cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biomarker P16 Predicts Progression Risk of Anal Low-grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions

Background To determine whether biomarker P16INK4a predicts progression risk for anal low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL). Methods 109 HIV-infected and 18 HIV-uninfected patients with biopsy-proven anal LSIL at initial screening underwent surveillance high-resolution anoscopy and biopsy within two years of diagnosis. P16 immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed on index lesions and evaluated using a semi-quantitative scoring system. The association of predictors and lesional outcomes (progression, persistence, or regression) was analyzed using ordinal logistic regression models. A subset of p16-positive lesions was tested for high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) DNA using Real-time PCR. Results Upon follow-up, 46 (36%) LSILs progressed to HSIL, 50 (39%) persisted as LSIL, and 31 (24%) regressed to benign mucosa (median 16 months, range 2–24). Age, gender, race, history of condylomata, CD4+ T-cell count, and HIV plasma viral load were similar regardless of clinical outcome. P16 immunoreactivity of index lesion was classified as block-positive (n=36), focal-positive (n=49), or negative (n=42). 64% of block-positive lesions progressed, as opposed to 35% of focal-positive and 14% of negative lesions (p Conclusions Biomarker p16 is the strongest predictor for anal LSIL-to-HSIL progression, outperforming other risk factors. To enhance the overall effectiveness of surveillance, we propose using p16 IHC to help stratify patients at high versus low risk of progression.
Highly Thiolated Poly (Beta-Amino Ester) Nanoparticles for Acute Redox Applications.

Disulfides are used extensively in reversible cross-linking because of the ease of reduction into click-reactive thiols. However, the free-radical scavenging properties upon reduction are often under-considered. The free thiols produced upon reduction of this disulfide material mimic the cellular reducing chemistry (glutathione) that serves as a buffer against acute oxidative stress. A nanoparticle formulation producing biologically relevant concentrations of thiols may not only provide ample chemical conjugation sites, but potentially be useful against severe acute oxidative stress exposure, such as in targeted radioprotection. In this work, we describe the synthesis and characterization of highly thiolated poly (β-amino ester) (PBAE) nanoparticles formed from the reduction of bulk disulfide cross-linked PBAE hydrogels. Degradation-tunable PBAE hydrogels were initially synthesized containing up to 26 wt % cystamine, which were reduced into soluble thiolated oligomers and formulated into nanoparticles upon single emulsion. These thiolated nanoparticles were size-stable in phosphate buffered saline consisting of up to 11.0 ± 1.1 mM (3.7 ± 0.3 mmol thiol/g, n = 3 M ± SD), which is an antioxidant concentration within the order of magnitude of cellular glutathione (1–10 mM).
We Got Soul: Exploring Contemporary Black Women Educators' Praxis of Politicized Care.

AbstractIn this critical case study, I draw on endarkened feminist epistemology and a legacy of politicized womanist care to explore how three contemporary black women educators in New York City pu...
Heat Transfer in a Large, Inclined, Flattened-Tube Steam Condenser

Experimental results for capacity and heat transfer coefficient during steam condensation in a power-plant air-cooled condenser are presented. The condenser test section is a flattened steel tube w...
COMT Val158Met polymorphism associated with greater susceptibility to framing effects in healthy older adults

Abstract Age-related neural changes may compromise older adults’ decision-making, increasing their risk of fraud and financial abuse. One manifestation of nonrational influences on decision-making is susceptibility to “framing effects,” in which decisions are biased by irrelevant contextual features of how choice information is presented. We investigated whether polymorphisms in genes related to dopamine neurotransmission (COMT) and neurodegeneration (ApoE) influence the susceptibility of older adults to framing effects. We administered an online test of susceptibility to framing effects to a cohort of 113 healthy older adults who had undergone genetic testing for COMT and ApoE genotype. The task required the participant to choose a risky or safe option in pairs of situations that were monetarily equivalent but differed in whether the choice was framed in terms of gains or losses. A general linear model was used to test for associations between inconsistency in choice across the set of choice pairs and these genotypes, controlling for age, education, gender and traditional measures of executive function. While no association to framing effects was found for ApoE, the Valine allele of COMT Val158Met was significantly associated with greater susceptibility to framing, although the association was no longer significant after adjustment for demographic covariates. Our results suggest that greater frontal dopamine concentrations associated with the COMT Met allele are protective against less consistent decision making in older adults. When compared to previous findings in young adults, our findings provide additional support for an inverted-U shaped model of prefrontal dopamine function.
Cefepime-Induced Neurotoxicity Presenting with Nonconvulsive Status Epilepticus Admitted as a Stroke Alert

BACKGROUND Cefepime-induced neurotoxicity has been described in intensive care units (ICUs) and neuro ICU settings, occurring in patients started on cefepime for management of severe infections and sepsis. Most cases occur within 1 to 10 days after starting the drug. We publish a case that occurred on the general medical ward of a patient who had been on cefepime therapy for 4 weeks prior to admission. The aim of this study was to improve the knowledge of this serious condition to general internists as our patient was being managed on the general medical ward. CASE REPORT A 72-year-old female on prolonged intravenous antibiotics for sacral and pelvic osteomyelitis presented with acute encephalopathy and aphasia in the setting of an acute kidney injury. Due to the acute focal neurologic deficit, she was initially admitted as a stroke alert. After a negative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain, an electroencephalogram (EEG) was pursued and showed nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE). NCSE was likely a result of cefepime therapy in the setting of an acute kidney injury. CONCLUSIONS Cefepime-induced neurotoxicity should be suspected in any patient on cefepime therapy who develops acute changes in mental status, myoclonus, or evidence of seizures. Risk factors for the disease include older age, renal dysfunction, critical illness, and inappropriate dosing based upon renal function. A high index of suspicion is required and delays in diagnosis are common as there are frequently multiple possible causes for altered mental status in systemically ill patients requiring treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics.
Robotic modelling of snake traversing large, smooth obstacles reveals stability benefits of body compliance.

Snakes can move through almost any terrain. Although their locomotion on flat surfaces using planar gaits is inherently stable, when snakes deform their body out of plane to traverse complex terrai...
Abstract P2-10-01: The genomic landscape of breast cancer in African American women

Background: According to several estimates, African American women are 40% more likely to die from breast cancer than white women in the United States. Proposed explanations for this disparity include differential socioeconomic factors and access to care, however some studies have raised the possibility that variation in tumor biology is a contributing factor. Methods: We prospectively sequenced primary and metastatic breast cancer tumors and their matched normal DNA using the MSK-IMPACT assay. We performed gene enrichment analyses to identify the oncogenic mutations and copy number alterations that were more frequent in patients who self-identified as African American or black (AA/B) compared with patients who self-identified as non-Hispanic white (NHW). Detailed clinicopathologic variables were collected for the full cohort. Mann-Whitney U test, Fisher’s exact test, and multivariate binomial regression models were used for statistical analyses. Results: Genomic profiling was performed on 339 tumors from 301 AA/B patients (44.6% metastatic), and 2,607 tumors from 2,248 NHW patients (48.5% metastatic). Age of AA/B and NHW patients at diagnosis was similar (51.5 vs. 52.8 years, p = 0.065). However, AA/B patients were more likely to be pre- or peri-menopausal at diagnosis (51.6 vs. 44%, p = 0.013), have triple-negative disease (26.5 vs. 13%, p 10, 0.9% vs. 0.5%; p = 0.44). Conclusions: In this large clinico-genomic analysis, as previously reported, AA/B patients were more likely to have the clinical hallmarks of aggressive disease, as defined by triple-negative subtype, higher stage, and premenopausal status at diagnosis. Our analysis demonstrated trends towards enrichment for some of the genomic alterations previously identified to be associated with poor outcome in the AA/B population, however, after controlling for the aforementioned clinical factors, breast cancer in AA/B did not differ significantly from breast cancer in NHW in terms of their driver genomic alterations, MSI or tumor mutation burden. Further studies are required to fully characterize the genomics of breast cancer in AA/B women, which may play a role in larger efforts to equalize the disparities observed in this population. Citation Format: Cristian Serna-Tamayo, Joshua Z Drago, Carlos Dos Anjos, Joshua Herbert, Fresia Pareja, Shanu Modi, Komal Jhaveri, Chau Dang, David B Solit, Larry Norton, Mauricio Scaltriti, Jorge S Reis-Filho, Sarat Chandarlapaty, Mark E. Robson, Pedram Razavi. The genomic landscape of breast cancer in African American women [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-10-01.
Development and validation of the English version of the Moral Growth Mindset measure

Background : Moral Growth Mindset (MGM) is a belief about whether one can become a morally better person through efforts. Prior research showed that MGM is positively associated with promotion of moral motivation among adolescents and young adults. We developed and tested the English version of the MGM measure in this study with data collected from college student participants. Methods : In Study 1, we tested the reliability and validity of the MGM measure with two-wave data ( N = 212, Age mean = 24.18 years, SD = 7.82 years). In Study 2, we retested the construct validity of the MGM measure once again and its association with other moral and positive psychological indicators to test its convergent and discriminant validity ( N = 275, Age mean = 22.02 years, SD = 6.34 years). Results : We found that the MGM measure was reliable and valid from Study 1. In Study 2, the results indicated that the MGM was well correlated with other moral and positive psychological indicators as expected. Conclusions : We developed and validated the English version of the MGM measure in the present study. The results from studies 1 and 2 supported the reliability and validity of the MGM measure. Given this, we found that the English version of the MGM measure can measure one’s MGM as we intended.
Impact of decreasing hydraulic retention times on the specific affinity of methanogens and their community structures in an anaerobic membrane bioreactor process treating low strength wastewater.

Abstract Maximum specific growth rate (μmax) and substrate saturation constant (Ks) are widely used in determining the growth of microorganisms. The ratio (μmax/Ks), also referred to as specific affinity, aA0, is a better parameter to assess the advantage in competition for substrates by bridging microbial growth and the kinetics of enzymatic substrate uptake, but is not well studied. This study investigated the effect of hydraulic retention time (HRT) on the aA0 of anaerobic sludge from an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR), associated microbial communities and the overall wastewater treatment performance. The AnMBR was fed with acetate wastewater (~500 mg COD/L) and operated at fixed solids retention time (45 d) while HRT continued to decrease. There was no significant difference in Ks (ranging from 170 to 243 mg COD/L) at different HRTs. However, aA0 increased from (4.0 ± 0.2) × 10−4 to (4.9 ± 0.2) × 10−4 and to (6.5 ± 0.1) × 10−4 L/mg COD/d as HRT decreased from 24 h to 12 h and further to 6 h, respectively. This was accompanied by the increase in acetoclastic methanogens (mainly Methanosaeta) from 3.85 × 1010, 8.82 × 1010 to 1.05 × 1011 cells/L, respectively. The fraction of Methanosaeta in the anaerobic biomass increased from 33.67% to 61.08% as HRT decreased from 24 h to 6 h. Correspondingly, effluent quality was improved, as evidenced from the COD concentrations of 32 ± 6, 21 ± 4, and 13 ± 5 mg/L at the HRTs of 24 h, 12 h, and 6 h, respectively. The results confirm that microorganisms are able to adapt to growth conditions by adjusting their kinetic properties and suggest that short HRTs in the AnMBR favor the growth and accumulation of Methanosaeta with high specific affinity likely because they can compete for acetate at low concentrations by increasing substrate uptake rate and thus specific microbial growth rate.
Fairness does not imply satisfaction (student abstract)

Fair division is a subfield of multiagent systems that is concerned with object distribution. When objects are indivisible, the Maximin Share Guarantee (MMS) is a desirable fairness notion; however, it is not guaranteed to exist. While MMS allocations may not always exist, a relaxation of MMS is guaranteed to exist. We show that there exists a family of instances for which this relaxation fails to guarantee the MMS value for all but a small constant number of agents.
Presidential Reorganization and the Politics of Public Agencies

Modern American public welfare agencies are the results of the continual reorganization of multiple agencies, departments, and programs. I develop four themes about the micro-foundations of reorgan...
MSCs-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Carrying miR-212-5p Alleviate Myocardial Infarction-Induced Cardiac Fibrosis via NLRC5/VEGF/TGF-β1/SMAD Axis

The purpose of the present study was to define the role of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the progression of myocardial infarction (MI)-induced cardiac fibrosis. An in vitro cell model of hypoxia-induced cardiac fibrosis was constructed in cardiac fibroblasts (CFs). miR-212-5p was poorly expressed in clinical pathological samples and animal models of cardiac fibrosis caused by MI, while miR-212-5p expression was enriched in EVs released from MSCs. EVs from MSCs were isolated, evaluated, and co-cultured with CFs. Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay revealed that miR-212-5p negatively targeted NLRC5 progression of cardiac fibrosis. Following loss- and gain-function assay, EVs expressing miR-212-5p protected against cardiac fibrosis evidenced by reduced levels of α-SMA, Collagen I, TGF-β1, and IL-1β. In vivo experiments further confirmed the above research results. Collectively, EVs from MSCs expressing miR-212-5p may attenuate MI by suppressing the NLRC5/VEGF/TGF-β1/SMAD axis.
Lifetime of autofluorescence: A novel method to determine murine skeletal muscle fiber types.

This work describes a simple way to identify fiber types in living muscles by fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM). We quantified the mean values of lifetimes derived from a two-exponential fit (τ1 and τ2) in freshly dissected mouse FDB and soleus muscles. While τ1 values did not change between muscles, the distribution of τ2 shifted to higher values in FDB. To understand the origin of this difference, we obtained maps of autofluorescence lifetimes in cryosections of both muscles and paired them with immunofluorescence images of myosin heavy chain isoforms (MHC), which allow identification of fiber types. In soleus, τ2 was 3.1 ns for type I (SEM = 0.009, n = 49), 3.4 ns for type IIA (SEM = 0.01, n = 30), and 3.3 ns for type IIX (SEM = 0.01, n = 21). In FDB muscle, τ2 was 3.17 ns for type I (SEM = 0.04, n = 18), 3.5 ns for type IIA (SEM = 0.03, n = 27), and 3.62 ns for type IIX (SEM = 0.03, n = 22). From the distribution of measures, it follows that an FDB fiber with τ2 >3.3 ns is expected to be of type II, and of type I otherwise. This simple classification method has first- and second-class errors estimated at 0.06 and 0.27, respectively. Studies in progress aim at further elucidating the reasons for the different lifetimes, not just among fiber types but between fibers of the same type in the two muscles. Preliminary results point at differences in both the oxidation-reduction and protein-bound versus free states of flavins as causes for the observed divergence of fluorescence lifetimes. Lifetime maps of autofluorescence therefore constitute a tool to identify fiber type that, being practical, fast, and noninvasive, can be applied in living tissue without compromising other experimental interventions.
User experience and motivation with engineering design challenges in general chemistry laboratory

Our career-forward approach to general chemistry laboratory for engineers involves the use of design challenges (DCs), an innovation that employs authentic professional context and practice to transform traditional tasks into developmentally appropriate career experiences. These challenges are scaled-down engineering problems related to the US National Academy of Engineering’s Grand Challenges that engage students in collaborative problem solving via the modeling process. With task features aligned with professional engineering practice, DCs are hypothesized to support student motivation for the task as well as for the profession. As an evaluation of our curriculum design process, we use expectancy–value theory to test our hypotheses by investigating the association between students’ task value beliefs and self-confidence with their user experience, gender and URM status. Using stepwise multiple regression analysis, the results reveal that students find value in completing a DC (F(5,2430) = 534.96, p < .001) and are self-confident (F(8,2427) = 154.86, p < .001) when they feel like an engineer, are satisfied, perceive collaboration, are provided help from a teaching assistant, and the tasks are not too difficult. We highlight that although female and URM students felt less self-confidence in completing a DC, these feelings were moderated by their perceptions of feeling like an engineer and collaboration in the learning process (F(10,2425) = 127.06, p < .001). When female students felt like they were engineers (gender x feel like an engineer), their self-confidence increased (β = .288) and when URM students perceived tasks as collaborative (URM status x collaboration), their self-confidence increased (β = .302). Given the lack of representation for certain groups in engineering, this study suggests that providing an opportunity for collaboration and promoting a sense of professional identity afford a more inclusive learning experience.
HSV-1 small non-coding RNA (sncRNA) 1 and 2 activate the Herpes virus entry mediator (HVEM) promoter.

HSV-1 latency associated transcript (LAT) plays a significant role in efficient establishment of latency and reactivation. LAT has antiapoptotic activity and downregulates expression of components of the Type I interferon pathway. LAT also specifically activates expression of the herpesvirus entry mediator (HVEM), one of seven known receptors used by HSV-1 for cell entry that is crucial for latency and reactivation. However, the mechanism by which LAT regulates HVEM expression is not known. LAT encodes two sncRNAs that are not miRNAs, within its 1.5 kb stable transcript, which also have antiapoptotic activity. These sncRNAs may encode short peptides, but experimental evidence is lacking. Here, we demonstrate that these two sncRNAs control HVEM expression by activating its promoter. Both sncRNAs are required for WT level of activation of HVEM and sncRNA1 is more important in HVEM activation than sncRNA2. Disruption of a putative start codon in sncRNA1 and sncRNA2 sequences reduced HVEM promoter activity, suggesting that sncRNAs may encode a protein. However, we did not detect peptide binding using two chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) approaches and a web-based algorithm predicts low probability that the putative peptides bind to DNA. In addition, computational modeling predicts that sncRNA molecules bind with high affinity to the HVEM promoter and deletion of these binding sites to sncRNA1, sncRNA2 or both reduced HVEM promoter activity. Together, our data suggests that sncRNAs exert their function as RNA molecules, not as proteins, and we provide a model for the predicted binding affinities and binding sites of sncRNA1 and sncRNA2 in the HVEM promoter. IMPORTANCE HSV-1 causes recurrent ocular infections, which is the leading cause of corneal scarring and blindness. Corneal scarring is caused by the host immune response to repeated reactivation events. LAT functions by regulating latency and reactivation, in part by inhibiting apoptosis and activating HVEM expression. However, the mechanism used by LAT to control of HVEM expression is unclear. Here, we demonstrate that two sncRNAs encoded within the 1.5 kb LAT transcript activate HVEM expression by binding to two regions of its promoter. Interfering with these interactions may reduce latency and thereby eye disease associated with reactivation.
The Drosophila SR protein RBP1 contributes to the regulation of doublesex alternative splicing by recognizing RBP1 RNA target sequences.

Abstract The SR proteins represent a family of splicing factors several of which have been implicated in the regulation of sex-specific alternative splicing of doublesex (dsx) pre-mRNA in Drosophila. The dsx gene is involved in Drosophila sex determination. We have identified two RNA target sequence motifs recognized by the SR protein RBP1 from Drosophila using an in vitro selection approach. Several copies of these RBP1 target sequences were found within two regions of the dsx pre-mRNA which are important for the regulation of dsx alternative splicing, the repeat region and the purine-rich polypyrimidine tract of the regulated female-specific 3' splice site. We show that RBP1 target sequences within the dsx repeat region are required for the efficient splicing of dsx pre-mRNA. Moreover, our studies reveal that RBP1 contributes to the activation of female-specific dsx splicing in vivo by recognizing the RBP1 target sequences within the purine-rich polypyrimidine tract of the female-specific 3' splice site.
Factors Associated with Clinician Intention to Address Diverse Aspects of Pain in Seriously Ill Outpatients

Background. Pain is a common, often undertreated problem among patients with palliative needs. Objectives. To evaluate clinician factors associated with intention to address diverse aspects of pain. Design. Clinicians reviewed a clinical vignette describing a frail elderly patient with advanced hormone-refractory metastatic prostate cancer, depression, and pain not on analgesic therapy. Clinicians were surveyed about their intentions for treatment. Participants. All 280 primary care and specialist clinicians working in 19 hospital and community-based primary care, oncology, and cardiology clinics at eight geographically dispersed sites in two large VA hospital systems. Main Measures. Endpoints were clinician intention to deliver guideline-concordant care: prescribe opioids/antidepressants, assess existential wellbeing, and offer mental health referral. Demographic and behavioral measures were evaluated in association with endpoints. Key Results. Of 208 (74%) responding practitioners, 189 were responsible for prescribing decisions. Of those, 86, 77, 75, and 69 were “very”/“somewhat likely” to prescribe opioids, antidepressants, refer to a mental health specialist, or assess existential wellbeing, respectively. Factors associated with greater intent to prescribe an opioid or antidepressant included female gender, being an attending physician, being a primary care clinician, and greater confidence in pain management skills. Greater trust in the validity of pain ratings was associated with intent to prescribe an antidepressant and assess existential wellbeing. Prescribing opioids was less likely if perceived as an administrative burden. Assessing existential wellbeing was less likely if time constraints were perceived a barrier to evaluating pain. Female gender was the only factor associated with intent to refer to a mental health specialist. Conclusions. Our findings suggest useful targets for improving pain management include bolstering clinician confidence in pain management and their trust in pain ratings.
Skin Color, Immigrant Wages, and Discrimination

Immigrant workers with darker skin color have lower pay than their counterparts with lighter skin color. Whether this pay penalty is due to labor market discrimination is explored using data from the New Immigrant Survey 2003 to estimate wage equations that control for skin color, sequentially taking into account a series of individual characteristics related to labor market productivity and personal background. These characteristics include Hispanic ethnicity, race, country of birth, education, family background, occupation in source country, English language proficiency, visa status, employer characteristics, and current occupation. The analysis finds that the labor market penalty to darker skin color cannot be attributed to differences in productivity and is evidence of labor market discrimination that arises within the U.S. labor market. The largest groups of post-1965 immigrants – those from Asia and Latin America – are penalized in the U.S. labor market for their darker skin color.
A 1.25mW 0.8–28.2GHz charge pump PLL with 0.82ps RMS jitter in all-digital 40nm CMOS

This paper presents a wide-operating range analog phase locked loop (PLL) constructed from all-digital integrated circuit (IC) process components. Specifically, this work introduces 2 cutting-edge, scalable analog circuit designs for a charge pump (CP) and a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO). The ultra-low power and highly accurate CP circuit uses 6 minimum-sized transistors, a small metal interconnect capacitor, and, unlike the state-of-the-art, no current mirrors. The ring VCO has a reconfigurable, expandable structure and is capacitively tunable allowing for an exceptionally large frequency operating range of 0.8 to 28.2GHz making it suitable for variety of wireless and wireline applications. The PLL has been fabricated in a TSMC 40nm all-digital CMOS process and physically tested with a 0.5–1.2V supply. The fabricated PLL has an area of 0.0048mm2, consumes a maximum of 1.25mW, and has a 0.82 ±0.0275ps RMS jitter over the entire operating range.
Some controls applications of sum of squares programming

We consider nonlinear systems with polynomial vector fields and present two algorithms based on sum of squares programming, that may answer system theoretic questions. The first algorithm provides a bound for the reachable set of a system driven by a unit-energy disturbance, while the second synthesizes a polynomial state feedback controller to enlarge the provable region of attraction. We also outline a variant of the second algorithm for handling systems with input saturation. Both algorithms are demonstrated using two-state nonlinear systems.
Natural Programming: Project Overview and Proposal

End-users must write programs to control many different kinds of applications. Examples include multimedia authoring, controlling robots, defining manufacturing processes, setting up simulations, programming agents, scripting, etc. The languages used today for these tasks are usually difficult to learn and are based on professional programming languages. This is in spite of years of research highlighting the problems with these languages for novice programmers. The Natural Programming Project is developing general principles, methods, and programming language designs that will significantly reduce the amount of learning and effort needed to write programs for people who are not professional programmers. These principles are based on a thorough analysis of previous empirical studies of programmers, as well as new studies designed to discover the most natural programming paradigms. Our proposed research is to extend these results, and apply them to different domains. The result will be new programming languages and environments that are demonstrably superior for users.
Trends in surgical management of proximal humeral fractures in the Medicare population: a nationwide study of records from 2009 to 2012

Background Surgical management of proximal humeral fractures has reportedly increased in recent years. Much of this growth relates to a growing elderly population, together with the introduction of modern implants, such as locking plates and, recently, introduction of reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA). This study evaluated trends in surgical management of proximal humeral fractures from 2009 to 2012 by analyzing the use of hemiarthroplasty (HA), RSA, and osteosynthesis (open reduction with internal fixation [ORIF]) within the Medicare patient population. Methods We retrospectively reviewed a comprehensive Medicare patient population database within the PearlDiver supercomputer (Warsaw, IN, USA) for proximal humeral fractures treated with HA, RSA, or ORIF. Total use, annual utilization rates, age, and gender were investigated. Results Within the study period, 32,150 proximal humeral fractures were treated operatively, with no significant change in annual volume ( P = .119). The percentage of fractures treated surgically decreased significantly from 16.2% to 13.9% ( P P P P = .164). The utilization rate of RSA nearly tripled for patients older than 65 years (11% to 29%) and doubled for patients younger than 65 (6% to 12%). Conclusion From 2009 to 2012, utilization rates of ORIF remained fairly constant. HA remains the most commonly used surgical treatment for proximal humeral fractures in the Medicare population, but its use has declined significantly. This decline has been offset by a corresponding increase in RSA.
Megalomaniac or Narcissist?: Re-examining the Leadership Style of Huey P. Long through Sport

Former governor (1928-1932) and U.S. senator (1932-1935) of Louisiana Huey P. Long has been described by contemporaries as a megalomaniac, demagogue, and skillful manipulator due to his immense drive for power and propensity for monument building. His involvement with the building campaign at the Louisiana State University, and in particular the sport and recreation venues housed on the campus (e.g., Tiger Stadium and the Huey P. Long Field House), serve as an exemplar of his willingness to construct large and ornate facilities that proudly support his name. By first reviewing the differences between megalomania and narcissism as distinct negative leadership styles and then combining that with a historical analysis of Long’s behaviors and various political and financial maneuvers involving sport before his death in 1935, this study suggests we should reposition Long’s leadership classification from a megalomaniac to narcissist.
Model-based troubleshooting for information survivability

To be survivable a system must be adaptable, able to respond to attacks and to achieve its goals. This paper considers one approach to adaptability, self-diagnosis and repair. We explore how ideas from the artificial intelligence community in model-based troubleshooting can be applied to this task and present a new method for self diagnosis which combines logical and statistical modeling and reasoning.
Centralization versus Decentralization.

Thirteen years ago, the American Political Science Association directed its attention to the changing relation between our national government and the states. One of the speakers discerned in the tendency toward aggrandizement of national power, manifestations of the principle that sovereignity, unprovided for in extant forms, seeks to embody itself in new forms. The signal incompetence of the states in dealing with economic questions, together with their mendicant attitude towards the national government, was seen as the cause of the transfer to national authority of control over currency supply, transportation rates and methods, and the seeming disposition to transfer control over all corporations. Other speakers called attention to the great increase of national power under the commerce clause and under the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution; and one, in a most thoughtful paper, openly challenged the federal system as established in this country, asserting that it showed disadvantages of increasing magnitude in comparison with a unitary system, and was out of harmony with the general environment of modern industrialism.
A Practitioner’s Guide to Prescribing Lamotrigine for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

We developed this lamotrigine guideline using drug prescribing ­information and reviewing the available literature on relevant neuropsychiatric disorders in populations without intellectual disabilities because of the dearth of available literature on the population with intellectual disabilities. This guideline includes indications; contraindications; assessments prior to and during treatment; dosing with particular focus on dosing modifications required by drug–drug interactions, or personal characteristics; and adverse drug reactions. The procedures contained in this guideline may not fully account for all of the possible risks of treatment in this population because of the limited studies available; thus, there will be a need to periodically update this guideline as new information becomes available. Nevertheless, we believe that this guideline provides a useful resource for clinicians who treat epilepsy or mood disorders in adult individuals with intellectual ­disabilities. A lamotrigine drug utilization review that summarizes this guideline is described.
Recent environmental changes inferred from the sediments of small lakes in Yellowstone's northern range

Recent sediments of eight small lakes in the northern winter range of Yellowstone National Park were cored to examine stratigraphic records of past changes in limnology and local environment that might be attributed to grazing and other activities of elk, bison, and other large ungulates. Cores of undisturbed sediment were analyzed at close intervals to depths covering the last 100–150 years according to chronologies established by lead-210 dating. Pollen analyses were made to show change in regional vegetation, and diatom and geochemical analyses were made to reveal possible limnological changes resulting from soil erosion and nutrient input from the lake catchments.
The electrical double layer of a disk-shaped clay mineral particle : Effects of Electrolyte properties and surface charge density

Abstract The purpose of present study was to investigate, using a disk model, the effects of charge density and 1–1 electrolyte properties on the diffuse portion of the electrical double layer near a 2:1 clay mineral particle. Numerical solutions for the inner potential and anion exclusion volume were obtained by solving a Poisson–Boltzmann equation with varying parameter values for electrolyte ion radius, electrolyte concentration, basal plane charge density, and edge surface charge density. Although the negative electrostatic potential of the basal planes may spill over to dominate a positively charged edge surface at low electrolyte concentrations because of the typically large particle radius-to-thickness ratio, the simulation results suggested that the spillover effect diminishes with an increase in 1–1 electrolyte concentration. The electric potential surrounding the edge surface is more positive for large (0.4 nm) hard-sphere electrolyte ions than for small (0.2 nm) or point-charge ions. Reducing the basal plane charge density does not significantly affect the anion exclusion volume over a wide range of electrolyte concentration. A highly positive edge surface, however, may spill over to dominate the basal plane and thereby adsorb significant amounts of anions at low electrolyte concentrations. The disk model predictions of anion adsorption or exclusion behavior for 2:1 clay mineral particles were consistent with available experimental observations.
Low-temperature electrodeposition of the high-temperature cubic polymorph of bismuth(III) oxide

Abstract Nanocrystalline films of δ-Bi 2 O 3 were electrodeposited at 65°C directly from alkaline solutions of tartrate-complexed Bi(III). This face-centered-cubic polymorph of Bi 2 O 3 is normally only stable at high temperatures (729–825°C). The material has the highest known oxide ion mobility. We propose that the high temperature form of the oxide is stabilized due to the nanocrystalline (70 nm) size of the particles in the film. The oxide also deposits epitaxially onto a single-crystal Au(110) substrate with strong in-plane and out-of-plane orientation. The large lattice mismatch (35.4%) is accommodated by forming a coincidence lattice, in which the δ-Bi 2 O 3 is rotated 90° relative to the Au (110) substrate. The epitaxial relationship between film and substrate may also serve to stabilize the high-temperature structure.
1H, 13C and 15N resonance assignments of a ribonucleoprotein complex consisting of Prp24-RRM2 bound to a fragment of U6 RNA

Saccharomyces cerevisiae Prp24 is an essential RNA binding protein involved in pre-mRNA splicing. Nearly complete backbone and side chain resonance assignments have been obtained for the second RNA recognition motif (RRM) of Prp24 (RRM2, residues M114-E197) both in isolation and bound to a six nucleotide fragment of U6 RNA (AGAGAU). In addition, nearly complete backbone assignments have been made for a Prp24 construct spanning the second and third RRMs (RRM23, residues M114-K290), both free and bound to AGAGAU.
Latency-optimizing file splitting for transmission over a large multi-hop network

We consider the problem of latency-optimizing file splitting for transmission over a large multi-hop network. We utilize recent results from random matrix theory to analytically express the latency distribution as a function of the relevant network parameters and the file size. The resulting minimax problem can be solved using standard nonlinear programming techniques for a variety of latency metrics. We illustrate the reduction in latency obtained using our technique, relative to some commonly-used heuristics, in the large-file-large-multi-hop network setting and highlight the role of random matrix theory in realizing the resulting performance gains.
A stable and reproducible transformation system for the wetland monocot Juncus accuminatus (bulrush) mediated by Agrobacterium tumefaciens

A highly reproducible Agrobacterium-mediated transformation system was developed for the wetland monocot Juncus accuminatus. Three Agrobacterium tumefaciens binary plasmid vectors, LBA4404/pTOK233, EHA105/pCAMBIA1201, and EHA105/pCAMBIA1301 were used. All vectors contained the 35SCaMV promoter driven, intron containing, β-glucuronidase (gus), and hygromycin phosphotransferase (hptII) genes within their T-DNA. After 48 h of cocultivation, 21-d-old seedling derived calli were placed on medium containing timentin at 400 mg l−1, to eliminate the bacteria. Calli were selected on MS medium containing 40 or 80 mg l−1 hygromycin, for 3 mo. Resistant calli were regenerated and rooted on MS medium containing hygromycin, 5 mg l−1(22.2 μM) of 6-benzylamino-purine (BA) and 0.1 mg l−1(0.54 μM) of alpha-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), respectively. Seventy-one transgenic cell culture lines were obtained and 39 plant lines were established in the greenhouse. All the plants were fertile, phenotypically normal, and set viable seed. Both transient and stable expression of the gus gene were demonstrated by histochemical GUS assays of resistant calli, transgenic leaf, root, inflorescence, seeds, and whole plants. The integration of gus and hptII genes were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Southern analysis of both F0 and F1 progenies. The integrated genes segregated to the subsequent generation in Mendelian pattern. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the generation of transgenic J. accuminatus plants.
Application of Bayesian inference to characterize risks associated with low doses of low-LET radiation.

Improved risk characterization for stochastic biological effects of low doses of low-LET radiation is important for protecting nuclear workers and the public from harm from radiation exposure. Here we present a Bayesian approach to characterize risks of stochastic effects from low doses of low-LET radiation. The stochastic effect considered is neoplastic transformation of cells because it relates closely to cancer induction. We have used a published model of neoplastic transformation called NEOTRANS1. It is based on two different classes of cellular sensitivity for asynchronous, exponentially growing populations (in vitro). One sensitivity class is the hypersensitive cell; the other is the resistant cell. NEOTRANS1 includes the effects of genomic damage accumulation, DNA repair during cell cycle arrest, and DNA misrepair (non-lethal repair errors). The model-associated differential equations are solved for conditions of in vitro irradiation at a fixed rate. Previously published solutions apply only to high dose rates and were incorrectly assumed to apply to only high-LET radiation. Solutions provided here apply to any fixed dose rate and to both high-and low-LET radiations. Markov chain Monte Carlo methods are used to carry out the Bayesian inference of the low-dose risk for neoplastic transformation of aneuploid C3H 10T1/2 cells for X-ray doses from 0 to 1000 mGy. We have assumed that for this low-dose range only the hypersensitive fraction of the cells are affected. Our results indicate that the initial slope of the risk vs dose relationship for neoplastic transformation is as follows: (1) directly proportional to the fraction, f 1, of hypersensitive cells; (2) directly proportional to the radiosensitivity of the genomic target; and (3) inversely proportional to the rate at which hypersensitive cells with radiation-induced damage are committed to undergo correct repair of genomic damage. Further, our results indicate that very fast molecular events are associated with the commitment of cells to the correct repair pathway. Results also indicate a relatively large probability for misrepair that leads to genomic instability. Our results are consistent with the view that for very low doses, dose rate is not an important variable for characterizing low-LET radiation risks so long as age-related changes in sensitivity do not occur during irradiation.
PGE2 induces c-fos expression by a cAMP-independent mechanism in glomerular mesangial cells

Prostanoids induce expression of several immediate-early genes, but the molecular mechanisms underlying these responses remain poorly characterized. We studied induction of the proto-oncogene c-fos by PGE2 in mesangial cells as a model of gene regulation by prostanoids. PGE2 induced marked and transient accumulation of c-fos mRNA. Addition of exogenous 8-bromo-cAMP or forskolin failed to induce c-fos mRNA, suggesting that activation of an EP2 receptor linked to adenylate cyclase did not account for induction of c-fos by PGE2. These data contrast with previous experiments in NIH 3T3 cells in which PGE2 induced c-fos by a cAMP-dependent mechanism. Depletion of protein kinase C blocked induction of c-fos mRNA by PGE2, whereas a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor had no effect. We further showed that PGE2 induces the c-fos gene by increasing the transactivating capacity of the serum-response element. Transient transfections with a CAT fusion gene driven by an AP-1 cis-element demonstrated that although PGE2 markedly induced c-fos, PGE2 did not increase AP-1-driven transcriptional responses. Electrophoretic gel mobility shift assays revealed that PGE2 failed to increase binding of AP-1 complexes to a consensus AP-1 DNA sequence. Taken together, these experiments provide evidence for a cAMP-independent, protein kinase C-dependent pathway linking a PGE2 receptor on the plasma membrane to transcriptional activation in the nucleus. Regulation of gene transcription by PGE2 probably involves c-fos induction without concomitant activation of AP-1.
Effects of fungicides on a mycophagous coccinellid may represent integration failure in disease management.

Abstract The adults and larvae of halyziine coccinellids (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Halyziini) are obligate mycophages on hyphae and conidia of powdery mildew (PM) (Erysiphales) fungi, that are plant pathogens warranting chemical control in many managed systems. These insects have been observed to reduce PM severity through consumption. Fungicide applications, however, may interfere with this ecological service. Five commercial fungicides were topically applied to the mycophagous coccinellid, Psyllobora vigintimaculata, in the laboratory to gauge contact toxicity. In order to detect interference in the field, population density of naturally occurring P. vigintimaculata was assessed weekly in a northern California vineyard (Vitis vinifera, cultivar “Chardonnay”) over 3 years in relation to PM (Erysiphe necator) severity and in the presence of various fungicides. Wettable sulfur was toxic to adults in the laboratory, resulting in complete cohort mortality 24 h after application. Topical applications of a strobilurin fungicide (trifloxystrobin) and a demethylation inhibitor fungicide (myclobutanil) also resulted in significant adult mortality. Rapid and complete larval mortality was observed in the laboratory after contact with wettable sulfur and myclobutanil. There was no effect on survival after contact with the PM-antagonistic bacterium, Bacillus subtilis. Vineyard density of P. vigintimaculata was reduced in vines receiving applications of sulfur and myclobutanil, even when considering the covariate PM severity. The microbial antagonist, Streptomyces lydicus, did not significantly affect insect density. Our study questions the integration of chemical disease management with naturally occurring mycophagous agents in some agricultural systems.
Observation of association in a ferromagnetic colloid

Abstract A study of the transmission and scattering of light by a colloidal suspension of magnetite is made. The study indicates that the interaction of the colloidal particles in an applied magnetic field causes chains or needles to form that are large enough to be observed with an optical microscope. Microscopic observation confirms the existence of the needles and the significance of the present work for future studies is briefly discussed.
Synthesis and liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometric characterization of the adducts of bisphenol A o-quinone with glutathione and nucleotide monophosphates.

An environmental, estrogen-like substance, bisphenol A (BPA), is the monomer for the production of polycarbonate plastics used in baby bottles, dental sealants, and as a major component of epoxy resin for the lining of food cans. The oxidation of BPA leads to the reactive electrophilic BPA-o-3,4-quinone (BPA-Q), which can damage DNA and may be implicated in cancer initiation. BPA-Q reacts in vitro with 2‘-deoxyguanosine 5‘-phosphate (dGMP) and 2‘-deoxyadenosine 5‘-phosphate (dAMP) but not with 2‘-deoxycytidine-5‘-phosphate and 2‘-deoxythymidine 5‘-phosphate. In aqueous acetic acid, BPA-Q also reacts with 2‘-deoxyguanosine (dG) and 2‘-deoxyadenosine (dA) but not with 2‘-deoxycytidine and 2‘-deoxythymidine. The reactions are accompanied by loss of the modified base (depurination). We determined the structures of the modified bases by primarily tandem mass spectrometry. In mixtures of deoxynuclesides and deoxynucletides treated with BPA-Q, reactions occur more readily with dGMP/dG followed by dAMP/dA. With c...
The rate of falloff of Ising model correlations at large temperature

We recover results of Abraham and Kunz and Paes-Leme on falloff of Ising model correlations at high temperature by using nothing more than high-temperature diagrams.