cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hair-Shaft Diameter as an Index of Protein-Calorie Malnutrition

Children were studied to determine the relationship between hair-shaft diameter and nutritional status. Nutritional histories were unknown for 114 of them; and 13 of the children whose condition had been previously diagnosed as kwashiorkor had received a diet for six months which was known to be adequate in protein. The 114 children were classified into one of four nutritional groups: there were statistically significant differences between hair-shaft diameters of the kwashiorkor group and that of either marasmus, nutritional dwarf, normal, or treated (post-kwashiorkor) groups. Hair-shaft diameters of the marasmus group were significantly less than those of the nutritional dwarfs; however, there were no significant differences between the nutritional dwarf, normal, or treated groups. Hair-shaft diameter measurement may be useful as a check on nutritional history in evaluation of treatment.
Musicogenic Epilepsy in An Infant

A 6-month-old infant with seizures triggered by loud music, especially specific songs of the Beatles, is reported from Chang Gung Children’s Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Effect of adrenocorticotropin on uptake of S35-labelled cysteine by rat adrenal glands.

SummaryValues for total sulfur content of the rat adrenal gland and its protein, lipid and water-soluble moieties have been determined. The total sulfur as determined (0.63% of the dry weight) is much lower than previously reported values. Adrenal glands were incubated briefly with radioactive cysteine and the tissue was then analyzed for total uptake of the isotope and its distribution within the fractions. The effect of added adrenocorticotropin upon this uptake and distribution was observed. The hormone preparation causes a marked reduction in uptake by the soluble fraction, and a rise in the uptake by the lipid and protein fractions. The concentration of the isotope in the lipid sulfur is very striking.
146 DOES IN VITRO ETHANOL EXPOSURE ALTER KCC2 EXPRESSION IN THE IMMATURE RAT HIPPOCAMPUS

Background γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is well known for its inhibitory effects in the mature central nervous system (CNS). However, in developing neonatal neurons, GABA-mediated processes are excitatory rather than inhibitory. This excitatory GABAergic transmission in the neonate has been linked to critical steps in neuronal development. At a critical point in neuronal maturation, GABAergic transmission reverses from excitatory in the developing brain to inhibitory in the more mature brain. This developmental switch in GABA-regulated transmission is coupled to an induction in the expression of the neuronal chloride ion (Cl-) extruding K+/Cl− cotransporter KCC2 perinatally. As the CNS matures, expression of KCC2 increases, causing a shift in resting Cl− concentrations from highly concentrated intracellularly in immature brains to high extracellular concentrations in mature brains. Alcohol has long been known for its potentiating effects on GABAergic transmission. Furthermore, potentiation of GABAergic transmission has been linked to an increase in expression of KCC2. Thus, KCC2 is a potential target for defects seen in alcohol-exposed developing neurons. The objective was to examine the effects of alcohol exposure on developing neurons and expression of KCC2 as a possible mechanism for sequelae of fetal alcohol exposure. Methods Coronal brain slices from neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats were collected in consecutive days (P3, P4, P5, and P6). Right and left sister slices were randomly divided into the ethanol or control group. The EtOH slices were incubated in 50 mM EtOH + oxygenated ACSF for 4 hours; the control group was incubated in oxygenated ACSF only. Hippocampi were isolated and homogenized and a crude membrane fraction prepared by centrifugation. Western immunoblot assays were run with rabbit polyclonal anti-KCC2 antibodies. KCC2 optical density was normalized against Coomassie-stained bands. Results In vitro EtOH exposure significantly decreased KCC2 protein levels in membrane preparations of microdissected hippocampi compared with control. Conclusion Despite the initial hypothesis that EtOH, given its GABA-potentiating effects, would increase the expression of KCC2 altering the critical timetable in neuronal development, the results indicated the contrary. This finding appears to contradict previous data demonstrating that enhanced potentiation of GABAergic activity elevates KCC2 expression in immature neurons. Therefore, EtOH might be regulating the expression of KCC2 via other mechanisms, possibly via mechanisms similar to those induced after excessive excitatory activity or neuronal cell injury in the adult CNS.
Adjuvant therapy for colorectal cancer: increasingly complex as patients age.

The treatment of older patients with colorectal cancer is not always straightforward. As highlighted in the article by Dr. Ades, the heterogeneity of physiologic aging, the increasing prevalence of comorbid disease with age, and changing preferences with aging make counseling about adjuvant therapy more complex for older patients than for younger patients.
Medical care price indexes: theory, construction & empirical analysis of the US series 1927-1990.

The historical development of price indexes as wage adjustment mechanisms is reviewed, as is the theory of aggregation and methods for dealing with quality and technological change. The construction of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Medical Care Price Index (MCPI) is detailed. ARIMA analysis of the MCPI for the period 1927-1990 indicates that; (i) the MCPI is largely a damped and delayed function of the CPI, with an average lag of 8 months; (ii) medical care prices rose 2-4 percent faster than the all-items CPI since 1950, but not for 1927-1950; (iii) health expenditures are affected primarily by the general CPI, with little independent effect of specifically medical prices. The MCPI is a reliable measure of changes in consumer prices with strong construct validity. However, it was not designed for use as a deflator of medical expenditures, and is misleading when erroneously employed in that unintended role. The price/quantity duality and linear expenditure function which form the basis of Laspeyres price indexes are not applicable to nonconcatenable goods such as insurance or medical care. In these complex transactions, quality dominates quantity, fixed prices are replaced by reimbursement and professional judgement, and the assumption of additive separability required to use the price index as a deflator of health expenditures is not valid.
Bringing us back to our creative senses: Fostering creativity in graduate-level nursing education: A literary review

ABSTRACT Objectives The purpose of this paper is to explore empirical findings of five studies related to graduate-level nurse educators' and nursing students' perceptions about the roles of creativity and creative problem-solving in traditional and innovative pedagogies, and examines conceptual differences in the value of creativity from teacher and student viewpoints. Data sources Five peer-reviewed scholarly articles; professional nursing organizations; conceptual frameworks of noted scholars specializing in creativity and creative problem-solving; business-related sources; primary and secondary sources of esteemed nurse scholars. Review methods Quantitative and qualitative studies were examined that used a variety of methodologies, including surveys, focus groups, 1:1 interviews, and convenience sampling of both nursing and non-nursing college students and faculty. Results Innovative teaching strategies supported student creativity and creative problem-solving development. Teacher personality traits and teaching styles receptive to students' needs led to greater student success in creative development. Adequate time allocation and perceived usefulness of creativity and creative problem-solving by graduate-level nurse educators must be reflected in classroom activities and course design. Conclusions Findings indicated conservative teaching norms, evident in graduate nursing education today, should be revised to promote creativity and creative problem-solving development in graduate-level nursing students for best practice outcomes.
Language as a Battlefield (II): The Narcissism of the Voice

One should perhaps begin by recognizing that Vargas Llosa’s achievements at the level of narrative technique, literary structure, and composition of fictitious worlds represent one of the pinnacles of Spanish-language literature, as well as some of the most brilliant examples of literary production in Latin America.
Percutaneous Dilatational Tracheostomy

Tracheostomy, once thought of as a procedure with tremendous morbidity and mortality and only utilized in lifesaving circumstances, is now a routinely performed procedure in the intensive care unit. Indicated for patients with prolonged mechanical ventilator support, percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy can facilitate more aggressive ventilator weaning as well as liberate patients with poor airway control from mechanical ventilation. Since critically ill patients are maintained on mechanical ventilation for longer periods of time, the need for tracheostomy has grown and the development of the percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) technique has revolutionized the procedure.
Gene Disruption Technologies Have the Potential to Transform Stored Product Insect Pest Control

Stored product insects feed on grains and processed commodities manufactured from grain post-harvest, reducing the nutritional value and contaminating food. Currently, the main defense against stored product insect pests is the pesticide fumigant phosphine. Phosphine is highly toxic to all animals, but is the most effective and economical control method, and thus is used extensively worldwide. However, many insect populations have become resistant to phosphine, in some cases to very high levels. New, environmentally benign and more effective control strategies are needed for stored product pests. RNA interference (RNAi) may overcome pesticide resistance by targeting the expression of genes that contribute to resistance in insects. Most data on RNAi in stored product insects is from the coleopteran genetic model, Tribolium castaneum, since it has a strong RNAi response via injection of double stranded RNA (dsRNA) in any life stage. Additionally, Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) technology has been suggested as a potential resource for new pest control strategies. In this review we discuss background information on both gene disruption technologies and summarize the advances made in terms of molecular pest management in stored product insects, mainly T. castaneum, as well as complications and future needs.
Reliability study of CMOS FinFETs

Hot-carrier and oxide reliability of CMOS FinFETs with 2.1 nm-thick gate-SiO/sub 2/ were investigated. It was found that hot-carrier immunity improves as the fin width (body thickness) decreases, which facilitates gate-length scaling, while it is degraded at elevated temperature due to the self-heating effect. High values of Q/sub BD/ are achieved for devices with very small gate area. A post-fin-etch hydrogen anneal is helpful for improving hot-carrier immunity and Q/sub BD/.
The Effect of Metacarpophalangeal Joint Hyperextension on Outcomes in the Surgical Treatment of Carpometacarpal Joint Arthritis.

Purpose In the surgical treatment of thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) joint arthritis, the effect of mild preoperative metacarpophalangeal (MCP) hyperextension on postoperative functional outcomes is unknown. We sought to examine outcomes after surgical treatment of CMC arthritis in patients with and without mild preexisting MCP deformity. Methods A retrospective review was conducted to analyze the functional outcomes of patients treated for CMC arthritis at a single institution from March 1998 to May 2009. All patients were treated with one of two standard CMC arthroplasty procedures—either ligament reconstruction tendon interposition (LRTI) or a Weilby procedure—and none had additional procedures to address MCP hyperextension. Pre- and postoperative assessments included pinch and grip strength, degree of MCP hyperextension, and thumb radial and palmar abduction. A t-test was used to assume unequal variances. Results A total of 203 patients were followed for an average of 27.3 months. Patients were divided into two groups: (1) patients without preoperative MCP hyperextension (167 patients) and (2) patients with mild but untreated preoperative MCP hyperextension (≤ 30 degrees; 36 patients). All patients underwent either a Weilby procedure (118 patients) or an LRTI; 85 patients). The main difference between techniques was the use of the abductor pollicis longus tendon as a post to secure the flexor carpi radialis (Weilby) or the use of a bone tunnel in the first metacarpal (LRTI). Analysis of the preoperative data showed no difference in the baseline parameters among both the groups, with the exception of MCP hyperextension. Postoperatively, neither the type of CMC procedure nor the presence of MCP hyperextension demonstrated any significant differences in key pinch, tip pinch, grip strength, and radial or palmar abduction of the thumb between the groups. Conclusion There were no statistically significant differences in improvement of functional outcomes after surgery when comparing patients without preoperative MCP hyperextension to patients with untreated MCP hyperextension of less than 30 degrees. Level of Evidence Level III, retrospective comparative study.
A social work plan to promote HIV testing: A social marketing approach.

ABSTRACTMany people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) do not know that they are infected. It is important for infected persons to get tested for HIV in order to be diagnosed and medically treated. HIV has no known cure, but it can be controlled and sometimes prevented with proper medical care. The social work profession has ideal positioning to be extraordinarily helpful in work that promotes HIV testing, leading to reducing then eliminating new HIV diagnoses. Social marketing interventions, along with audience segmenting are explained. Specific attention is given to two separate subjects—minority health disparities and impulsive and/or sensation seeking sex practices—to showcase the versatility of social marketing in the promotion of HIV testing. Further ideas about how social workers can participate in these interprofessional social marketing campaigns are provided.
Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke: A Neurologic Perspective

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common supraventricular arrhythmia in the United States. The incidence and prevalence of AF are increasing as the population ages and associated risk factors become more prevalent. Stroke is the most severe complication of AF. Various risk stratification schemes to guide therapy and the associated risk of bleeding are described. AF is also associated with cognitive decline, which may be secondary to recurrent microemboli; microbleeds secondary to anticoagulation therapy, or progression of vascular risk factors associated with AF. Prolonged monitoring can be performed to detect AF in patients with cryptogenic stroke.
Helicobacter -Related Gastritis and Ulceration and Investigation of Helicobacter pylori

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection occurs worldwide. Infection occurs most often in poor socioeconomic conditions and has been consistently linked to residential crowding and migration from high prevalence areas. Onset of infection occurs most frequently in childhood [1]. The mode of transmission of H. pylori has not been clearly identified. Evidence suggests that direct person-to-person transmission occurs, but the relative importance of the faecal-oral route or oral-oral route is not fully determined nor has the relevance of waterborne and zoonotic pathways been established [1]. Little is known regarding host factors that influence susceptibility to acquisition or persistence of infection.
The effects of workplace bullying on team learning, innovation and project success as mediated through virtual and traditional team dynamics

Abstract Workplace bullying has become a impediment to organizational functioning that leads to both individual, group, and legal outcomes. Likewise, given the prevalence of virtual collaboration, the study of virtual team dynamics has become crucial for increasing the effectiveness of key project teams. As a result, this study aims to address the effect of project manager bullying tactics on behavior and perceptions of team-level and team member dynamics in virtual versus traditional project teams. By examining team outcomes, such as perceptions of politics and helping behavior, as well as individual outcomes, such as affective commitment, organizational citizenship behavior, and work–family conflict, we hope to shed light on the negative impact of workplace bullying to project team functioning as well as critical non-work, stress-related outcomes. In addition, we plan to further study the differential effects of bullying in both virtual and traditional project teams.
The supplementary value of the banana in institution diets: II. Capillary resistance and reduced ascorbic acid in the blood plasma

Summary This study, as reported in this and Part I, affords a small contribution to the problem of optimum versus adequate nutrition. It reports the results of supplementing the diet of approximately 100 boys living in an institution with two to three bananas daily over the period of a school year. The usual diet of the institution would be considered adequate in that it measured up to all minimum dietary standards which have been proposed. Nevertheless, it appeared to be susceptible of improvement, for the boys receiving the supplement showed consistently better growth and development by every measure of physical status which was applied than did the control boys who did not receive it. This was evidenced for growth in height, weight, arm girth, and subcutaneous tissue, for ossification of the carpal bones, and for the two measures of vitamin C stores used, namely, capillary resistance and reduced ascorbic acid in the blood plasma. The most significant differences were those for blood ascorbic acid. The experimental boys averaged 0.20 mg. per 100 c.c. of plasma higher than the control boys; this difference is six times its probable error and therefore significant. These results indicate that the allowances for the various dietary essentials for boys of the ages here studied should approach the higher rather than the minimum standards which have heretofore been proposed, in particular for vitamin C. Taking into consideration the findings of this study, previously proposedstandards, and the small amount of experimental data available on food requirements, tentative allowances are proposed as reasonable ones to use for boys 10 to 12 years of age until more precise data on the needs for these years are obtained.
Pricing Political Rallies

Why are political rallies free to attend? Fundraising is a central campaign activity and a perennial correlate of political victory. We argue that politicians set a zero price for rallies in order to reap a non-pecuniary benefit: political support. An ‘allocation by waiting’ scheme selects those attendees with a lower opportunity cost of time relative to a standard ‘allocation by price’ scheme. Transactions costs mitigate Coasean bargaining by removing the secondary market, thereby altering the composition of the average rally crowd. This mechanism allows politicians to facilitate exchange with ‘general interests’: citizens who do not engage in rent seeking due to collective action costs but still stand to gain from redistributive policies.
Alternative Exit and Restructuring Strategies: Divestitures, Spin-Offs, Carve-Outs, Split-Ups, Split-Offs, and Tracking Stocks

This chapter discusses the basic concepts related to alternative exit and restructuring strategies that many corporations, particularly large, highly diversified organizations adopt to maximize shareholder value. Restructuring strategies involve changing the composition of assets, liabilities, equity, and operations. Restructuring may embody both growth and exit strategies. Divestitures, spin-offs, equity carve-outs, split-ups, split-offs, and voluntary bust-ups are commonly used restructuring and exit strategies to redeploy assets by returning cash or noncash assets through a special dividend to shareholders or to use cash proceeds to pay off debt. The focus in this chapter is on those strategic options allowing the firm to maximize shareholder value by redeploying assets through downsizing or refocusing the parent company. The chapter discusses the myriad motives for exiting businesses, the various restructuring strategies for doing so, and why firms select one strategy over other options. In this context, equity carve-outs, spin-offs, divestitures, and split-offs are discussed separately rather than as a specialized form of a carve-out. The chapter concludes with a discussion of what empirical studies say are the primary determinants of financial returns to shareholders resulting from undertaking the various restructuring strategies.
Structural Models and Molecular Thermodynamics of Hydration of Ions and Small Molecules

Abstract Solution equilibria are at the core of solvent-catalyzed reactions, solute separations, drug delivery, vapor partitioning and interfacial phenomena. Molecular simulation using thermodynamic integration or perturbation theory allows the calculation of these equilibria from parameterized force field models; however, the statistical many-body nature of solution environments inevitably complicates molecular interpretations of these phenomena. If our goal is molecular understanding in addition to prediction, then the statistical thermodynamic theories designed for mechanistic insight from structural analyses are especially important. In this report, we survey recent advances in the thermodynamic analysis of rigorous local structural models based on chemical structure.
Occupational Fatalities: Self Employed Workers and Wage and Salary Workers

In this study reasons for why self employed workers face a greater risk of fatal occupational injuries when compared to wage and salary workers are explored. Statistics from the year 2001 revealed that almost 20% of workplace fatalities were incurred by self employed workers who accounted for only 7.4 percent of the U.S. civilian force. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) was analyzed. Data was broken down into two categories: self-employed workers and wage and salary workers. The data was examined for fatality rates by industry, occupation, and event and how different occupations affect the self employed and wage and salary worker's fatality rates differently. Results revealed that self employed workers were more likely to work in industries and occupations with higher fatality rates. This explains much of the variation found in overall fatalities and overall fatality rates among self employed and wage and salary workers. When two categories of workers are in the same occupation, the analysis revealed that self employed workers have certain work environment related factors that make them more likely than wage and salary workers to suffer a fatal injury. This was useful to explain variations in intra-occupational fatality rates. Overall the study revealed that self employed workers face a greater risk of suffering fatal work related injury than do wage or salaried workers.(VRS)
Protein Methylation at Abnormal Aspartyl Residues

Enzymes that catalyze the formation of protein methyl esters have been found in all tissues examined to date. It had been reasonably assumed that all of these enzymes would function as components of reversible covalent modification systems to regulate the activity of various methyl-accepting proteins (Gagnon and Heisler, 1979; Paik and Kim, 1980; O’Dea et al., 1981). Although this does appear to be the case for a class of bacterial methyltransferases which catalyze the formation of L-glutamyl γ-methyl esters on membrane chemoreceptors (Clarke et al., 1980; Terwilliger & Koshland, 1984; Kehry et al., 1983), this assumption does not seem to hold for a second potentially widespread class of enzymes, found both in bacteria and higher cells (Clarke, 1985a). These enzymes appear to catalyze the formation of D-aspartyl β-methyl esters and L-isoaspartyl α-methyl esters on proteins containing these abnormal amino acids (McFadden and Clarke, 1982; Aswad, 1984; Murray & Clarke, 1984; O’Connor et al., 1984).
Ultrasound, Transcranial Doppler

Transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasound is a means of detecting flow direction and velocity in intracranial arteries in patients with atherosclerotic or other causes of intracranial arterial stenosis. Based on principles of Doppler flow dynamics, TCD can characterize the cerebral hemodynamic consequences of extracranial or intracranial stenoocclusive disease, aid in the diagnosis of ischemic stroke, monitor for vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage, and detect microemboli during carotid revascularization procedures or for identification of intracardiac shunts. Reviewed here are physics principles, imaging techniques, and clinical applications for TCD in patients with a variety of cerebrovascular pathologies.
The Electric Field Jump Relaxation Method

A brief survey of the recent literature on the electric field jump relaxation technique and its uses in chemistry is presented. Applications of this kinetic method at Utah are also mentioned.
Methylation in OTX2 and related genes, maltreatment, and depression in children.

Through unbiased transcriptomics and multiple molecular tools, transient downregulation of the Orthodenticle homeobox 2 (OTX2) gene was recently causatively associated with the development of depressive-like behaviors in a mouse model of early life stress. The analyses presented in this manuscript test the translational applicability of these findings by examining peripheral markers of methylation of OTX2 and OTX2-regulated genes in relation to measures of depression and resting-state functional connectivity data collected as part of a larger study examining risk and resilience in maltreated children. The sample included 157 children between the ages of 8 and 15 years (χ = 11.4, SD = 1.9). DNA specimens were derived from saliva samples and processed using the Illumina 450 K beadchip. A subset of children (N = 47) with DNA specimens also had resting-state functional MRI data. After controlling for demographic factors, cell heterogeneity, and three principal components, maltreatment history and methylation in OTX2 significantly predicted depression in the children. In terms of the imaging data, increased OTX2 methylation was found to be associated with increased functional connectivity between the right vmPFC and bilateral regions of the medial frontal cortex and the cingulate, including the subcallosal gyrus, frontal pole, and paracingulate gyrus—key structures implicated in depression. Mouse models of early stress hold significant promise in helping to unravel the mechanisms by which child adversity confers risk for psychopathology, with data presented in this manuscript supporting a potential role for OTX2 and OTX2-related (e.g., WNT1, PAX6) genes in the pathophysiology of stress-related depressive disorders in children.
Addressing audience through defining action: a rhetorical examination of civility and audience engagement on two online discussion forums

Web 2.0’s progressive use of personalizing algorithms has dangerously situated users into filter bubbles, or digital habitus. This insulated nature leaves users with an inability to engage civilly with others during online dialogues. This work examines how users on the sites Facebook and Countable frame and address online audiences, paying attention to the correlation between civility and action beyond the online dialogue. Through careful analyses on the respective comment threads, this work finds that the coupling of fewer personalizing algorithms and the inclusion of an established action beyond the dialogue can better ensure civility online.
Measuring value: worth your pay and paid your worth

The author reports on the breakout session she led at the 2012 ASI San Diego Conference, ‘Measuring value: getting paid your worth – and being worth your pay’. Discussion focused on four components...
A Model-based MPPT with Improved Tracking Accuracy

Model-based maximum power point tracking (MPPT) techniques have been developed to improve the tracking transients for PV systems operating under rapidly changing irradiance. Instead of searching heuristically for the maximum power point (MPP), these methods utilize a PV mathematical model to pre-determine the MPP analytically. The irradiance value, required for solving the model, is calculated indirectly using a PV model inverse, as well as the measured current and voltage. Unfortunately, the existing PV model inverse cannot be obtained in a closed form, and thus few simplifications were needed, that affect the accuracy of the irradiance estimation and lead to inaccurate tracking. This paper employs an introduced shunt PV model, distinguished by its ability to provide a closed form inverse, for developing an improved model-based MPPT. The improved accuracy of the irradiance estimation results in an enhanced tracking accuracy and more energy extraction in comparison with the available model based trackers. The effectiveness of the proposed model based MPPT is verified and its effectiveness is evaluated with respect to various existing MPPTs.
SALT AND THE STATE Kibiro . The Salt of Bunyoro Past and Present . By G RAHAM C ONNAH . London: Memoirs of the British Institute in Eastern Africa 13, 1996. Pp. xv + 224. £37.50 ( ISBN 0-500-872566-08-1).

The latest monograph produced by the British Institute in Eastern Africa is essentially the report of Connah's archaeological work at the Later Iron Age site of Kibiro, which lies on the Ugandan shores of Lake Albert. The relatively rapid publication of this fieldwork (undertaken in 1989 and 1990) and the high production values evident in the volume (if one excuses the spelling mistakes on the back of the dust jacket) are to be congratulated. The volume is an attractive one, well illustrated throughout with a combination of photographs, figures and tables.
Combining statistical and neural network approaches to derive energy functions for completely flexible protein backbone design

Abstract A designable protein backbone is one for which amino acid sequences that stably fold into it exist. To design such backbones, a general method is much needed for continuous sampling and optimization in the backbone conformational space without specific amino acid sequence information. The energy functions driving such sampling and optimization must faithfully recapitulate the characteristically coupled distributions of multiplexes of local and non-local conformational variables in designable backbones. It is also desired that the energy surfaces are continuous and smooth, with easily computable gradients. We combine statistical and neural network (NN) approaches to derive a model named SCUBA, standing for Side-Chain-Unspecialized-Backbone-Arrangement. In this approach, high-dimensional statistical energy surfaces learned from known protein structures are analytically represented as NNs. SCUBA is composed as a sum of NN terms describing local and non-local conformational energies, each NN term derived by first estimating the statistical energies in the corresponding multi-variable space via neighbor-counting (NC) with adaptive cutoffs, and then training the NN with the NC-estimated energies. To determine the relative weights of different energy terms, SCUBA-driven stochastic dynamics (SD) simulations of natural proteins are considered. As initial computational tests of SCUBA, we apply SD simulated annealing to automatically optimize artificially constructed polypeptide backbones of different fold classes. For a majority of the resulting backbones, structurally matching native backbones can be found with Dali Z-scores above 6 and less than 2 A displacements of main chain atoms in aligned secondary structures. The results suggest that SCUBA-driven sampling and optimization can be a general tool for protein backbone design with complete conformational flexibility. In addition, the NC-NN approach can be generally applied to develop continuous, noise-filtered multi-variable statistical models from structural data. Linux executables to setup and run SCUBA SD simulations are publicly available (http://biocomp.ustc.edu.cn/servers/download_scuba.php). Interested readers may contact the authors for source code availability.
Libraries, Archives, and Museums Interwoven in the Digital South: From a Paucity of Resources to Data Richness for Understanding the South Asian Subcontinent

This essay reviews factors contributing to the scarcity of digital resources related to the cultural heritage of South Asia; describes previous and current programs among librarians, archivists, academics, and others which form a base for expanding the breadth and depth of digital resources; and concludes with an assessment of future prospects along with a statement of recommendations.
Distinct Basket Nucleoporins roles in Nuclear Pore Function and Gene Expression: Tpr is an integral component of the TREX-2 mRNA export pathway

Abstract Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) are important for many processes beyond nucleocytoplasmic trafficking, including protein modification, chromatin remodeling, transcription, mRNA processing and mRNA export. The multi-faceted nature of NPCs and the slow turnover of their components has made it difficult to understand the role of basket nucleoporins (Nup153, Nup50 and Tpr) in these diverse processes. To address this question, we used an Auxin-Induced Degron (AID) system to distinguish roles of basket nucleoporins: Loss of individual nucleoporins caused distinct alteration in patterns of nucleocytoplasmic trafficking and gene expression. Importantly, Tpr elimination caused rapid and pronounced changes in transcriptomic profiles within two hours of auxin addition. These changes were dissimilar to shifts observed after loss of Nup153 or Nup50, but closely related to changes after depletion of mRNA export receptor NXF1 or the GANP subunit of the TRanscription-EXport-2 (TREX-2) mRNA export complex. Moreover, GANP association to NPCs was specifically disrupted upon TPR depletion. Together, our findings demonstrate a unique and pivotal role of Tpr in regulating gene expression through GANP- and/or NXF1-dependent mRNA nuclear export.
Status Epilepticus among Older Adults in the United States.

Objective: This study aimed to identify temporal time trends and risk factors associated with mortality for hospitalized older adults with status epilepticus (SE). Design: A retrospective study was performed. Setting: Hospitalized patients were identified utilizing an administrative database—The Nationwide Inpatient Sample database from 1998 through September 2015. Patients: Patients were older adults 65 years and older with SE. Interventions: No interventions were undertaken. Measurements and Main Results: Demographic, temporal trends, clinical characteristics, and outcome data were abstracted. The results indicated that hospitalized elderly Americans with SE increased over the 11-year study period. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate risk factors associated with mortality in the study cohort. From the weighted sample, 130,109 subjects were included. Overall mortality was 19%. For age subgroups, the mortality was highest for the >85 years age group (24.1%) compared to the 65–75 years (19%) and 75–85 years (23%) age groups. Among investigated etiologies, the three most common causes of SE were acute ischemic stroke (11.2% of total) followed by non-traumatic brain hemorrhage (5.4%) and malignant brain lesions (4.9%). The highest mortality by etiology was noted for acute traumatic brain injury (TBI) (31.5%), non-traumatic brain hemorrhage (31%), and acute ischemic stroke (AIS) (30.1%). Multivariate analysis indicated that non-survivors when compared to survivors were more like to have the following characteristics: older age group, acute TBI, brain neoplasms, non-traumatic brain hemorrhage, AIS and central nervous system (CNS) infections, and utilization of mechanical ventilation. Associated conditions significantly increasing risk of mortality were sodium imbalance, cardiac arrest, anoxic brain injury, pneumonia, and sepsis. Comorbidities associated with increased risk of mortality included valvular heart disease, renal failure, liver disease, and neoplasms. Conclusions: The number of hospitalized elderly Americans with SE increased over the 11-year study period. Overall mortality was 19%, with even higher mortality among various patient subsets. Several demographic and co-morbid factors are associated with increased mortality in this age group.
Optimizing a Compressive Imager for Machine Learning Tasks

Images are often not the optimal data form to perform machine learning tasks such as scene classification. Compressive classification can reduce the size, weight, and power of a system by selecting the minimum information while maximizing classification accuracy.In this work we present designs and simulations of prism arrays which realize sensing matrices using a monolithic element. The sensing matrix is optimized using a neural network architecture to maximize classification accuracy of the MNIST dataset while considering the blurring caused by the size of each prism. Simulated optical hardware performance for a range of prism sizes are reported.
Limits and luxuries of slow research in radical war: how should we represent perpetrators?

How can ethnography and principles of “slow research” help make sense of fast-moving battles for truth, attention, and control in digital environments? What are emerging crises of representation and intervention that researchers face when retelling narratives of perpetrators, trolls, or other social media “bad actors”? This essay works through these questions by drawing on 3 years of ethnographic research and policy interventions into the political marketing and its affiliated “fake news” industries in the Philippines. I argue that ethnographic approaches can potentially nuance journalists’ personality-oriented name-and-shame reporting and develop more systemic critique and locally minded interventions. However, we also need a thoughtful reckoning with the limits and luxuries of slow research.
Gaps in Online Breast Cancer Treatment Information for Older Women.

For women older than 70 years with early-stage breast cancer, the routine use of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and adjuvant radiotherapy offers no overall survival benefit and may be perceived as undesirable by many women. National guidelines allow possible omission of these practices for older women. This study aimed to assess the availability of web-based educational materials targeting older women and their age-specific treatment recommendations. The study systematically assessed the websites of the top 25 “Best Hospitals for Cancer” ranked by the U.S. News & World Report, as well as the websites of four prominent national cancer organizations. Websites for the leading cancer hospitals and national cancer organizations contain extremely limited information directed toward older patients with breast cancer. Both SLNB and adjuvant radiotherapy are described as treatments “typically,” “most often,” or “usually” used in combination with breast-conserving surgery without circumstances noted for possible omission. Specifically, no hospital website and only one national organization in this study included information on the recommendation to avoid routine SLNB. Only two hospitals and two national organizations included information suggesting possible omission of adjuvant radiotherapy for patients older than 70 years. The absence of online material for older patients with breast cancer represents a gap potentially contributing to overtreatment by framing SLNB and adjuvant radiotherapy as necessary. Informational resources available to women aged 70 years or older may aid in informed physician–patient communication and decision-making, which may reduce SLNB and adjuvant radiotherapy for patients who might opt out of these procedures if fully informed about them.
School Leadership During a Global Pandemic

This essay explores the challenges encountered by K-12 students, schools, and parents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Possible solutions are discussed to aid school leaders in the planning process.
An Economic Comparative Study of the most important productivity and economic indicators of The Sugar cane and beet Crops in Egypt

The results indicted the fluctuation of both the agricultural area the productivity of the sugarcane crop , the total production and the productivity of sugar, and the increased production costs, total revenue, and net yield, as well as the instability of the return on the pound invested for the sugar cane. As for the sugar beet crop, the agricultural area , the productivity , the total production, the total revenue, the net yield, the amount of sugar produced, the increased productivity costs, and the instability of the return on the invested pound. The comparison of the indicators of production efficiency and economic performance showed an increase in the amount of sugar produced in the season by 41.5 tons, and the availability of productive and economic efficiency of sugar production from the water unit by 293.8 kg/1000cubic meter for sugar-baking crops. The results of the study of the proposed alternatives also found that the first and third alternatives were rejected, and that the second alternative could be applied because it gives the lowest rate of increase in water needs by 387 m3/ Fadden, the reduction of imports by 229,000 tons, at a value of about 1.31 million pounds, and the possibility of applying the fourth alternative.
Change in Exercise Performance and Markers of Acute Kidney Injury Following Heat Acclimation with Permissive Dehydration.

Implementing permissive dehydration (DEH) during short-term heat acclimation (HA) may accelerate adaptations to the heat. However, HA with DEH may augment risk for acute kidney injury (AKI). This study investigated the effect of HA with permissive DEH on time-trial performance and markers of AKI. Fourteen moderately trained men (age and VO2max = 25 ± 0.5 yr and 51.6 ± 1.8 mL.kg-1.min-1) were randomly assigned to DEH or euhydration (EUH). Time-trial performance and VO2max were assessed in a temperate environment before and after 7 d of HA. Heat acclimation consisted of 90 min of cycling in an environmental chamber (40 °C, 35% RH). Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) were assessed pre- and post-exercise on day 1 and day 7 of HA. Following HA, VO2max did not change in either group (p = 0.099); however, time-trial performance significantly improved (3%, p < 0.01) with no difference between groups (p = 0.485). Compared to pre-exercise, NGAL was not significantly different following day 1 and 7 of HA (p = 0.113) with no difference between groups (p = 0.667). There was a significant increase in KIM-1 following day 1 and 7 of HA (p = 0.002) with no difference between groups (p = 0.307). Heat acclimation paired with permissive DEH does not amplify improvements in VO2max or time-trial performance in a temperate environment versus EUH and does not increase markers of AKI.
Complete Vision Loss after Laparoscopic Hysterectomy.

Postoperative vision loss (POVL) is a rare but devastating complication that has only recently been reported following laparoscopic surgery. We present the case of a 34-year-old gravida 6 para 4 female who experienced POVL following an uncomplicated laparoscopic hysterectomy. Operating time was 174 minutes, and EBL was 75 mL. After surgery, she complained of complete vision loss with no light perception. No cerebral hemorrhage or ischemia was detected on imaging. Funduscopic exam revealed no structural abnormalities. On postoperative day 7, she received an IV methylprednisolone taper. The following morning, she reported mild light perception. Later that night, she reported a partial return of visual acuity and was discharged home. At her 2-week postoperative visit, her vision had returned to baseline. POVL is an emergency and prompt evaluation should be initiated to optimize outcome.
A Parisian Consensus

Climate change is rightfully perceived as the leading challenge for our age. But global climate action so far has proved unable to meet the moment. This article argues that the reason for the current policy impasse is that the focus lies on climate change as an environmental problem as opposed to an energy problem. Once we switch perspectives, we can see that world society is trapped in an energy trilemma between energy equity (driven by concerns of access to affordable energy), energy security (driven by concerns for a reliable supply of energy), and environmental sustainability (driven by a concern to halt climate change). We can only escape the trilemma when we rebalance the three limbs against each other. I propose that a commons governance approach can achieve this goal. I argue that for any such approach to work, we must rely heavily one of today’s great bugbears: economic globalization. I submit that the existing legal framework supporting globalization known as Washington consensus instruments can in fact be fused with the global climate framework under the Paris Agreement to give rise to a Paris consensus on global energy governance. This Paris consensus builds on and expands an existing global legal infrastructure to slingshot us past the current climate impasse. It differs from existing approaches to climate governance by insisting upon a developmental imperative: we must expand rather than restrict energy access to create an energy infrastructure capable of supporting equitable development. I submit that this development perspective can succeed where existing approaches have stalled: generate realistic buy-in for a global, sustainable energy future.
New-Onset Psychosis Following COVID-19 Infection.

Previous studies have suggested that some individuals experience neuropsychiatric symptoms following coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. We describe a case of new-onset psychosis following COVID-19 infection in a 55-year-old female with no prior psychiatric history. The patient started exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 infection three weeks prior and was treated in the hospital with 4 L oxygen, dexamethasone 6 mg, and remdesivir therapy for seven days. Throughout her hospital stay, the patient had no neuropsychiatric symptoms. During her last week of stay, she was solely getting oxygen at home before presenting to the emergency department (ED) with severe psychosis. Her COVID-19 test in ED presentation was negative, and all potential etiologies for psychosis were ruled out. She was effectively treated for two weeks with 10 mg haloperidol and 1000 mg sodium valproate daily, followed by outpatient care. While variables such as a family history of bipolar disorder, psychosocial stressors, and steroid medication may have contributed to the patient's presentation, these circumstances alone did not result in neuropsychiatric symptoms in the past. COVID-19 infection may enhance the likelihood of developing neuropsychiatric problems on its own or amplify the effects of risk factors associated with an increased risk of psychosis. Neuropsychiatric consequences of COVID-19 infection may be under- or over-reported in individuals treated with steroids. Further research is necessary to identify individuals at risk of experiencing neuropsychiatric issues owing to COVID-19 infection and the prognosis.