi-tritiation of terminal alkynes, providing evidence of a novel tritium for hydrogen exchange process taking place.
Utilization of a Virtual Information Session to Increase Engagement With Prospective Applicants in the Setting of COVID-19.

Abstract Purpose This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a virtual information session hosted by a diagnostic radiology residency program at addressing applicant concerns about the 2020-2021 interview cycle and highlighting key aspects of the residency program. Methods Participants were recruited to attend the virtual information session over a 2-week period via social media and communication with medical school radiology interest groups. Attendees were able to submit questions or topics of interest prior to the session. The virtual information session was hosted by trainees and faculty from a radiology residency. Data regarding the demographics of the attendees and the efficacy of the session were obtained through interactive live polling during the virtual session and a voluntary anonymous postsession survey. Results A total of 171 attendees participated in the virtual information session. Of the attendees, 42% learned about the session from Twitter and 72% were fourth-year medical students applying for residency. Among topics addressed during the session, attendees indicated that they were most interested in learning about “Application strategies during COVID-19” during an in-session poll. On the post-session survey, 96% of attendees reported being more knowledgeable about the residency program culture and the breadth of research and educational opportunities. Conclusion Given the virtual nature of the 2020-2021 residency application cycle, utilization of web-based platforms for recruitment will be essential. Virtual information sessions can be effective at providing insight into aspects of a residency program that are typically gained during the in-person interview experience.
The Royal Treatment: Temporality and Technology in The King's Speech

This essay examines the intersections of class, technology, and disability manifest within The King's Speech . It argues that the film obfuscates modern scientific and critical understanding of communication disorders by rendering stuttering as a moral failure rather than by attempting to understand it as a socially constructed condition contingent upon established societal and temporal norms. The essay identifies the social codes enforcing correct and eloquent speech that create a political and social climate for "compulsory fluency"—the socially imperative verbal facility promoted as necessary to participate in public life. Crucially and somewhat ironically, with its emphasis on the nobility of the title character, the film sublimates an inherent tension between media technology and the lingering social stigma surrounding disability. The King's Speech thus situates compulsory fluency as an essential component of modern kingship. By reading the film's strategic deployment of radio technology alongside its troubled representation of class and his fraught invocation of Shakespeare's Hamlet , the essay reads attitudes towards vocal disability within the context of royalty, patriarchy, and national identity. Ultimately, the essay locates The King's Speech as a film whose image of modern kingship grounds itself upon a notion of imperial authority as technologically constructed but ultimately disabled by a national fantasy of historical wholeness in the fabricated kinship between a monarch and his people.
The corporate reputation and consumer-company identification link as a sensemaking process: A cross-level interaction analysis

Abstract With two multilevel studies, the present research applies sensemaking theory to examine the ignored cross-level relationship of corporate reputation with consumer-company identification, along with moderators of this effect. The results indicate that reputation has a positive effect on consumer-company identification, but only when consumers have (1) established interpretive languages to perceive reputation cues and (2) a favorable disposition towards reputable companies as a social identity. The observed cross-level effect suggests the literature overestimates reputation’s effect size by focusing on perceived reputation. However, the existence of a cross-level effect supports the critical role of corporate reputation as an intangible asset and a rationale for firms to properly support stakeholder relationships.
The impact of pretreatment PSA on risk stratification in men with Gleason 6 prostate cancer: Implications for active surveillance.

Abstract Background There are limited data to support the safety of active surveillance in men with favorable-intermediate risk prostate cancer due only to a prostate specific antigen (PSA) above 10 ng/ml. We therefore evaluated the impact of pretreatment PSA on risk-stratification in men with Gleason 6 prostate cancer. Methods We identified men aged 18 to 75 with cT1-2cN0cM0, pre-treatment PSA Results A total of 75,566 patients were included in the cohort. In unadjusted analyses, patients with pretreatment PSA ≥ 10 ng/ml had higher rates of Gleason core upgrading (58.8% vs. 47.9%; P Conclusion Higher pretreatment PSA was independently associated with increased risks of Gleason score upgrading and adverse pathologic features at prostatectomy. Flexible modeling of the relationship between PSA and each outcome did not support dichotomization at a threshold of 10 ng/ml. These results can be used to improve patient risk-stratification for active surveillance.
Erectile Dysfunction is a Modifiable Risk Factor for Major Depressive Disorder: Analysis of a Federated Research Network.

Abstract Background Erectile dysfunction is one of many conditions associated with depression, but few studies exist to establish the risk of major depressive disorder (MDD) in the large population of men with erectile dysfunction, and it is unclear whether erectile dysfunction (ED) treatment is associated with decreased rates of MDD. Aim We determined the risk of major depressive disorder in men with erectile dysfunction and evaluated whether treatment of ED with phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor or penile prosthesis is associated with a lower risk of developing major depressive disorder. Methods We reviewed a large, retrospective, cohort that utilized electronic health record data collected by the TriNetX Research Network, a global federated database that provides healthcare data for analysis. We performed multiple comparisons: men with ED against men without ED; men with ED treated with phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors against untreated ED patients, and of men with ED who received penile prosthesis against those who did not. We assessed major depressive disorder (ICD-10-CM F32-F33) as a primary outcome and used propensity score matching to control for ethnicity, race, type 2 diabetes mellitus (E11), essential hypertension (I10), acute myocardial infarction (I21), chronic ischemic heart disease (I25), cerebral infarction (I63), overweight and obesity (E66), personal history of nicotine (Z87.891), hypogonadism (E29.1), and alcohol related disorders (F10). Outcomes We assessed new diagnosis of major depressive disorder (F32-F33) within a 3-year time window following index event of ED diagnosis, visit to healthcare organization, or ED treatment with phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor or penile prosthesis as the primary outcome. Results ED was associated with major depressive disorder both before and after (OR 2.00, 95% CI 1.94–2.06) controlling for confounding variables through propensity score matching. Men who received ED therapies had lower rates of depression compared to those who did not, whether they were treated with phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor (0.80, 0.77–0.83) or penile prosthesis (0.73, 0.60–0.89). Strengths and Limitations Strengths include a large sample size and robust statistical techniques. Limitations include lack of detailed information regarding clinical severity and socioeconomic factors. Clinical Implications Our findings indicate that clinicians should consider evaluating depressive symptoms among men with erectile dysfunction and counsel them regarding the risk of developing major depressive disorder. Conclusions Erectile dysfunction is associated with major depressive disorder, but treatment is associated with decreased rates of MDD. S Nackeeran, A Havanur, J Ory, et al. Erectile Dysfunction is a Modifiable Risk Factor for Major Depressive Disorder: Analysis of a Federated Research Network. J Sex Med 2021;18:2005–2011.
219: STAT3 induces proapoptotic signals in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells

Usually, ligand-receptor interactions induce STAT3 tyrosine phosphorylation. Unlike in normal cells, in CLL STAT3 is constitutively phosphorylated on serine 727 residues regardless of clinical characteristics, cytogenetic abnormalities or treatment status. Posphoserine STAT3 activates STAT3-regulated genes (Hazan-Halevy et al., 2010), including STAT3 and the antiapoptotic genes Bcl2, Bcl-XL, Mcl-1, and survivine. Because CLL is a heterogeneous disease and because STAT3-shRNA induced apoptosis of CLL cells, we postulated that high STAT3 protein levels and low apoptosis rates typify CLL cells of patients with high CLL counts. Using western immunoblotting we analyzed STAT3 and Caspase3 protein levels of CLL cells from 64 patients with high (N = 32) and low (N = 32) peripheral blood CLL-cell counts. Indeed, STAT3 levels were high in cells from patients with high counts. However, CLL cells from patients with high counts expressed high levels of total and cleaved Caspase3, cleaved Caspse3 levels markedly increased when STAT3 reached a threshold level, and the spontaneous apoptosis rate of cells from patients with high counts was high as assessed by Annexin V/PI flow cytometry analysis. Furthermore, several apoptotic-pathway genes such as Caspase3, Calpain9, MAPK8, KRAS, PLCγ-2, and PKC were overexpressed in high count CLL cells and pathway analysis showed upregulation of apoptosis signaling pathway. Because CLL cells harbor high levels of STAT3 and the Caspase3 gene promoter harbors γ-interferon activation sequence (GAS)-like element, we sought to determine whether STAT3 activates the Caspase3 gene. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) studies showed that STAT3 antibodies co-immunoprecipitated Caspase3 DNA, and infection of CLL cells with lentiviral STAT3-shRNA downregulated Caspase3 mRNA and protein levels, suggesting that STAT3 activates the Casapse3 gene and upregulates Caspase3 mRNA and protein levels. Taken together, our data suggest that whereas at low levels posphoserine STAT3 is protective, at high levels phosphorylated STAT3 activates the production of Caspase3 protein and induces apoptosis of CLL cells.
Chapter 9 Commentary: The Theory Behind Witnessing Events, and the Practice

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a commentary on a study related to the theory behind witnessing events, and the practice. Davies presents an exemplary appreciation for the Janus-like aspect to the study of eyewitness testimony. He begins his chapter with underlying memory theory. His discussion of several current theories of forgetting reveals just how closely tied eyewitness testimony is to one of the most fundamental issues in the study of memory—whether the errors made by witnesses occur because memory representations (or traces) have been partially or completely lost from the memory system or because those traces can simply not be located at the time the memory event—is recounted. The eyewitness researchers are not the only group of psychologists who care about theories of memory. One other significant group is psychotherapists, many of whom have adopted their own conceptions of memory that may need to be revised in light of current research. As Brainerd and Belli note—two classes of memory impairment hypotheses have been addressed in the literature. The first is “retrieva1-based memory impairment,” and it holds that the stored representation of an event remains intact, but misinformation renders it more difficult to access. On the other hand, the “storage-based memory impairment” hypothesis holds that misinformation changes the storage of the event information in some way.
Transcriptional regulation of O-GlcNAc homeostasis (607.8)

A vast number of nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins are modified by O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc), a dynamic post-translational modification that has emerged as a key regulator of diverse cellular processes. The addition and removal of O-GlcNAc are catalyzed by O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and O-GlcNAcase (OGA), respectively. Accumulating evidence indicates that both excess and deficiency of O-GlcNAc in the cell can have deleterious effects, suggesting that maintenance of O-GlcNAc homeostasis is critical for cellular function. However, the mechanism by which O-GlcNAc homeostasis is maintained in the normal state and disrupted in the disease state has not yet been investigated. Here, we demonstrate that Ogt expression is upregulated by OGA, creating a feedback mechanism that serves to maintain a balance between OGT and OGA expression levels in the cell. We found that OGA promotes Ogt transcription through cooperation with the histone acetyltransferase p300 and the transcription factor CCAAT-enhance...
Biallelic T cell receptor rearrangement enhances the efficiency of thymocyte development and positive selection. (HEM4P.234)

Biallelic rearrangement of TCR loci has been proposed to increase the likelihood of productive gene rearrangement, thereby promoting thymocyte survival. When allelic exclusion is incomplete, this process also results in dual TCR-expressing T cells, which may increase repertoire diversity, but may also increase autoreactive potential. We investigated the effects of biallelic TCR gene rearrangement by comparing wildtype (wt) T cells to those from mice hemizygous for the genes encoding TCR α, TCR β, or both. Using bone marrow chimera competition assays we found that Tcrb hemizygous thymocytes were impaired in the DN1 to DN2 transition relative to wt cells. In addition, Tcrb hemizygous mice exhibited a higher frequency of T cells committed to the γδ lineage. Bone marrow chimera competition assays revealed a dramatic increase in the ratio of wt thymocytes to Tcra hemizygous thymocytes between the pre-selection and post-selection DP compartments, demonstrating that biallelic Tcra rearrangement increases the rate of positive selection. Despite their impairments in thymocyte development, mice hemizygous for both Tcra and Tcrb generated polyclonal T cell repertoires similar to wt mice as assessed by numbers of antigen-specific naive T cells, responses to multiple self and foreign antigens, and TCRβ sequence diversity. Thus, biallelic rearrangement of Tcra and Tcrb loci enhances the efficiency of thymocyte development, but is not necessary for normal TCR repertoire diversification.
Avoiding phase-retrieval algorithm stagnation using the zeros of the Fourier magnitude

Summary form only given. The phase retrieval problem is the problem of reconstructing a two-dimensional signal f(x,y) from measurements of its Fourier magnitude mod F(u, nu ) mod . The iterative algorithm of Fienup, a modification of the Gerchberg-Saton alternating projections algorithm, works reasonably well for real signals f(x,y) >
The Relationship Between Ingestion Rate of Deposit Feeders and Sediment Nutritional Value

Food resources of marine deposit feeders have been a subject of intense investigation for many years, but it has been only recently that some of the details have become apparent. Two general hypotheses have dominated research in this field: first, non-living organic carbon including detritus cannot be utilized directly by deposit feeders, but must first he transformed into microbial biomass by bacteria, fungi, and other microbes; and second, the resulting microbial biomass represents a major food resource for the deposit feeders (for example, Newell 1965; Fenchel 1970; Hargrave 1976; Lopez et al, 1977; Gerlach 1978). These two hypotheses are by no means independent and each has been used to support the other. However, as I have pointed out previously (Canunen 1980a), in order to evaluate the importance of a potential food resource it is necessary to consider both the rate at which it is ingested and the efficiency with which it is assimilated. In terms of nonliving organic carbon, we have an abundance of data for deposit feeders on ingestion rates (Canunen 1980b), but very little quantitative data on assimilation efficiencies; the situation for microbial carbon is exactly the inverse, with numerous studies of deposit feeder assimilation efficiencies (for example, Zhukhova 1963; Hargrave 1970; Kofoed 1975; Yingst 1976; Lopez et al. 1977; Cammen 1980a), but very few of ingestion rates (Wetzel 1977; Jensen and Siegismund 1980; Canunen 1980a). Yet, somehow the qualitative data showing that assimilation efficiency is generally low for non-living organic carbon or detritus and the data showing high assimilation efficiencies for microbes have been combined to suggest that the major food source for marine deposit feeders must be the microbes—the information on ingestion rates has been largely ignored. Recently, however, several studies have taken into account the ingestion rates of microbes by the deposit feeders (Wetzel 1977; concluded that bacteria can be only of minor importance in the carbon budgets of the animals. In fact, no one has ever shown that any deposit feeder uses bacteria for a major fraction of its nutritional requirements. Thus, the question of how much non-living organic matter contributes to deposit feeder nutrition has become much more important. Unfortunately, it is a difficult question to address since the high ingestion rates make even a low assimilation efficiency significant (Cammen 1980a; Levinton 1980) and with current methods we cannot measure a low assimilation efficiency with any degree of accuracy.
Chapter 1 Impossibility theorems in the arrovian framework

Abstract Given a set of outcomes that affect the welfare of the members of a group, K.J. Arrow imposed the following five conditions on the ordering of the outcomes as a function of the preferences of the individual group members, and then proved that the conditions are logically inconsistent: • The social choice rule is defined for a large family of assignments of transitive orderings to individuals. • The social ordering itself is always transitive. • The social choice rule is not dictatorial. (An individual is a dictator if the social ordering ranks an outcome x strictly above another outcome y whenever that individual strictly prefers x to y.) • If everyone in the group strictly prefers outcome x to outcome y, then x should rank strictly above y in the social ordering. • The social ordering of any two outcomes depends only on the way that the individuals in the group order those same two outcomes. The chapter proves Arrow's theorem and investigates the possibility of uncovering a satisfactory social choice rule by relaxing the conditions while remaining within the Arrovian framework, which is identified by the following five characteristics: • The outcome set is unstructured. • The society is finite and fixed. • Only information about the ordering of the outcome set is used to convey information about individual welfare. • The output of the social choice process is an ordering of the outcome set. • Strategic play by individuals is not considered.
Using Runtime Measured Workload Characteristics in Parallel Processor Scheduling

We consider the use of runtime measured workload characteristics in parallel processor scheduling. Although many researchers have considered the use of application characteristics in this domain, most of this work has assumed that such information is available a priori. In contrast, we propose and evaluate experimentally dynamic processor allocation policies that rely on determining job characteristics at runtime; in particular, we focus on measuring and using job efficiency and speedup.
A Real-Time Video Decoder for Digital HDTV

In this paper, an architecture for real-time digital HDTV video decoding is presented. Our architecture is based on a dual decoding datapath controlled in a fixed schedule with an efficient write-back scheme for anchor pictures. The decoding datapath is synchronized at the block (8 × 8 pixels) level. Unlike other decoding approaches such as the slice bar decoding method and the cross-divide method, our scheme reduces memory access contention problem to achieve real-time HDTV decoding without a high cost in overall decoder buffers, architecture, and bus. In comparison to data-flow approaches, our method eliminates the complexity associated with tagged data operations. Our anchor picture storage is organized to minimize page-breaks during memory accesses. Simulation shows that with a relatively low rate 81 MHz clock, our decoder can decode MPEG-2 MP@HL HDTV in real-time, based on an ATSC video format of 1,920 × 1,080 pixels/frame at 30 frames/s, at a bit rate of 18 to 20 Mbps.
Acoustical and physical dynamics of phagocytosed microbubble contrast agents

Ultrasound contrast agents are captured and phagocytosed by activated neutrophils adherent to the venular wall in regions of inflammation. In order to determine the physical and acoustical behavior of phagocytosed microbubbles, we assessed the responses of both phagocytosed and free microbubbles with direct optical and acoustical observation. A high-speed camera was used for optical analysis of bubble radial oscillations during insonation. Observations demonstrated that phagocytosed microbubbles remain acoustically active and capable of large volumetric oscillations during an acoustic pulse despite viscous damping due to the cytoplasm. Comparison of the echoes acquired during insonation of free and phagocytosed microbubbles demonstrated that phagocytosed microbubbles produce an echo with a higher mean frequency than free microbubbles in response to a rarefaction-first single cycle pulse. This frequency difference is predicted using a Rayleigh-Plesset equation modified to describe mechanical properties of thin shells. By fitting theoretical radius-time curves to experimental data, we estimate the effective viscosity of the neutrophil cytoplasm to be approximately 12 cPs. With the treatment of neutrophil cytoplasm as a power-law fluid, this value is in agreement with cytoplasmic viscosity measurements by previous researchers. We conclude that contrast-enhanced ultrasound can acoustic signals from microbubbles inside of neutrophils and may provide a unique tool to identify activated neutrophils at sites of inflammation.
The effect of sodium supplementation on glucose tolerance and insulin concentrations in patients with hypertension and diabetes mellitus.

Severe short-term sodium restriction or extreme sodium loading may alter glucose tolerance and insulin resistance in patients with hypertension, but it is unclear whether variations in sodium intake within the clinically observed range affect glucose tolerance. To examine this issue, 21 patients with primary hypertension with average sodium excretion of 116+/-55 mEq/day were randomized to consecutive 4-week periods of placebo therapy and sodium chloride supplementation 2 g four times a day in a single-blind crossover study design. A 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (GTT) with simultaneous insulin levels was performed at the end of each intervention period. For the group as a whole, urinary sodium excretion increased on sodium chloride to 267+/-118 mEq/day versus control (placebo) phase of 135+/-53 mEq/day, P < .001. Total glycemic response in the oral GTT (area under the glucose curve) was 8.0% lower during sodium supplementation, P < .001. Secondary analysis revealed that the effect of sodium was noteworthy in 1) type 2 diabetic subjects (n = 8), 2) sodium-sensitive subjects (n = 10), and 3) nondiabetic subjects receiving antihypertensive drug treatment (n = 6). The total insulinemic response to oral GTT was also lowered by sodium loading among diabetic subjects. Thus, an abundant sodium intake may improve glucose tolerance and insulin resistance, especially in diabetic, salt-sensitive, and or medicated essential hypertensive subjects.