cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
No Evidence of the Ego-Depletion Effect across Task Characteristics and Individual Differences: A Pre-Registered Study

Ego-depletion, a psychological phenomenon in which participants are less able to engage in self-control after prior exertion of self-control, has become widely popular in the scientific community as well as in the media. However, considerable debate exists among researchers as to the nature of the ego-depletion effect, and growing evidence suggests the effect may not be as strong or robust as the extant literature suggests. We examined the robustness of the ego-depletion effect and aimed to maximize the likelihood of detecting the effect by using one of the most widely used depletion tasks (video-viewing attention control task) and by considering task characteristics and individual differences that potentially moderate the effect. We also sought to make our research plan transparent by pre-registering our hypotheses, procedure, and planned analyses prior to data collection. Contrary to the ego-depletion hypothesis, participants in the depletion condition did not perform worse than control participants on the subsequent self-control task, even after considering moderator variables. These findings add to a growing body of evidence suggesting ego-depletion is not a reliable phenomenon, though more research is needed that uses large sample sizes, considers moderator variables, and pre-registers prior to data collection.
Epoxygenase metabolites: Epithelial and vascular actions

Cytochrome P450 (CYP450) epoxygenase enzymes demonstrate organ and cell specific expression and each CYP450 enzyme isoform produces a distinct pattern of epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs). Investigations are beginning to describe the regulation of specific tissue CYP450 epoxygenase isoforms that may be associated with alterations in organ function that occur during various physiological and pathophysiological states. The main biological actions of EETs are their ability to affect epithelial ion transport and vascular smooth muscle cell function. This chapter focuses on the organ localization and production of EETs and the action of EETs on epithelial and vascular smooth muscle cells.
Effects of an antiserum to calf thymosin on lymphoid cells in vitro.

SummaryA lymphocytopoietic fraction of calf thymic tissue, thymosin, has been utilized to prepare an antiserum in rabbits. The antiserum contained antibodies to at least two of the several components of the thymosin fraction. One of these precipitable antibodies was shown to be specific for a constituent of the thymosin preparation; the other was directed to bovine serum albumin. The antithymosin serum, after removal of antibody to BSA, was markedly cytotoxic to thymus cells but not to lymph node or spleen cells from calves, mice, and rabbits. The antithymosin serum agglutinated thymus cells of calves and cross-reacted with thymus cells of mice and rabbits. These activities of the antiserum to thymosin were not due to a Forssman antigen. The results support the concept of an antigenic difference between thymocytes and lymph node cells and provide evidence for the presence of a cellfree, soluble thymic antigen in thymosin.
Ultrasound generation from an optical fiber sidewall

Ultrasound generation from an optical fiber, based on the photoacoustic principle, could have broad applications, such as ultrasound nondestructive test (NDT) and biomedical ultrasound imaging. There are many advantages of these fiber-optic ultrasonic transducers, such as small size, light weight, ease of use, and immunity to electromagnetic interference. This paper will demonstrate a novel structure which the ultrasound signal is generated on the sidewall of the fiber. Two experimental configurations of the fiber-optic sidewall ultrasonic transducer are discussed. One is that a photoacoustic material is directly coated on the sidewall of the optical fiber. The other one is that the photoacoustic material is directly coated on an aluminum plate and the sidewall fiber is buried in the material. By using this novel sidewall ultrasound generator, we can effectively generate ultrasound signal at multiple, particular locations along one fiber.
Comparative Research into Chinese and Foreign Law Systems on Military Transportation

Through analyzing the difference, and the merits and demerits between the legislation patterns of the law systems on the military transportation of developed nations and our country, current problems and the present situation of the law system on the military transportation of our country are dealt with in the paper, with some conceptions and suggestions on establishing and perfecting the law system on the military transportation of our country put forward, which is of certain real importance for the improvement of the capability of military transportation of our country.
The enzymatic formation of methanol from S-adenosylmethionine by various tissues of the rat.

An enzyme which forms methanol from S -adenosylmethionine is demonstrated to be present in a variety of mammalian tissues. That one of the products is methanol was determined by two means: (a) crystallization as [ methyl ]dinitrobenzoate, and (b) synthesis of 35 S-labeled S -adenosylmethionine and demonstration that 35 S was not incorporated into the volatile product. Highest levels of enzyme activity are found in the pituitary and hypothalamus. Other areas which contain the enzyme include brain, kidney, liver, lung, and heart. The enzyme from brain has a K m of 2.5 µM for S -adenosylmethionine. Enzyme activity is found predominantly in the supernatant fraction of brain homogenates.
The Bladder Mucosal Graft Technique for Hypospadias Repair

AbstractA technique for the repair of severe hypospadias is described. The essential features include a chordee release and cosmetic repair of the previously tethered penis, the construction of a new urethra using bladder mucosa in a subcutaneous tunnel and an oblique anastomosis of the graft and true urethra as deep within the shaft of the penis as possible. One stricture has developed with this technique and meatal stenosis requiring dilation remains a minor problem. However, the over-all results of this technique appear to be good.The use of bladder mucosal grafts in cases in which previous repairs have failed or in which adequate foreskin for urethral reconstruction is lacking is feasible and has been performed successfully in adults. The combination of a chordee release and bladder mucosal inlay graft as a single stage procedure in a small child has not yet been attempted.
Bivalirudin Anticoagulation for a Pediatric Patient with Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia and Thrombosis Requiring Cardiopulmonary Bypass for Ventricular Assist Device Placement

The direct thrombin inhibitor bivalirudin is an option for anticoagulation in patients with heparin induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) requiring cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). There are a limited number of reports of pediatric patients in which bivalirudin has been used for anticoagulation for CPB. We present the case of an 11 year old male with acute onset heart failure secondary to idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy that developed heparin induced thrombocytopenia with thrombosis (HITT). The patient was anticoagulated in the operating room with bivalirudin and placed on CPB for insertion of a HeartWare(®) Ventricular Assist Device (Heartware(®)). Modified techniques were utilized. This included use of the Terumo CDI 500 (Terumo Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.) in-line blood gas monitor which contains a heparin coated arterial shunt sensor. We flushed this sensor with buffered saline preoperatively and noted no significant decrease in platelet count postoperatively. The patient was successfully placed on the ventricular assist device and was subsequently listed for heart transplantation.
Simulating Cortical Feedback Modulation as Changes in Excitation and Inhibition in a Cortical Circuit Model

Cortical feedback pathways are hypothesized to distribute context-dependent signals during flexible behavior. Recent experimental work has attempted to understand the mechanisms by which cortical feedback inputs modulate their target regions. Within the mouse whisker sensorimotor system, cortical feedback stimulation modulates spontaneous activity and sensory responsiveness, leading to enhanced sensory representations. However, the cellular mechanisms underlying these effects are currently unknown. In this study we use a simplified neural circuit model, which includes two recurrent excitatory populations and global inhibition, to simulate cortical modulation. First, we demonstrate how changes in the strengths of excitation and inhibition alter the input-output processing responses of our model. Second, we compare these responses with experimental findings from cortical feedback stimulation. Our analyses predict that enhanced inhibition underlies the changes in spontaneous and sensory evoked activity observed experimentally. More generally, these analyses provide a framework for relating cellular and synaptic properties to emergent circuit function and dynamic modulation.
Asymmetry in Identification of Multiplicity Errors in Conceptual Models of Business Processes

ABSTRACT Business rules can be represented by multiplicities in a Unified Modeling Language (UML) class diagram. Diagrams containing erroneous multiplicities may be implemented as an inefficient/ineffective database. System validators must be able to validate such diagrams, including multiplicities, to prevent the implementation of design errors. Prior research reveals conflicting evidence regarding the expected accuracy in validating minimum multiplicities, indicating a need for additional research to further our understanding. Ontology research claims that multiplicities that depict optional participation are ambiguous and lead to poorer understanding and accuracy compared to multiplicities that depict mandatory participation. However, other research has reported better accuracy validating multiplicities that depict optional participation compared to mandatory participation. We conducted an experiment to help resolve this apparent contradiction, and to explore whether any asymmetry exists in accuracy fo...
Artificial Antigen-Presenting Cells Permit Selective In Vitro Generation of CMV-Specific T-Cells of Desired HLA Allelic Restriction for Adoptive Immunotherapy in Recipients of HLA Disparate Allografts.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality following allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. For recipients of HLA haplotype disparate grafts, the risk of CMV infection is especially high and extends late into the post-transplant period. Early clinical trials indicate that adoptive transfer of ex vivo generated CMV-specific T-cells from the donor can be effective in the treatment and prevention of such infections. However, because seropositive donor T-cells sensitized with autologous infected or antigen loaded APCs regularly exhibit a repertoire of CMV-specific T-cells restricted by one or two immunodominant HLA alleles, such T-cells will only be effective if these immunodominant alleles are shared by the infected host. For example, among donors inheriting HLA-B*0702, CD8 + T-cell responses to CMV-pp65 peptides are usually, and often exclusively, restricted by this allele. To address this limitation, we tested whether artificial antigen-presenting cells, consisting of murine 3T3 cells transduced to express human B7.1, LFA1, ICAM1, β 2 M and HLA-A*0201 alpha chain (Papanicolaou et al., Blood 2003), could be used to generate CMV-specific T-cells restricted by this allele in a series of normal donors inheriting HLA-A*A0201 and HLA-B*0702. Accordingly, T-cells were sensitized in vitro with either autologous monocyte-derived DCs or AAPCs expressing HLA-A*A0201, each loaded with a pool of 138 overlapping pentadecapeptides spanning the CMV-pp65 protein. Thereafter, specificity of responding T-cells was identified by mapping epitopes using an intersecting matrix of peptide subpools and measuring T-cells producing IFN-γ following secondary restimulation. HLA restriction was identified by analysis of T-cell cytotoxic responses against panels of EBV BLCL sharing single HLA alleles with the donor and loaded with the targeted peptide. Findings were confirmed by quantitation of T-cell binding tetramers containing targeted epitopes bound to either HLA-A*0201 or B*0702. In each of the donors, sensitization with DCs loaded with the peptide pool resulted in the generation of CMV-pp65-specific T-cells specific for epitopes predominantly or exclusively presented by HLA-B*0702. In contrast, sensitization with peptide pool loaded AAPC led to the generation of high numbers of T-cells recognizing separate CMV-pp65 epitopes in the context of HLA-A*A0201. These HLA-A*0201-restricted T-cells were also able to lyse peptide-loaded BLCLs or PBMCs expressing HLA-A*0201. Taken together, these studies demonstrate that AAPCs expressing single HLA alleles can be used to generate fully functional T-cells specific for epitopes presented by subdominant HLA alleles. This strategy may thus permit generation of virus-specific T-cells of desired HLA-restriction for adoptive immunotherapy in HLA-disparate transplant recipients.
Shear flow suppresses the volume of the nucleation precursor clusters in lysozyme solutions

Abstract Shear flow alters the rate at which crystals nucleate from solution, yet the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. To fill this knowledge gap, we explore the response to shear of dense liquid clusters, which may serve as crystal nucleation precursors. Solutions of the protein lysozyme were sheared in a Couette cell at rates from 0.3 to 200 s−1 for up to seven hours. The cluster size and total population volume were characterized by dynamic light scattering. We demonstrate that shear rates greater than 10 s−1 applied for longer than one hour reduce the volume of the cluster population. The likely mechanism of the observed response involves enhanced partial unfolding of the lysozyme molecules, which exposes hydrophobic surfaces between the constituent domains to the aqueous solution. We show that disruption of the intramolecular S-S bridges does not contribute to the mechanism of response to shear. The decrease of the cluster population volume with increasing shear rate or shear time implies that nucleation could be inhibited at moderate shear rates.
Prolonged, Unilateral HSV-2 Encephalitis in an Immunocompetent Man (P1.299)

Objective : Herpes encephalitis is the most common sporadic fatal encephalitis in the United States, with mortality in excess of 70[percnt] if untreated. Most cases are caused by HSV-1, while HSV-2 causes aseptic meningitis or myelitis in adults. We present a case of an immunocompetent man with biopsy-proven HSV-2 encephalitis. Case: A 62 year-old male without relevant medical history was transferred to our hospital for evaluation of altered mental status and aphasia. Two months prior the patient was admitted with new onset seizure. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain demonstrated T2/fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) hyperintensity changes in the left temporal lobe. Initial lumbar puncture (LP) was positive only for Epstein-Barr virus. He was treated with acyclovir for ten days for presumed herpes simplex virus encephalitis (HSVE). One month later, he represented for worsening headache and expressive aphasia. LP demonstrated elevated protein (128 mg/dL) and white blood cell count (13 cells/microL). Viral studies were again negative. A repeat MRI brain demonstrated extension of the hyperintensity seen previously. On transfer, acyclovir was restarted. However, given repeat negative CSF results, the differential also included limbic encephalitides and vasculitis. Results: Brain biopsy was subsequently completed. Pathologic examination revealed severe focal neuronal loss without frank necrosis. Vascular fibrosis and extensive inflammatory vascular wall infiltration were present, suggestive of vasculitis. Immunohistochemical staining was negative for HSV-1 and HSV-2, however biopsy tissue was positive for HSV-2 by PCR. Given the vasculitic findings, we gave a steroid pulse followed by a prednisone taper. The patient showed improvement, regaining some fluency. Acyclovir was continued for a total of 21 days. Conclusions : Encephalitis from HSV-2 is rare in the immunocompetent. This case is significant for its viral etiology, the multiple negative serologies on LP and for its vasculitic component. The role of steroids in HSVE remains controversial. Disclosure: Dr. George has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ghoshal has nothing to disclose. Dr. Machado has nothing to disclose.
Predicting conformations and orientations of guests within a water soluble host: a molecular docking approach

In this study we have examined conformations and orientations of guests within a water-soluble host known by the trivial name Octa Acid (OA). Docking program Vina, which was originally developed for screening drug-like molecules, has been used to identify binding modes and affinities of select guest molecules with OA. Hydrophobic guests were encapsulated into the nonpolar cavity of OA capsule owing to solvophobic interactions. Amphiphilic guests were bound by keeping the nonpolar part within the cavity of OA, while pointing the polar anionic group out of the cavity. All these results obtained from the docking study were in accord with experimental findings. The post-complexation attributes of the guests were regulated by available free space and the specific interactions between guest–OA pair, which led to unusual conformations and orientations. This study showed that scoring function available with Vina, which was derived from protein–ligand data set, could successfully predict post-complexed structural features of guests within OA, thus opening opportunities to modulate physical and chemical behavior of guest molecules.
Teaching & Learning Tips 1: Teaching perspectives – an introduction

Challenge: Clinical and research responsibilities often leave little or no time to plan thoughtful teaching encounters with trainees. This "Teaching & Learning Tips" series is designed to be an accessible guide for dermatologists who want to improve their teaching skills. It is comprised of 12 articles about how to enhance teaching in various settings informed by research about how people learn and expert-derived or data-driven best practices for teaching. The series begins with a review of principles to optimize learning in any setting, including cognitive load theory, active learning strategies, and the impact of motivation and emotion on learning. It transitions into a practical "how to" guide format for common teaching scenarios in dermatology, such as lecturing, case-based teaching, and teaching procedures, among others. Herein, we kickoff the series by unpacking assumptions about teaching and learning. What does it mean to teach and learn?
Out-of-Pocket and Health Care Spending Changes for Patients Using Orally Administered Anticancer Therapy After Adoption of State Parity Laws.

Importance Oral anticancer medications are increasingly important but costly treatment options for patients with cancer. By early 2017, 43 states and Washington, DC, had passed laws to ensure patients with private insurance enrolled in fully insured health plans pay no more for anticancer medications administered by mouth than anticancer medications administered by infusion. Federal legislation regarding this issue is currently pending. Despite their rapid acceptance, the changes associated with state adoption of oral chemotherapy parity laws have not been described. Objective To estimate changes in oral anticancer medication use, out-of-pocket spending, and health plan spending associated with oral chemotherapy parity law adoption. Design, Setting, and Participants Analysis of administrative health plan claims data from 2008-2012 for 3 large nationwide insurers aggregated by the Health Care Cost Institute. Data analysis was first completed in 2015 and updated in 2017. The study population included 63 780 adults living in 1 of 16 states that passed parity laws during the study period and who received anticancer drug treatment for which orally administered treatment options were available. Study analysis used a difference-in-differences approach. Exposures Time period before and after adoption of state parity laws, controlling for whether the patient was enrolled in a plan subject to parity (fully insured) or not (self-funded, exempt via the Employee Retirement Income Security Act). Main Outcomes and Measures Oral anticancer medication use, out-of-pocket spending, and total health care spending. Results Of the 63 780 adults aged 18 through 64 years, 51.4% participated in fully insured plans and 48.6% in self-funded plans (57.2% were women; 76.8% were aged 45 to 64 years). The use of oral anticancer medication treatment as a proportion of all anticancer treatment increased from 18% to 22% (adjusted difference-in-differences risk ratio [aDDRR], 1.04; 95% CI, 0.96-1.13;P = .34) comparing months before vs after parity. In plans subject to parity laws, the proportion of prescription fills for orally administered therapy without copayment increased from 15.0% to 53.0%, more than double the increase (12.3%-18.0%) in plans not subject to parity (P Conclusions and Relevance While oral chemotherapy parity laws modestly improved financial protection for many patients without increasing total health care spending, these laws alone may be insufficient to ensure that patients are protected from high out-of-pocket medication costs.
Inflammation and asthma control in children with comorbid obstructive sleep apnea.

Objectives A bi-directional relationship exists between asthma and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in which presence of one is associated with increased prevalence and severity of the other. Our objective was to determine whether OSA accounted for differences in airway and systemic inflammation in asthmatic children and whether inflammation was associated with asthma control. We hypothesized that greater severity of SDB would correlate with increased upper airway and systemic inflammation and result in reduced asthma control. Methods Non-obese children aged 4-12 years with persistent asthma, with or without OSA were recruited. Asthma control was measured with the Childhood Asthma Control Test. Children underwent polysomnography and blood sampling, and children with OSA underwent clinically indicated adenotonsillectomy. Tonsils and sera were analyzed for 11 cytokines. Results Twenty-seven children (20 with OSA, seven without OSA) participated, mean age 7.9 years, 55.6% female, 92.6% African American. Levels did not differ for any cytokine between children with and without OSA. Lower nadir oxygen saturation was associated with higher levels of tonsil TNF-α (P Conclusions Despite the presence of OSA-associated airway inflammation, and asthma control-associated airway and systemic inflammation, OSA was not related to level of asthma control in this non-obese, largely minority, low income sample.
Using Amazon web services to teach web-enabled database concepts

Amazon offers cloud infrastructure through its Amazon Web Services(AWS). The authors taught a cloud computing course using AWS. Besides offering a general introduction to cloud computing, the course also enabled students to build a fault-tolerant web site with a database backend. Students were able to further hone their database skills by initially designing a database which would then be used by the web site to store information such as a shopping cart or payment information. The database itself was initially hosted on AWS using an instance running MySQL. Towards the end of the course, the students migrated their databases to the Relational Data Service (RDS) provided by Amazon. Additionally, students setup a virtual web server on several instances with S3 storage for all static content. Students also deployed an elastic load balancer which directs traffic to instances of the Web server. Figure 1 shows the initial design.
Growing Up Black and Female

One of my earliest recollections of my childhood is that of one of my first-grade classmates with blond hair, freckles, and blue eyes—a virtual reproduction of Goldilocks—who asked me, “How does it feel to be colored?” That inquisitive, innocent question had increasingly more significance for me as I progressed through school—one of “the only ones” or one of “the few,” all too often the object of stares. Although I was a very visible, curious, black object, I was, nonetheless, still very invisible as a thinking, feeling person to those New England and midwestern whites, who encountered me. I retreated to a closet world, content to bury myself in books to avoid the pangs of rejection from the exclusion from birthday parties, club meetings, and other after-school activities of my white classmates. Eventually, with the loving guidance and nurturance of my family, I learned to live in two worlds and to become a hybrid person. It is about that hybridization process so long ignored by child development specialists that I write now—a process so critical in the psychosocial development of all minority-group children and one fraught with a hazardous terrain of quicksand, steep mountains, treacherous rivers, and a few peaceful grassy knolls.
Revisiting the Effect of Visitation on Recidivism

Scholarship suggests that prison inmates who are visited may be less likely to recidivate. Questions exist, however, about whether the observed relationship is causal and, if so, whether it is cons...
NURBS-Python: An open-source object-oriented NURBS modeling framework in Python

Abstract We introduce NURBS-Python, an object-oriented, open-source, Pure Python NURBS evaluation library with no external dependencies. The library is capable of evaluating single or multiple NURBS curves and surfaces, provides a customizable visualization interface, and enables importing and exporting data using popular CAD file formats. The library and the implemented algorithms are designed to be portable and extensible via their abstract base interfaces. The design principles used in NURBS-Python allows users to access, use, and extend the library without any tedious software compilation steps or licensing concerns.
An 8-bit 80-MS/s Fully Self-Timed SAR ADC with 3/2 Interleaved Comparators and High-Order PVT Stabilized HBT Bandgap Reference

This paper presents the design of a fully self-timed 8-bit 80-Ms/s single-core SAR ADC with interleaved comparators and a high order compensated opamp-less bandgap reference. A 3/2 interleaving algorithm was designed for better SFDR performance, where two of the three comparators are orderly chosen for interleaving in each conversion while offset calibration is applied to the idle comparator. Asynchronized SAR logic with a DAC settling timer is designed for fully self-timing of the ADC. The ADC was designed with a PVT stabilized on-chip reference source which promises a stable reference for the ADC at extreme temperature environments such as aerospace exploration or quantum computing. Technique for compensating the temperature coefficient (TC) of a bandgap reference (BGR) using temperature characteristics of transistor's current gain β is proposed. Measured results show 42.8dB SNDR, 56.8 dB SFDR and −53.3dBc THD for the proposed SAR ADC, drawing 1.07mW from a 1.1v supply. Measured average TC of the HBT proposed BGR is 23ppm/°C and 39 ppm/°C over the commercial (0∼70°C) and space (−260∼125°C) temperature ranges, respectively. The BGR reaches PSRR of −50dB at 1MHz, and −38dB at 1GHz. The entire chip was implemented on 0.13um 8HP SiGe process with an active area of 0.2952 mm2.
Web site resources for waterbirth.

In this column, the author reviews Web sites that provide information and resources on waterbirth.
The Leap of the Tiger: Escaping the Middle‐income Trap to the Technological Frontier

The Asian miracles along with a handful of European economies and oil exporters are the few countries that reached high‐income status during 1960–2014. In contrast, many good‐performing countries such as Malaysia have been middle‐income countries for several decades despite relatively strong growth and a substantial improvement in education and export sophistication. We argue that the key factor differentiating the Asian miracles from economies like Malaysia is the creation of technologies by domestic firms and leapfrogging to the technological frontier at an early stage of development.
New Directions in Social and Cultural History: edited by Sasha Handley, Rohan McWilliam, and Lucy Noakes, London, Bloomsbury. 2018, xvi + 275 pp., £65.00 (hardback), ISBN 9781472580801 (hardback), £18.69 (paperback), ISBN 978-1472580818 (paperback)

Three decades back, historians seemed beset by anxieties – over the discipline’s proper objects and purposes, over methods and boundaries, over what could and could not be properly thought, over th...
Black and Hispanic women are less likely than white women to receive guideline-concordant endometrial cancer treatment

Abstract Background Differences in receipt of guideline-concordant treatment might underlie well-established racial disparities in endometrial cancer mortality. Objective Using the National Cancer Database, we assessed the hypothesis that among women with endometrioid endometrial cancer, racial/ethnic minority women would have lower odds of receiving guideline-concordant treatment than White women. In addition, we hypothesized that lack of guideline-concordant treatment was linked with worse survival. Study design We defined receipt of guideline-concordant treatment using the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to compute odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for associations between race and guideline-concordant treatment. We used multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models to estimate hazards ratios and 95% confidence intervals for relationships between guideline-concordant treatment and overall survival in the overall study population and stratified by race/ethnicity. Results This analysis was restricted to the 89,319 women diagnosed with an invasive, endometrioid endometrial cancer between 2004 and 2014. Overall, 74.7% of the cohort received guideline-concordant treatment (n=66,699). Analyses stratified by race showed that 75.3% of non-Hispanic White (n=57,442), 70.1% of non-Hispanic Black (n=4,334), 71.0% of Hispanic (n=3,263), and 72.5% of Asian/Pacific Islander patients (n=1,660) received treatment in concordance with guidelines. In multivariable-adjusted models, non-Hispanic Black (odds ratio=0.92, 95% confidence interval=0.86–0.98) and Hispanic women (odds ratio=0.90, 95% confidence internal=0.83–0.97) had lower odds of receiving guideline-concordant treatment compared to non-Hispanic White women, while Asian/Pacific Islander women had a higher odds of receiving guideline-concordant treatment (odds ratio=1.11, 95% confidence interval=1.00-1.23). Lack of guideline-concordant treatment was associated with lower overall survival in the overall study population (hazard ratio=1.12, 95% confidence interval=1.08–1.15), but was not significantly associated with overall survival among non-Hispanic Black (hazard ratio=1.09, 95% confidence interval=0.98-1.21), Hispanic (hazard ratio=0.92, 95% confidence interval=0.78-1.09), or Asian/Pacific Islander (hazard ratio=0.90, 95% confidence interval=0.70-1.16) women. Conclusions Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic women were less likely than non-Hispanic White women to receive GCT, while Asian/Pacific Islander women more commonly received treatment in line with guidelines. Further, in the overall study population, overall survival was worse among those not receiving guideline-concordant treatment, although low power may have impacted the race-stratified models. Future studies should evaluate reasons underlying disparate endometrial cancer treatment.
Calcium Oxalate Monohydrate is Associated with Endothelial Cell Toxicity But Not with Reactive Oxygen Species Accumulation

One characteristic of ethylene glycol overdose is a cardiopulmonary syndrome including hypertension and pulmonary edema with pathology indicating damage to the endothelium of heart, lung and brain vessels. The mechanism of the cardiopulmonary toxicity is unknown, but has been linked with accumulation of the metabolite calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) in the endothelium. These studies have evaluated the hypothesis that COM or the oxalate ion produces endothelial damage in vitro and that damage is linked with induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), COM, but not the oxalate ion, produced cytotoxicity in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Using three ROS-sensitive dyes, HUVEC exposed to COM did not significantly increase ROS production. Additionally, co-treatment with three antioxidants that operate by different mechanisms did not reduce COM cytotoxicity. As such, an increase in ROS production does not explain cell death in endothelial cells. Aluminum citrate, uniquely among citrate compounds, significantly reduced COM cytotoxicity to endothelial cells and thus may act as an adjunct therapy for ethylene glycol poisoning to reduce endothelial damage. These results imply that accumulation of COM in endothelial cells is an important aspect of the cardiopulmonary toxicity from ethylene glycol.
Response to Comments on "Does COVID19 Infect the Brain? If So, Smokers Might Be at a Higher Risk".

We thank the correspondent for his reading and comments [[Speth, 2020][1]] on our Perspective article “Does COVID19 infect that brain? If so, smoker’s might be at a higher risk”, which examines interactions between smoking and COVID19. This article was among the first to explore relations
Developing a Time-Resolved Acoustofluidic Flow Cytometer for FRET Studies and Near-Infrared Fluorescent Protein Development

We present a novel time-resolved acoustofluidic flow cytometer that will be capable of resolving heterogenous cell populations in FRET studies and screen for and enrich cells with near-infrared fluorescent proteins with higher quantum yields.
Condition for the Intersection Occupation Measure to be Absolutely Continuous

Given i.i.d. ℝd-valued stochastic processes X1(t), . . . ,Xp(t), p ≥ 2, with stationary increments, a minimal condition is provided for the occupation measure $$ {\mu}_t(B)=\underset{\left[0,t\right]}{\int }1B\left({X}_1\left({s}_1\right)-{X}_2\left({s}_2\right),\dots, {X}_{p-1}\left({s}_{p-1}\right)-{X}_p\left({s}_p\right)\right){ds}_1\dots {ds}_p, $$ B ⊂ ℝd(p−1), to be absolutely continuous with respect to the Lebesgue measure on ℝd(p−1). An isometry identity related to the resulting density (known as intersection local time) is also established.
Evaluation of Cell Type Annotation R Packages on Single-cell RNA-seq Data.

Abstract Annotating cell types is a critical step in single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data analysis. Some supervised or semi-supervised classification methods have recently emerged to enable automated cell type identification. However, comprehensive evaluations of these methods are lacking. Moreover, it is not clear whether some classification methods originally designed for analyzing other bulk omics data are adaptable to scRNA-seq analysis. In this study, we evaluated ten cell type annotation methods publicly available as R packages. Eight of them are popular methods developed specifically for single-cell research, including Seurat, scmap, SingleR, CHETAH, SingleCellNet, scID, Garnett, and SCINA. The other two methods were repurposed from deconvoluting DNA methylation data, i.e., linear constrained projection (CP) and robust partial correlations (RPC). We conducted systematic comparisons on a wide variety of public scRNA-seq datasets as well as simulation data. We assessed the accuracy through intra-dataset and inter-dataset predictions; the robustness over practical challenges such as gene filtering, high similarity among cell types, and increased cell type classes; as well as the detection of rare and unknown cell types. Overall, methods such as Seurat, SingleR, CP, RPC, and SingleCellNet performed well, with Seurat being the best at annotating major cell types. Additionally, Seurat, SingleR, CP, and RPC were more robust against downsampling. However, Seurat did have a major drawback at predicting rare cell populations, and it was suboptimal at differentiating cell types highly similar to each other, compared to SingleR and RPC. All the code and data are available from https://github.com/qianhuiSenn/scRNA_cell_deconv_benchmark .
A distributed set-membership estimator for linear systems considering multi-hop subspace decomposition

Abstract This paper presents a distributed set-membership estimator for linear full-coupled systems affected by bounded disturbances. The estimator makes use of a recently developed multi-hop subspace decomposition of the system that allows to transform the dynamic matrix into an upper triangular matrix, decoupling the influence of the non-observable modes to the observable ones. This way, each agent has to compute sets to encompass the observable dynamics on the one hand, and the unobservable dynamics on the other. The sets are mathematically described by zonotopes. Due to the multi-hop decomposition, the agents are able to design different gains for the observable and the unobservable part, pursuing the reduction in volume of the corresponding sets. The paper presents the solution for the two-agents case. Simulations are given to compare the proposed solution with existing ones in the field.
Tax Incentives and Housing Decisions: Investigating Effects of the Tax Cut and Jobs Act

The Tax Cut and Jobs Act (TCJA) altered the tax code, greatly reducing itemization rates. Utilizing American Community Survey data combined with the NBER TAXSIM program, we calculate the TCJA caused the average homeownership subsidy to decline by 56% from $2,677 in 2017 to $1,171 in 2018. Comparing similar households that vary in subsidy shock exposure due to state tax rates and house price levels, we nd that each percentage point decrease in the TCJA homeownership subsidy lowers homeownership rates by 0.54 percentage points and mortgage utilization by 0.76 percentage points. Using Freddie Mac mortgage origination data, we additionally nd that lenders absorbed 5% to 7% of the subsidy incidence through decreasing mortgage interest rates.
Trends: Evolution, Creationism, and the Teaching of Human Origins in Schools

This article traces public opinion polls concerning the theory of evolution spanning the period 1981 through 2007. We report on polling trends concerning US citizens’ beliefs about the origins of mankind and other species, individuals’ certainty and knowledge of the debate, and their understanding of the scientific evidence bearing on evolutionary theory. We conclude by examining preferences for public school policy: What is the appropriate treatment of human origins in science curricula? We show that US public opinion is at odds with the curricula mandated by the nation's state governments.
The Roles of Fibrosis Index Based on Four Factors and Aspartate Transaminase-to-Platelet Ratio Index Scoring Systems as an Alternative to Transient Elastography Liver Stiffness in Liver Fibrosis Staging in Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Hepatitis C Virus Co-Infected Patients.

Background Liver biopsy used to be the gold standard to assess liver fibrosis in patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). Nonetheless, due to its invasive nature, techniques such as transient elastography liver stiffness (TE-LS), fibrosis index based on four factors (FIB-4) and aspartate transaminase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) scores are currently being used. FIB-4 and APRI scores have the advantage of low cost and are readily available, compared with TE-LS. Herein, we evaluated the diagnostic performance of these scoring systems as compared to TE-LS in assessing liver fibrosis in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and HCV co-infection. Methods The medical records of patients with HIV and HCV co-infection who had TE-LS done at our facility between August 1, 2013 and January 1, 2020 were extracted and analyzed. Exclusion criteria include: 1) patients co-infected with hepatitis B virus; 2) invalid TE-LS assessment; 3) have ≥ 10th upper limit of normal (ULN) alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels; and 4) excessive alcohol use. Patient demographics, medical history, biochemical and clinical data were retrieved. For each patient, we calculated the FIB-4 and APRI score. Descriptive analysis was performed and correlation of FIB-4 and APRI with TE-LS was assessed with GraphPad Prism statistical software. Results Five hundred forty-seven patients underwent TE-LS during the study period. After excluding those without complete laboratory parameters, the total study population was 344. Their age was 56 ± 10.4 years and 234 (68%) were male. The average aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and ALT were 27.95 and 30.73. The average platelet count was 224 and the average TE-LS was 7.29. Fourteen patients (4.1%) had TE-LS values between 9 and 11.9 kPa and were classified as F3, while 29 (8.5%) had TE-LS ≥ 12 kPa and were classified as F4. With the correlation analysis, both APRI (correlation coefficient, r = 0.1097, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.0403 - 0.2130; P = 0.042) and FIB-4 (r = 0.0424, 95% CI -0.0634 - 0.1474; P = 0.4335) were not correlated with TE-LS stages of fibrosis. Conclusion In our cohort, we failed to demonstrate that APRI and FIB-4 are reliable alternatives for screening liver fibrosis in patients with HIV and HCV co-infection. Nonetheless, APRI score still has a potential role as a screening tool instead of TE-LS measurement, which is costly and not readily available. It will be important to corroborate these findings in another large cohort, since this may have an important impact on patient management.
Safety risk associated with use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in Japanese elderly compared with younger patients with osteoarthritis and/or chronic low back pain: A retrospective database study.

Purpose This study aimed to assess the safety risks associated with using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in elderly patients (≥65 years) compared with younger patients ( Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on anonymized claims data of patients prescribed NSAIDs for OA and/or CLBP from 2009 to 2018 using hospital-based administrative database-Medical Data Vision (MDV). The key outcome was the incidence of developing gastrointestinal (GI), renal, and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) that are well-known events associated with NSAID use. Results Of 288,715 patients included, 23.7%, 60.5%, and 15.8% had OA, CLBP, or both, respectively. Elderly patients used non-oral NSAIDs more frequently than oral NSAIDs (57.8% and 38.7%, respectively), whereas younger patients showed comparable use (50.7% and 52.8%, respectively). The incidence of events per 10,000 person-years (95% CI) was higher in the elderly than in younger patients: GI, 29.68(27.67-31.68) vs. 16.61(14.60-18.63); renal, 124.77(120.56-128.99) vs. 39.88(36.72-43.03); and AMI, 27.41(25.48-29.35) vs. 10.90(9.27-12.53), respectively. After adjusting for covariates, the increase in risk for these events was seen in patients >70 years compared with younger patients (18-30 years) and was remarkable in patients >80 years with 2-fold, 10-fold, and 7-fold higher risk for developing GI, renal, and AMI events, respectively. Conclusion Risk for developing NSAID-associated events was higher in the elderly; particularly, renal and AMI events that remarkably increased in patients >80 years. To reduce them, NSAIDs should be prescribed at the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration possible.
Abstract W P108: Pharmacological Evaluation of a BDNF Nano-Particle Formulation after Experimental Stroke

Backgrounds: Brain Derived Neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a well-recognized neuro-protective and neuro-restorative protein of the neurotrophin family. Unfortunately, systemically administered native BDNF has minimal therapeutic effects due to poor blood brain barrier permeability and short half-life. Therefore, the aim of this study was to utilize a novel nano-particle formulation of BDNF for enhanced delivery to the brain in mice after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Methods: Male C57BL/6J (8-10 weeks) mice were randomly assigned to saline or BDNF nano (Exp group 1, n=6/group) or saline vs. BDNF native vs. BDNF nano (Exp group 2, n=8/group) and subjected to 60min of MCAO. The mice in Exp. group 1 were treated twice with either saline or BDNF Nanoparticles (250μg/kg i.v) 3 and 24 hrs after the onset of MCAO. Exp group2 was also treated twice with saline vs. BDNF native vs. BDNF nano (250μg/kg i.v) but treatment was delayed until 12 hrs after MCAO with a second dose at 24 hrs. Mice were tested week...
What Makes a Law Student Succeed or Fail? A Longitudinal Study Correlating Law Student Applicant Data and Law School Outcomes

Despite the rise of "big data" empiricism, law school admission remains heavily impressionistic; admission decisions based on anecdotes about recent students, idiosyncratic preferences for certain majors or jobs, or mainly the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). Yet no predictors are well-validated; studies of the LSAT or other factors fail to control for college quality, major, work experience, etc. The lack of evidence of what actually predicts law school success is especially surprising after the 2010s downturn left schools competing for fewer applicants and left potential students less sure of law school as a path to future success. We aim to fill this gap with a two-school, 1400-student, 2005-2012 longitudinal study. After coding non-digitized applicant data, we used multivariate regression analysis to predict law school grades ("LGPA") from many variables: LSAT; college grades ("UGPA"), quality, and major; UGPA trajectory; employment duration and type (legal, scientific, military, teaching, etc.); college leadership; prior graduate degree; criminal or discipline record; and variable interactions (e.g., high-LSAT/low-UGPA or vice-versa).Our results include not only new findings about how to balance LSAT and UGPA, but the first findings that college quality, major, work experience, and other traits are significant predictors: (1) controlling for other variables, LSAT predicts more weakly, and UGPA more powerfully, than commonly assumed – and a high-LSAT/low-UGPA profile may predict worse than the opposite; (2) a STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) or EAF (economics, accounting, finance) major is a significant plus, akin to 3½-4 extra LSAT points; (3) several years' work experience is a significant plus, with teaching especially positive and military the weakest; (4) a criminal or disciplinary record is a significant minus, akin to 7½ fewer LSAT points; and (5) long-noted gender disparities seem to have abated, but racial disparities persist. Some predictors were interestingly nonlinear: college quality has decreasing returns; UGPA has increasing returns; a rising UGPA is a plus only for law students right out of college; and 4-9 years of work is a "sweet spot," with neither 1-3 or 10 years' work experience significant. Some, such as those with military or science work, have high LGPA variance, indicating a mix of high and low performers requiring close scrutiny. Many traditionally valued traits had no predictive value: typical pre-law majors (political science, history, etc.); legal or public sector work; or college leadership.These findings can help identify who can outperform overvalued predictors like the LSAT. A key caveat is that statistical models cannot capture certain difficult-to-code key traits: some who project to have weak grades retain appealing lawyering or leadership potential; and many will over- or under-perform any projection. Thus, admissions will always be both art and science – but perhaps with a bit more science.