cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of inhibitory actions of indomethacin and epostane on ovulation in rats

Indomethacin, an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase that generates prostaglandins (PGs) from arachidonic acid, and 2 alpha,4 alpha,7-4,5-epoxy-17-hydroxy-4,17-dimethyl-3-oxoandrostane- 2-carbonitrile (epostane), an inhibitor of 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase that generates progesterone from pregnenolone, are both potent inhibitors of ovulation. This report compares the dose-dependent effects of these two inhibitors on ovarian levels of 5-, 12-, and 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid methyl ester (HETEs), prostaglandin E2 (PGE), prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF), progesterone, 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone, 17 beta-estradiol, 4-androstene-3,17-dione, and testosterone during ovulation in 25-day-old immature Wistar rats. The ovulatory process was initiated by 10 IU of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Indomethacin was given at 3 h after hCG in doses ranging from 0.0316 to 10.0 mg/rat. A dose of 0.1 mg/rat was the lowest dose to significantly reduce the ovulation rate from the control level of 70.5 +/- 5.8 ova/rat. This dose also reduced 15-HETE, but not 5-HETE, 12-HETE, or the steroids. PGE and PGF were strongly inhibited by an even lower dose of indomethacin (0.0316 mg/rat), but this dose did not affect the ovulation rate. Epostane was given at 3 h after hCG in doses ranging from 0.1 to 5.0 mg/rat. A dose of 1.0 mg/rat was the lowest dose to significantly inhibit ovulation. This dose also reduced the ovarian levels of 15-HETE and progesterone but not 5-HETE, 12-HETE, PGE, PGF, or the other steroids. The results indicate that the ovulation rate is most closely correlated to ovarian 15-HETE levels.
Parents scaffold flexible imitation during early childhood.

Abstract Children use imitation flexibly to acquire the instrumental skills and conventions of their social groups. This study (N = 69 parent and 3- to 6-year-old child dyads) examined the impact of instrumental versus conventional language on (a) children’s imitative flexibility in the context of parent–child interaction and (b) how parents scaffold children’s imitation. Children in dyads presented with conventional language imitated with higher fidelity than children in dyads presented with instrumental language. Parents in dyads presented with conventional language also provided their children with more instruction to imitate and engaged in more encouragement, demonstration, and monitoring than parents in dyads presented with instrumental language. The relation between language cue and children’s imitative fidelity was mediated by parent scaffolding behavior. The results provide evidence that caregivers support the development of flexible imitation during early childhood by adjusting their scaffolding according to the goal of the behavior.
Challenges confronting African Americans and Hispanics living with chronic illness in their families.

ObjectiveTo examine the life experiences of African American and Hispanic adults whose personal chronic illness and/or that of a family member is the biggest health problem for their families.Data sourceTelephone (landline and cell phone) interviews of random, nationally representative samples of 1081 African-American and 1478 Hispanic adults, age 18 and older. We evaluated the responses of 757 African-American and 697 Hispanic participants who reported a chronic illness as the biggest health problem in their families.MethodsWeighted analysis of cross-sectional survey responses from African-American and Hispanic adults.ResultsAfrican Americans and Hispanics with chronic illness in their families reported experiencing challenges with the health care delivery system, with financial/economic insecurity, and with their communities that may influence how they live with chronic disease.DiscussionPolicymakers and clinicians should be aware that some African-American and Hispanic patients face obstacles within an...
Experience and Order

Where does order come from? Is it there in nature to be discovered, or do we invent it? Do we discover the laws of nature or do we create them? Is there a difference between these two viewpoints? This essay is based on a chapter originally published in An Introduction to the Structure and Meaning of Physics in 1968 . Man comes into the world with a cry: a burst of light, a slap, initiate him into the universe of sensation. The material of science is this: our experience of the natural world, the world that is – not the ones that might be. Somehow in the mind this raw experience is ordered, and this order is the substance of science. What happens there is the application to a great diversity of the phenomena of the world of many of those elements called common sense, used every day and resting on certain suppositions we make concerning the world about us. Some of these are probably universal to man and beast. Others are more particular. We tend to accept them without special awareness, and some are so well hidden we are scarcely conscious of their existence. The foremost supposition is the belief that the world outside ourselves, outside our own mind, exists. This belief is so primitive that it is very likely shared by all, except animals lowest on the evolutionary scale and some philosophers (whose position on the evolutionary scale we cannot guess).
Decreased risk of cancer in multiple sclerosis patients and analysis of the effect of disease modifying therapies on cancer risk.

Abstract Background Although dysimmunity is considered an important link between multiple sclerosis (MS), family history and cancer risk, their relationship to the use of disease modifying therapies (DMT) is not fully understood. Objective To assess the observed versus expected number of cancers in MS patients, and family history of cancer, among DMT users and DMT naive patients. Methods Cancer, DMT use, and family history of cancer were assessed using the New York State Multiple Sclerosis Consortium (NYSMSC) registry. Self-reported cancers in MS patients were tested for associations with DMT use, family history of cancer and other factors. Expected number of cancer cases was estimated using age- and gender-specific prevalence and incidence rates from the general population. Results The prevalence of cancer in males and females in the NYSMSC cohort was lower than expected ( p p p p Conclusions We report a lower than expected number of cancer cases in MS patients compared to the general population. MS patients with a personal history of cancer were more likely to report DMT use suggesting that DMTs may abrogate the lower incidence of cancer in MS.
The Influence of Nitrate and Bacterial Polysaccharides on Wall-Bound Glyosidases of White Clover Roots

A hypothesis for the involvement of enzymatic breakdown of plant material in the infection process has been presented by Fahraeus and Ljunggren (1). Since the infection occurs at the cell wall (2) and since bacterial components, like lipopolysaccharides, which may play a specific role in the infection change significantly during bacterial growth (3), we investigated the influence of several bacterial LPS on the activity of cell wall associated exoglycosidases in white clover (Trifolium repens) roots. The level of activity of these enzymes is also investigated in plants grown in 15 mM nitrate, when hardly any infection occurs.
Accuracy of Luminance Maps Obtained from High Dynamic Range Images

AbstractHigh dynamic range images can be converted into luminance maps if the response curve of the camera is known. Previous results for a consumer grade CCD camera have shown luminance errors as a function of Munsell hue and value. New measurements with a digital SLR camera with a CMOS sensor find two problems. First, saturated hues, especially blue, blue green, and purple are still difficult to measure. Second, surfaces with low reflectance below Munsell value N4 can be significantly overestimated, especially in spherical images obtained from the photography of mirror spheres. Nevertheless, it appears that HDR imaging is a suitable tool for luminance measurement if the scene contains luminance reference values such as calibrated matte color checkers and gray cards, and if dark surfaces and saturated hues are excluded. Spherical HDR images obtained from mirror spheres capture nearly the entire environment, but resolution and decreased sensitivity for surfaces with very low reflectance are still problems.
The Role of Trade Associations in Market Discourse and Cognition

This dialog examines the role that trade associations play in influencing the cognitive interpretations that develop within markets. It identifies how trade associations can enable cognition by pro...
Toward Resilience as a Tradable Parameter During Conceptual Trade Studies

Methodologies are required to model, evaluate, and analyze the resilience of system architectures at the conceptual design level to support needs evaluations, policy development, or study of social decisions. The primary objective of this paper was to develop a generalized resilience analysis model for the characterization of multistate engineered systems subject to disruptions to support system design selection during trade studies. Each design variant within the tradespace is modeled using continuous time Markov chains that simulate the transient response of each design variant subject to a user-defined disruption. The operating condition of the multistate system is characterized by a finite number of machine states. Each design variant's utility response is generated as a function of the system's machine state response to the disruption. Resilience capacities and capabilities are generated to populate trade studies. A case study consisting of an unmanned surface vessel provides a system theoretic approach to illustrate the concepts presented within this paper and demonstrates the ability of this methodology to aid decision maker's selection of resilient system architectures. Use of an analytical framework serves as a unifying foundation for incorporating resilience behaviors of multistate engineered systems into early stage design considerations.
Affective traits and history of depression are related to ventral striatum connectivity

Abstract Introduction Studying remitted Major Depressive Disorder (rMDD) facilitates a better understanding of neural mechanisms for risk, given that confounding effects of active symptoms are removed. Disrupted functional connectivity has been reported in multiple networks in MDD. However, no study to date of rMDD has specifically examined connectivity of the ventral striatum (VS), a region highly implicated in reward and motivation. We investigated functional connectivity of the VS in individuals with and without a history of MDD, and in relation to affective personality traits. Methods Forty-two individuals with rMDD and 28 healthy controls across two sites completed resting-state fMRI and the Behavioral Inhibition System/Behavioral Activation System Scale. Voxel-wise, whole-brain comparisons were conducted across and between groups for four seeds: left and right inferior VS (VSi), left and right superior VS (VSs). Results VSs connectivity to temporal and subcortical regions including the putamen and amygdala was positive and greater in HCs compared to rMDD individuals. Across groups, VSi connectivity was positively correlated with trait reward-responsiveness in somatomotor regions. Across groups, VSs connectivity was positively correlated with trait drive, particularly in the putamen, parahippocampal, and inferior temporal gyrus, and was negatively associated with trait behavioral inhibition in the anterior cingulate, frontal gyri, and insula. Limitations Limitations include scanning at two sites and using multiple comparisons. Discussion Group connectivity differences emerged from the VSs rather than VSi. VSs showed associations with trait drive and behavioral inhibition, whereas VSi corrrelated with reward-responsiveness. Depression history and affective traits contribute meaningful and specific information about VS connectivity in understanding risk for MDD.
Effect of Preoperative Beta-Blocker Use on Outcomes Following Cardiac Surgery

Recent studies suggest that the use of preoperative β blockers in cardiac surgery may not provide improved mortality rates and may even contribute to negative clinical outcomes. We therefore assessed the role of β blockers on several outcomes after cardiac surgery (delirium, acute kidney injury [AKI], stroke, atrial fibrillation (AF), mortality, and hospital length of stay) in 4,076 patients who underwent elective coronary artery bypass grafting, coronary artery bypass grafting + valve, or valve cardiac surgery from November 1, 2009, to September 30, 2015, at Vanderbilt Medical Center. Clinical data from 2 prospectively collected datasets at our institution were reviewed: the Cardiac Surgery Perioperative Outcomes Database and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Database. Preoperative β-blocker use was defined by Society of Thoracic Surgeons guidelines as patients receiving a β blocker within 24 hours preceding surgery. Of the included patients, 2,648 (65.0%) were administered a β blocker within 24 hours before surgery. Adjusting for possible confounders, preoperative β-blocker use was associated with increased odds of AKI stage 2 (odds ratio 1.96, 95% confidence interval 1.19 to 3.24, p
Smoking, ADHD, and Problematic Video Game Use: A Structural Modeling Approach.

Abstract Problematic video game use (PVGU), or addiction-like use of video games, is associated with physical and mental health problems and problems in social and occupational functioning. Possible correlates of PVGU include frequency of play, cigarette smoking, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The aim of the current study was to explore simultaneously the relationships among these variables as well as test whether two separate measures of PVGU measure the same construct, using a structural modeling approach. Secondary data analysis was conducted on 2,801 video game users (Mage = 22.43 years, standard deviation [SD]age = 4.7; 93 percent male) who completed an online survey. The full model fit the data well: χ2 (2) = 2.017, p > 0.05; root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.002 (90% CI [0.000–0.038]); comparative fit index (CFI) = 1.000; standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) = 0.004; and all standardized residuals <|0.1|. All freely estimated paths were statistically...
Student Responses to Policing in Schools

Though security strategies such as using SROs have become popular among school officials, growing evidence suggests they contribute to a number of negative outcomes (see Kupchik 2010 for overview). For example, schools enlisting such features experience lower levels of academic performance and engagement at the school and student level (Department of Education 2014; Elliot et al. 1998; Gottfredson 2001; Gottfredson et al. 2005; Gregory et al. 2010; Hazler 1998; Losen and Martinez 2013; Mowen and Manierre 2017). Additionally, while few studies report that more severe sanctions can reduce serious forms of violence through altering cognitive processes (Maimon et al. 2012), there is no clear evidence these measures reduce more common forms of rule infractions and misconduct (Addington 2009; Cook et al. 2010; Greene 2005; Pagliocca and Nickerson 2001; Skiba and Peterson 2000). Still further, security practices such as the use of SROs are disproportionately directed at students of color and used in schools serving larger percentages of racial/ethnic minorities (Gordon et al. 2000; Welch and Payne 2010). The result is greater social inequality whereby Black and Latino students receive higher arrest rates which leads to fewer life opportunities, lower success rates in education, diminished employment prospects, and future disenfranchisement (see Mowen and Brent 2016).
Bulimia Nervosa and Binge Eating Disorder

Bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder are eating disorders that present significant concerns due to their prevalence, chronicity, and associated physical and psychological consequences. Body image disturbance is central to an understanding of both of these disorders. This article summarizes the literature on body image disturbance in these disorders, including overvaluation of weight and shape, body image distortion, body dissatisfaction, and body checking and body avoidance, and their relevance to assessment and treatment.
The Emergence of the Steady-State Membrane Pump Concept

As outlined in Section 2.3.1, Boyle and Conway further developed the basic concepts of Traube and Donnan, but especially those of Netter and Mond, and offered for the first time a general theory for the asymmetrical ionic distribution of living cells. In this theory, small ions like K+ and Cl- distribute across the cell membrane according to a Donnan ratio r [equation (2.10)]; large ions like Na+ are permanently and completely barred from entering or leaving the cell (Table 2.5). This absolute impermeability to Na+ was in accord with a similar belief derived from studies in erythrocytes (Koeppe, 1897; Ege, 1922).
Tuning Process for the Modified Magnussen Combustion Model

In the application of CFD to turbulent reacting flows, one of the main limitations to predictive accuracy is the chemistry model. Using a full or skeletal kinetics model may provide good predictive ability, however, at considerable computational cost. Adding the ability to account for the interaction between turbulence and chemistry improves the overall fidelity of a simulation but adds to this cost. An alternative is the use of simple models, such as the Magnussen model, which has negligible computational overhead, but lacks general predictive ability except for cases that can be tuned to the flow being solved. In this paper, a technique will be described that allows the tuning of the Magnussen model for an arbitrary fuel and flow geometry without the need to have experimental data for a particular case. The tuning is based on comparing the results of the Magnussen model and full finite-rate chemistry when applied to perfectly and partially stirred reactor sim- ulations. In addition, a modification to the Magnussen model is proposed that allows the upper kinetic limit for the reaction rate to be set, giving better physical agreement with full kinetic mechanisms. In order to improve the agreement with flame temperatures, the thermal properties of the product species is adjusted to better match the mixture proper- ties of the full mechanism. The combustion model is then applied to the simulation of a representative scramjet flowpath, and the results compared to experimental data and other kinetic models. This procedure allows a simple reacting model to be used in a predictive manner, and affords significant savings in computational costs for CFD simulations.
Infectious agammaglobulinemia: suppressor T cells with specificity for individual immunoglobulin classes.

Immunoregulatory cells with potent suppressive effects on immunoglobulin or specific antibody production have been described in many experimental systems. In the chicken, bone marrow cells from adult birds rendered agammaglobulinemic by bursectomy and irradiation at hatching will induce agammaglobulinemia in recipients when transplanted into normal adult chickens of the same strain (1). This “infectious agammaglobulinemia” is induced by donor suppressor T cells which appear in the donor birds in detectable quantities by about 10 weeks of age. Suppressor cells can be demonstrated in spleen, thymus and peripheral blood in addition to bone marrow. The immunodeficiency which develops in the recipient chickens is characterized by their failure to produce specific antibody after challenge with any of several thymic dependent or thymic independent antigens, the rapid disappearance of existing serum IgG, IgA and IgM, the persistence of an intact bursa of Fabricius, and the persistence of a normal number of B lymphocytes in the spleen of these birds at least until after serum immunoglobulin has become undetectable (2, 3, 4).
Helping Parents with the Initial Diagnosis of Autism: Parent-Informed Guidance for Clinicians

ABSTRACTThousands of parents each year inform their child about a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, and most parents feel unprepared for this task. Although we are now able to reliably diagnos...
Abstract 5188: Epigenetic changes mediated by polycomb repressive complex 2 are associated with cisplatin acquired resistance in testicular germ cell tumor

Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) represent the most common carcinoma affecting young men. TGCTs serve as a paradigm of chemo-sensitive tumors as more than 80% of metastatic disease can be cured with cisplatin-based chemotherapy. However, therapy resistance can occur, which results in poor patient outcomes. The mechanisms of cisplatin resistant in these tumors remain largely undefined. To study the mechanism of cisplatin acquired resistance we generated several independent, acquired resistant clones of parental NT2/D1, 833K and 2102EP testicular cancer cells employing an in vitro protocol designed to mimic the standard-of-care cisplatin regimen used to treat TGCT patients. We further characterized 10 of these clonal lines and confirmed stable cisplatin resistance ranging from 5- to 30-fold. After confirming the cisplatin resistance, we performed RNA seq transcriptomic profiling, differential gene expression analysis, DAVID and GSEA. Remarkably, RNA-seq based transcriptional profiling revealed highly significant alterations shared between the majority of the resistant cells regardless of their parental cell of origin. This includes apparent amplification of chromosomal region 17q21-25 in 8 of 10 lines. Unexpectedly, 7 of 10 lines had a highly significant enrichment of genes regulated by H3K27 methylation and polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2). Transcription factor prediction analysis of genes differentially expressed between resistant and parental cells revealed that polycomb complex members were among the most highly ranked predicted transcription factors responsible for the gene expression changes. These include EZH2, SUZ12, JARID2 and BMI1. We will present our ongoing studies investigating the role of PRC2 and H3K27 methylation in mediating cisplatin resistance in these cells and in patient samples. Together our data suggests that repression of H3K27 methylation may be a mechanism of cisplatin acquired resistance in TGCTs and that restoration of PRC2 function could be a viable approach to overcome treatment failure. Citation Format: Ratnakar Singh, Zeeshan Fazal, Emmanuel Bikorimana, Andrea Corbet, Jennifer Rodriguez, Alyssa Steege, Sarah J. Freemantle, Michael J. Spinella. Epigenetic changes mediated by polycomb repressive complex 2 are associated with cisplatin acquired resistance in testicular germ cell tumor [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5188.
ONSET OF VAPORIZATION ASSOCIATED WITH COUNTERFLOW IN POROUS MEDIA

Porous sintered metal plugs have been subjected to counterflow. A step input in power is applied to a heater inside a He I chamber which is connected via the plug to an external He II bath. Phenomena of phase transitions are analyzed on the basis of thermograms obtained (chamber liquid temperature vs. time data for relatively large diameter ducts); there is He II superheating across the first order transition phase boundary, of the vapor pressure curve. For high heat inputs, extended vapor domains are produced in the chamber for temperatures above the homogeneous nucleation limit.
Laparoscopically Assisted 4-Point Transversus Abdominis Plane Block with Cadaveric Dissection

Video Objective To demonstrate the technique for a four-point transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block under laparoscopic visualization for robotic assisted gynecologic procedures. Images from our cadaveric dissection aid the viewer in learning the specific anatomy for the technique. In this educational video we outline each step of the four-point TAP block which surgeons may implement into their clinical practice in efforts to minimize post-operative opiate use. Setting Academic community hospital setting and institutional cadaver lab. Interventions We perform a laparoscopically assisted four-point TAP block on all robotic-assisted gynecologic procedures unless there is a contraindication. Blocks are placed by the surgeon after insertion of the laparoscope. For the subcostal injection the lower costal margin is palpated, and the injection site is identified two centimeters inferior and medial to the mid-axillary line. For the inferior injection the anterior superior iliac spine is palpated and the injection is two centimeters superior and medial to the mid-axillary line. Introduction of a regional anesthesia needle is simultaneously observed externally and laparoscopically. This method along with detailed anatomical landmarks, through our cadaveric dissection, are presented sequentially in our video. Conclusion A four-point TAP block is a safe, efficacious, yet simple procedure which can be performed by the surgeon under laparoscopic visualization.
Increased C-reactive protein is associated with the severity of thoracic radiotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy.

Irradiation of the heart during cancer radiotherapy is associated with a dose-dependent risk of heart failure. Animal studies have demonstrated that irradiation leads to an inflammatory response within the heart as well as a reduction in cardiac reserve. In the current study we aimed to evaluate whether inflammatory biomarkers correlated with changes in cardiac function and reserve after radiotherapy for breast or lung cancer. We studied 25 subjects with a history of breast or lung cancer without a prior diagnosis of cardiovascular disease or heart failure, 1.8 years [0.4–3.6] post-radiotherapy involving at least 5 Gray (Gy) to at least 10% of the heart. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) was abnormal (≥2 mg/L) in 16 (64%) subjects. Cardiac function and reserve was measured with Doppler echocardiography before and after exercise and defined as left-ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), early diastolic mitral annulus velocity (e’), and increase in LV outflow tract velocity time integral cardiac output (cardiac reserve) with exercise. Subjects with abnormal CRP had significantly lower LVEF (51 [44–59] % vs 61 [52–64] %, P = 0.039), lower e’ (7.4 [6.6–7.9] cm/sec vs 9.9 [8.3–12.0] cm/sec, P = 0.010), and smaller cardiac reserve (+ 1.5 [1.2–1.7] L/min vs + 1.9 [1.7–2.2] L/min, P = 0.024). Elevated systemic inflammation is associated with impaired left-ventricular systolic and diastolic function both at rest and during exercise in subjects who have received radiotherapy with significant incidental heart dose for the treatment of cancer.
All-PEGylated redox-active metal-free organic molecules in non-aqueous redox flow battery

Non-aqueous organic material-based redox flow batteries (NAORFBs) possess the advantage of using organic solvents to achieve high electrochemical potential. However, regardless of the great progress made in this regard in the past decade, further development has been restricted by the lack of stable electroactive organic materials and highly selective separators. Here, we present a NAORFB with all-PEGylated, metal-free, organic compounds as electroactive materials. PEGylated phenothiazine and PEGylated viologen are utilized as the catholyte and anolyte, respectively. Combined with a composite nanoporous aramid nanofiber separator, the all-PEGylated NAORFB presents outstanding cyclability, with a capacity retention of 99.90% per cycle and average coulombic efficiency of 99.7%. By contrast, NAORFBs using half-PEGylated and non-PEGylated electrolytes display inferior cyclability owing to the crossover of non-PEGylated materials. An extended investigation was also performed on the batteries using non-PEGylated or half-PEGylated materials for mechanistic elucidation. This work validates the PEGylation strategy in NAORFBs for enhanced overall performance with respect to solubility, cyclability, and alleviated crossover.
Time course of photo-induced Egr-1 expression in the hypothalamus of a seasonally breeding songbird.

Abstract Many seasonally-breeding species use daylength to time reproduction. Light-induced release of progonadal hormones involves a complex cascade of responses both inside and outside the brain. In this study, we used induction of early growth response 1 (Egr-1), the protein product of an immediate early gene, to evaluate the time course of such responses in male white-throated sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) exposed to a single long day. Induction of Egr-1 in the pars tuberalis began ∼11 h after dawn. This response was followed ∼6 h later by dramatic induction in the tuberal hypothalamus, including in the ependymal cells lining the third ventricle. At approximately the same time, Egr-1 was induced in dopaminergic and vasoactive intestinal peptide neurons in the tuberal hypothalamus and in dopaminergic neurons of the premammillary nucleus. We noted no induction in gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons until 2 h after dawn the following morning. Overall, our results indicate that Egr-1 responses in GnRH neurons occur rather late during photostimulation, compared with responses in other cell populations, and that such induction may reflect new synthesis related to GnRH depletion rather than stimulation by light cues.
Genetic localization of the SPC gene controlling pod coiling direction in Medicago truncatula.

BACKGROUND: Handedness in plants introduced by helical growth of organs is frequently observed, and it has fascinated plant scientists for decades. However, the genetic control of natural handedness has not been revealed. In the model legume Medicago truncatula, pods can be coiled in a clockwise or anti-clockwise manner, providing a model for genetic analysis of plant handedness. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to localize the Sense of Pod Coiling (SPC) gene controlling pod coiling direction in M. truncatula. METHODS: Linkage analysis was used with a biparental population for fine mapping of the SPC gene. The genome sequence of M. truncatula Mt4.0 was used for marker identification and physical mapping. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) between the parental lines were converted to CAPS (cleaved amplified polymorphic sequences) markers. Genetic map was constructed using the software JoinMap version 3.0. Gene predication and annotation provided by the M. truncatula genome database (http://www.medicagogenome.org) was confirmed with the programs of FGENESH and Pfam 32.0, respectively. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to analyze the relative expression levels of candidate genes. RESULTS: The genetic analysis indicated that the anti-clockwise coiling is dominant to clockwise and is controlled by the single gene, SPC. The SPC gene was delimited to a 250 kb-region on Chromosome 7. Total of 15 protein-coding genes were identified in the SPC locus through gene annotation and sequence analysis. Of those, two genes, potentially encoding a receptor-like kinase and a vacuolar cation/proton exchanger respectively, were selected as candidates for the SPC gene. CONCLUSIONS: The result presented here lay a foundation for gene cloning of SPC, which will help us to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying helical growth in plant organs.
Sanctifying the expansion of carceral control: Spiritual Supervision in the religious lives of criminalized Latinas:

Drawing from ethnographic data and interviews collected in a Latina/o Pentecostal organization based in Northern California’s Bay Area, this paper analyzes how a religious street ministry that offe...
The Disproportionate Impact of COVID-19 on Minority Groups: A Social Justice Concern.

Dear Editor-in-Chief,Here in the U.S., and across the globe, humans are practicing “social distancing” to protect themselves and others from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic (CNN, 2020). Howeve...
In-patient obesity diagnosis, use of surgical treatment and associated costs by payer type in the United States: Analysis of the National Inpatient Sample, 2011 through 2014.

This study aims to examine the trend in the diagnosis of obesity and the use of surgical treatment in in-patient settings as well as per person and national costs associated with the surgical treatment of obesity. We conducted cross-sectional and trend analyses of in-patient obesity diagnosis and surgical treatment for obesity using data from the National Inpatient Sample (2011-2014) of adult patients in the United States aged 18 years and older. We studied the rate of in-patient obesity diagnosis among hospitalized patients, the rate of bariatric surgery among patients diagnosed with obesity in the hospital, and the costs associated with surgical treatment. Trend analyses showed a statistically significant increase in the proportion of (a) hospitalized patients diagnosed with obesity, and (b) bariatric surgery among those diagnosed with obesity and among different socio-demographic and insurance groups. Despite the increase in the national in-patient cost, the average in-patient cost per hospitalization associated with bariatric surgery decreased from 2012 to 2014. With the increase in the rate of diagnosed obesity and bariatric surgery among hospitalized patients and the decrease in the average in-patient cost, future research should address the short- and long-term cost-effectiveness of bariatric surgery on chronic diseases.
Jumping concepts and other transpositions: the Keller effect in/on discourses of living systems

Evelyn Fox Keller’s work has long focused on the discontinuities that seem to punctuate discourses on living systems. The discourse of gene action, for example, focuses on the uncanny shift of agen...
Discovery of an Optically Faint Quasar at z = 5.70 and Implications for the Faint Endof the Quasar Luminosity Function

We present observations of an optically faint quasar, RD J114816.2+525339 (hereafter RD J1148+5253), discovered from deep multicolor observations of the field around the z = 6.42 quasar SDSS J1148+5251. The two quasars have a projected separation of 109'' and both are outliers in r - z versus z - J color-color space. Keck spectroscopy reveals RD J1148+5253 to be a broad absorption line quasar at z = 5.70. With zAB = 23.0, RD J1148+5253 is 3.3 mag fainter than SDSS J1148+5251, making it the faintest quasar known at z > 5.5. This object was identified in a survey of ≈2.5 deg2. The implied surface density of quasars at these redshifts and luminosities is broadly consistent with previous extrapolations of the faint end of the quasar luminosity function and supports the idea that active galaxies provide only a minor component of the reionizing ultraviolet flux at these redshifts.
Probing E. coli SSB Protein-DNA topology by reversing DNA backbone polarity

Abstract E. coli single strand (ss) DNA binding protein (SSB) is an essential protein that binds ssDNA intermediates formed during genome maintenance. SSB homo-tetramers bind ssDNA in two major modes differing in occluded site size and cooperativity. The (SSB)35 mode in which ssDNA wraps on average around two subunits is favored at low [NaCl] and high SSB to DNA ratios and displays high “unlimited”, nearest-neighbor cooperativity forming long protein clusters. The (SSB)65 mode, in which ssDNA wraps completely around four subunits of the tetramer, is favored at higher [NaCl] (> 200 mM) and displays “limited” low cooperativity. Crystal structures of E. coli SSB and P. falciparum SSB show ssDNA bound to the SSB subunits (OB-folds) with opposite polarities of the sugar phosphate backbones. To investigate whether SSB subunits show a polarity preference for binding ssDNA, we examined EcSSB and PfSSB binding to a series of (dT)70 constructs in which the backbone polarity was switched in the middle of the DNA by incorporating a reverse polarity (RP) phosphodiester linkage, either 3’-3’ or 5’-5’. We find only minor effects on the DNA binding properties for these RP constructs, although (dT)70 with a 3’-3’ polarity switch shows decreased affinity for EcSSB in the (SSB)65 mode and lower cooperativity in the (SSB)35 mode. However, (dT)70 in which every phosphodiester linkage is reversed, does not form a completely wrapped (SSB)65 mode, but rather binds EcSSB in the (SSB)35 mode, with little cooperativity. In contrast, PfSSB, which binds ssDNA only in an (SSB)65 mode and with opposite backbone polarity and different topology, shows little effect of backbone polarity on its DNA binding properties. We present structural models suggesting that strict backbone polarity can be maintained for ssDNA binding to the individual OB-folds if there is a change in ssDNA wrapping topology of the RP ssDNA. Statement of Significance Single stranded (ss) DNA binding (SSB) proteins are essential for genome maintenance. Usually homo-tetrameric, bacterial SSBs bind ssDNA in multiple modes, one of which involves wrapping 65 nucleotides of ssDNA around all four subunits. Crystal structures of E. coli and P. falciparum SSB-ssDNA complexes show ssDNA bound with different backbone polarity orientations raising the question of whether these SSBs maintain strict backbone polarity in binding ssDNA. We show that both E. coli and P. falciparum SSBs can still form high affinity fully wrapped complexes with non-natural DNA containing internal reversals of the backbone polarity. These results suggest that both proteins maintain a strict backbone polarity preference, but adopt an alternate ssDNA wrapping topology.
Vessel lumen segmentation in carotid artery ultrasounds with the U-Net convolutional neural network

Carotid ultrasound is a screening modality used by physicians to direct treatment in the prevention of ischemic stroke in high-risk patients. It is a time intensive process that requires highly trained technicians and physicians. Evaluation of a carotid ultrasound requires segmentation of the vessel wall, lumen, and plaque of the carotid artery. Convolutional neural networks are state of the art in image segmentation yet there are no previous methods to solve this problem on carotid ultrasounds. We evaluate here a U-net convolutional neural network for lumen segmentation from ultrasound images of the entire carotid system. We obtained de-identified images under IRB approval from 226 patients. We isolated the internal, external, and common carotid artery ultrasound images for these patients giving us a total of 2156 images. We manually segmented the vessel lumen in each image that we then use as ground truth. With our convolutional U-Net we obtained a 10-fold cross-validation accuracy of 94.3%. We see that the U-Net correctly segments the lumen even in the presence of significant plaque, calcified wall, and ultrasound shadowing, all of which make it difficult to outline the vessel. We also see that the common carotid artery vessels are easiest to segment with a 96.6% cross-validation accuracy whereas internal and external carotid are harder both with 92.7% and 91.9% cross-validation accuracies respectively. Our work here represents a first successful step towards the automated segmentation of the vessel lumen in carotid artery ultrasound images and is an important first step in creating a system that can independently evaluate carotid ultrasounds.
Horizontal gene transfer provides new insights into biological evolution

The discovery of horizontal gene transfer(HGT) has challenged the Darwinian "tree of life" concept and, at the same time, has provided new insights into biological evolution. HGT is not only frequent in prokaryotes and unicellular eukaryotes, but also occurs in multicellular eukaryotes. In this article, we review the occurrence and evolutionary significance of HGT in the three major groups of multicellular eukaryotes(animals, plants, and fungi). We also briefly discuss HGT detection methods and possible transfer mechanisms, and offer some predictions about the overall trend of HGT occurrence in multicellular eukaryotes.
Breakdown of a Gas at Microwave Frequencies

An electric field of sufficiently high frequency applied to electrons in a gas may deliver energy to the electrons without imparting to them any continuous drift motion resulting from the field. The criterion for breakdown of a low pressure gas at microwave frequencies is therefore that ionization by collision of electrons with neutral gas molecules replace loss by diffusion to the walls of the discharge tube. The condition is mathematically expressed as a simple boundary value problem. This breakdown principle is applied to converting microwave breakdown measurements into measurements of ionization rates as a function of the electric field strength, pressure, and frequency. A new ionization coefficient is introduced appropriate to the high frequency discharge conditions, and its relation to the d.c. Townsend coefficient is explained. The energy transfer from the electric field to the electrons at a given $\frac{E}{p}$ is shown to be most efficient when the pressure is high enough or the frequency low enough to result in many collisions of electrons with gas molecules per cycle. This maximum efficiency is equal to the d.c. energy transfer efficiency. When the pressure is lower or the frequency is higher, the electrons have an out-of-phase component of motion and do not receive energy so efficiently, resulting in lower ionization rates observed experimentally.
Cochlear Immune Response in Presbyacusis: a Focus on Dysregulation of Macrophage Activity.

Age-related hearing loss, or presbyacusis, is a prominent chronic degenerative disorder that affects many older people. Based on presbyacusis pathology, the degeneration occurs in both sensory and non-sensory cells, along with changes in the cochlear microenvironment. The progression of age-related neurodegenerative diseases is associated with an altered microenvironment that reflects chronic inflammatory signaling. Under these conditions, resident and recruited immune cells, such as microglia/macrophages, have aberrant activity that contributes to chronic neuroinflammation and neural cell degeneration. Recently, researchers identified and characterized macrophages in human cochleae (including those from older donors). Along with the age-related changes in cochlear macrophages in animal models, these studies revealed that macrophages, an underappreciated group of immune cells, may play a critical role in maintaining the functional integrity of the cochlea. Although several studies deciphered the molecular mechanisms that regulate microglia/macrophage dysfunction in multiple neurodegenerative diseases, limited studies have assessed the mechanisms underlying macrophage dysfunction in aged cochleae. In this review, we highlight the age-related changes in cochlear macrophage activities in mouse and human temporal bones. We focus on how complement dysregulation and the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 inflammasome could affect macrophage activity in the aged peripheral auditory system. By understanding the molecular mechanisms that underlie these regulatory systems, we may uncover therapeutic strategies to treat presbyacusis and other forms of sensorineural hearing loss.
Magnetically Aligned Ultrafine Cobalt Embedded 3D Porous Carbon Metamaterial by One-Step Ultrafast Laser Direct Writing.

Spatial manipulation of nanoparticles (NPs) in a controlled manner is critical for the fabrication of 3D hybrid materials with unique functions. However, traditional fabrication methods such as electron-beam lithography and stereolithography are usually costly and time-consuming, precluding their production on a large scale. Herein, for the first time the ultrafast laser direct writing is combined with external magnetic field (MF) to massively produce graphene-coated ultrafine cobalt nanoparticles supported on 3D porous carbon using metal-organic framework crystals as precursors (5 × 5 cm2 with 10 s). The MF-confined picosecond laser scribing not only reduces the metal ions rapidly but also aligns the NPs in ultrafine and evenly distributed order (from 7.82 ± 2.37 to 3.80 ± 0.84 nm). ≈400% increment of N-Q species within N compositionis also found as the result of the special MF-induced laser plasma plume. (). The importance of MF is further exmined by electrochemical water-splitting tests. Significant overpotential improvements of 90 and 150 mV for oxygen evolution reaction and hydrogen evolution reaction are observed, respectively, owing to the MF-induced alignment of the NPs and controlled elemental compositions. This work provides a general bottom-up approach for the synthesis of metamaterials with high outputs yet a simple setup.
A hybrid machine learning model for predicting Real-Time secondary crash likelihood.

Abstract Secondary crashes usually occur within the spatio-temporal impact ranges of primary crashes, which could cause traffic disturbance and increase traffic safety problems. However, existing studies only focused on predicting the likelihood of crashes leading to secondary crashes without considering the likelihood of the occurrence of secondary crashes. In addition, previous studies did not consider the real-time implementation of secondary crash likelihood prediction models and included too many features that were not available in real-time. A real-time secondary crash likelihood prediction model aims to predict the likelihood of secondary crashes in a short period (e.g., 5–10 min) and update every minute. The main objective of this paper is to develop a machine learning model to predict secondary crash likelihood in real-time. Two XGBoost models were developed for predicting the likelihood of crashes leading to secondary crashes and the likelihood of the occurrence of secondary crashes, respectively. A hybrid model was proposed to combine the results from the two developed models. Results indicated that the proposed hybrid model significantly improved the accuracy of secondary crash likelihood prediction. The proposed model has the potential to be applied in proactive traffic safety management system and prevent the occurrence of secondary crashes. Moreover, experimental results suggested that several features related to real-time traffic flow conditions were crucial for predicting secondary crash likelihood, such as the average traffic volume and average occupancy.