cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The pig as the donor of pancreatic islets for men.

The promising results obtained using the “Edmonton protocol” for human islet transplantation has resulted in increased interest and growth of various clinical and basic science programs worldwide. Despite these encouraging results two major drawbacks remain: first, the immunosuppressive regimen necessary to prevent the rejection of this allotransplant dramatically affects the lifestyle of the treated patients precluding its implementation in younger diabetic individuals. Second, there continues to be an inadequate amount of islet tissue available to fulfill the needs of an increasing population of diabetic patients possibly interested in receiving this type of treatment. Besides the limited number of cadaveric organ donors, the current procedure used to isolate islets from their pancreata activates metabolic processes that promote the loss of β cells in the islets. Thus, it becomes necessary to use more than one donor for a single recipient. To fulfill the continuously growing need for more transplantable islets, an immediately available, unlimited source of islets may be found in animals, which are able to produce a type of insulin that is very similar to the human one, and carry islets in quantities that may satisfy the metabolic requirements of diabetic patients: the pigs.
Effects of the Normal Flora on Host Defenses Against Microbial Invasion

It is well recognized that the normal microbial flora contributes to the defense of the host by virtue of its competition with or its suppression of invading microorganisms, particularly within the gastrointestinal tract (1, 2). What is less well recognized is that the resident flora may also contribute to the defense of the host by virtue of its direct impact on host tissues, apart from any ecological effect on other microorganisms. This sort of direct effect on the host is the topic of the present communication, which traces the background of some of the work in this area, and presents examples of this direct effect on host defenses both within the habitat of the flora, as in the gastrointestinal tract, and beyond.
Interoperability between phenotypes in research and healthcare terminologies—Investigating partial mappings between HPO and SNOMED CT

Identifying partial mappings between two terminologies is of special importance when one terminology is finer-grained than the other, as is the case for the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO), mainly used for research purposes, and SNOMED CT, mainly used in healthcare. To investigate and contrast lexical and logical approaches to deriving partial mappings between HPO and SNOMED CT. 1) Lexical approach—We identify modifiers in HPO terms and attempt to map demodified terms to SNOMED CT through UMLS; 2) Logical approach—We leverage subsumption relations in HPO to infer partial mappings to SNOMED CT; 3) Comparison—We analyze the specific contribution of each approach and evaluate the quality of the partial mappings through manual review. There are 7358 HPO concepts with no complete mapping to SNOMED CT. We identified partial mappings lexically for 33 % of them and logically for 82 %. We identified partial mappings both lexically and logically for 27 %. The clinical relevance of the partial mappings (for a cohort selection use case) is 49 % for lexical mappings and 67 % for logical mappings. Through complete and partial mappings, 92 % of the 10,454 HPO concepts can be mapped to SNOMED CT (30 % complete and 62 % partial). Equivalence mappings between HPO and SNOMED CT allow for interoperability between data described using these two systems. However, due to differences in focus and granularity, equivalence is only possible for 30 % of HPO classes. In the remaining cases, partial mappings provide a next-best approach for traversing between the two systems. Both lexical and logical mapping techniques produce mappings that cannot be generated by the other technique, suggesting that the two techniques are complementary to each other. Finally, this work demonstrates interesting properties (both lexical and logical) of HPO and SNOMED CT and illustrates some limitations of mapping through UMLS.
SDSLc: a multi-target domain-specific compiler for stencil computations

Stencil computations are at the core of applications in a number of scientific computing domains. We describe a domain-specific language for regular stencil computations that allows specification of the computations in a concise manner. We describe a multi-target compiler for this DSL, which generates optimized code for GPUa, FPGAs, and multi-core processors with short-vector SIMD instruction sets, considering both low-order and high-order stencil computations. The hardware differences between these three types of architecture prompt different optimization strategies for the compiler. We evaluate the domain-specific compiler using a number of benchmarks on CPU, GPU and FPGA platforms.
Is intermittent exotropia a curable condition

Surgical treatment of childhood intermittent exotropia (XT) is associated with high recurrence rates. In addition, the natural history of intermittent XT has not been rigorously studied and, anecdotally, some cases resolve without surgery. We compared long-term cure rates in children with surgically and non-surgically managed intermittent XT. Children undergoing surgery for intermittent XT who had 5 years follow-up were retrospectively identified. A non-surgical cohort of comparable children was selected by matching each surgical patient for age at onset and age at the 5-year examination. Cure was defined as no manifest tropia on examination or by history, no new monofixation (stereoacuity subnormal for age), and no additional surgery. Each group had 33 children (total follow-up from presentation 7.2±2.6 years in the surgical group vs 6.8±2.3 years). There were no significant differences between groups for age at onset, age at presentation, or distance or near angle of deviation at presentation (all P≥0.4). The cure rate at 5 years was 30% in the surgical group and 12% in the non-surgical group (P=0.1; difference 18%, 95% CI −1 to 37%). Only a small proportion of surgical and non-surgical patients met our definition of cure, with the vast majority demonstrating a constant or intermittent manifest deviation after an average of 7 years follow-up. In childhood intermittent XT, long-term cure is difficult to achieve with surgical intervention, and in some patients managed non-surgically the intermittent XT will spontaneously resolve.
Developing measures to audit welfare of cattle and pigs at slaughter

Since 1999, animal welfare auditing programmes that utilise five numerically scored core criteria have been used successfully by major restaurant chains to monitor animal welfare in slaughter plants. They had to achieve specific numerical scores in order to remain on the approved supplier list. The five numerically scored criteria (critical control points) are: i) Percentage of animals that fall down during handling; ii) Percentage of animals moved with an electric prod; iii) Percentage of cattle or pigs vocalising in the stunning box or restrainer; iv) Percentage of animals stunned effectively with one application of the stunner; and v) Percentage rendered insensible when hoisted to the bleed rail (has to be 100% to pass the audit). Audit data collected in 2010 by two restaurant companies in 30 beef plants, indicated that 77% of them effectively stunned 100 to 99% of the cattle with a single shot from a captive-bolt gun. All 30 plants passed the audit, which required 95% of more of the cattle stunned with one shot. In eight pork plants with electric stunning, the tongs were placed correctly on 100% of the pigs held in a V-conveyor restrainer. In 95% of the beef plants, and 86% of 25 pork plants, 0% of the animals fell during unloading, movement in the lairage and during handling in the stunning area. In 81% of the beef plants and 77% of the pork plants, 5% or less of the animals were moved with an electric prod. The percentage of cattle vocalising in the stun box and during movement into the stun box was 3% or less in all the plants except one. All scores are per animal, an animal is stunned correctly in the first shot, or not stunned correctly. It either vocalises or it is silent. A passing score is required on all five of the numerically scored core criteria. Due to financial and time constrains, the same auditor assesses both welfare and food safety. Workshops for training auditors last 1.5 days and include two plant visits.
Secondary amenorrhea, infertility and hirsutism.

When a woman stops menstruating, becomes infertile, and grows unsightly body or facial hair, she probably has an adrenal or ovarian lesion. These two types of neoplasms can cause similar signs and symptoms, as shown by the case report of an arrhenoblastoma presented here. Special studies will differentiate an adrenal from an ovarian source, but diagnosis can be made only at laparotomy.
Invisible (and Visible) Lobbying: The Case of State Regulatory Policymaking

Most lobbying is invisible, meaning that interest groups routinely contact government officials “off the public record.” While such lobbying is ubiquitous, whether and how it may affect public policy decision-making remains largely unknown. I theorize that lobbying that employs both invisible and visible tactics is the most influential. I study the development of 38 health-related regulatory policies in Wisconsin to assess this argument. I employ government records, survey data from more than 350 individuals, and interviews with 15 state policymakers. I find that invisible and visible lobbying—when performed in combination—are associated with greater regulatory policy change. From a normative perspective, these results are both reassuring and troubling. On one hand, the results suggest that invisible lobbying, on its own, rarely drives state regulatory policy shifts. Yet, on the other hand, those interested parties with the resources necessary to lobby across multiple modes are more likely to see policy c...
Strange Accounts Applying for the Department Chair Position and Writing Threats and Secrets “in Play”

This autoethnographic layered account makes use of Georg Simmel and Jacques Derrida’s theoretical frameworks to simultaneously examine my experience of applying for the chair position in my departm...
The Duffy Blood Group System in Transfusion Reactions: A Review of the Literature and Report of Four Cases

1. The literature on the incidence and inheritance of the "Duffy" blood group factors and their significance in blood transfusion and erythroblastosis fetalis is briefly reviewed. 2. Four new cases in which anti-Fya was detected are reported. 3. The necessity for the use of the Coombs’ compatibility test with a potent Coombs’ serum to prevent reactions due to anti-Fya is re-emphasized. 4. The inadequacy of a 15 minute incubation period for the Coombs’ compatibility test in certain cases is noted. 5. The desirability of specific identification of an antibody detected in a patient’s serum prior to transfusion whenever possible is suggested.
Frameworks for Reflective Practice

All professional inquiry can benefit from greater attention to information in the local clinical situation that may not be readily described by traditional assessment practices. General models of reality are needed to guide attention to information in the clinical situation that may be important but unspecified at any given point in time. Standard assessment practices associated with particular theories are special cases of this type of substantive model. For example, behavioral theories emphasize assessment of behavioral realities, cognitive theories emphasize cognitive realities, interpersonal theories emphasize the realities of interpersonal dynamics, and so on. However, none of these theories offer insights into the realms of information in specific situations not addressed directly by their concepts (e.g., assessment of local culture as it pertains to problematic cognitions and behavior). Here we introduce the notion of the heuristic framework as a tool for clarity and specificity in exploring both the known and the unknown, the knowable and the unknowable in the clinical situation.
Phase performance of an acousto-optic interferometric signal excisor

Multi-channel spatial light modulators are used to excise frequency bands of an RF signal in an optical processing system. An advantage realized in using an optical implementation is the minimal phase distortion introduced into the pass band when a narrow-band notch is implemented. Measured amplitude and phase transfer functions are presented for a 200 MHz bandwidth system with 1 MHz channels.
Tailoring Metal-Porphyrin-Like Active Sites on Graphene to Improve the Efficiency and Selectivity of Electrochemical CO2 Reduction

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations are performed to investigate the energetics of the CO2 electrochemical reduction on metal (M) porphyrin-like motifs incorporated into graphene layers. The objective is to develop strategies that enhance CO2 reduction while suppressing the competitive hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). We find that there exists a scaling relation between the binding energy of the catalyst to hydrogen and that to COOH, a key intermediate in the reduction of CO2 to CO; however, the M–H bond is stronger than the M–COOH bond, driving the reaction toward the HER rather than the reduction of CO2 to CO. This scaling relation holds even with axial ligation to the metal cation coordinated to the porphyrin ring. When 4f lanthanide or 5f actinide elements are used as the reactive center, the scaling relation still holds but the M–COOH bond is stronger than the M–H bond, and the reaction favors the reduction of CO2 to CO. By contrast, there is no scaling relation between the binding energy ...
High performance 0.1 /spl mu/m CMOS devices with 1.5 V power supply

This paper presents the design, fabrication, and characterization of high-performance 0.1 /spl mu/m-channel CMOS devices with dual n/sup +p/sup +/ polysilicon gates on 35 /spl Aring/-thick gate oxide. A 22 ps/stage CMOS-inverter delay is obtained at a power supply voltage of 1.5 V. The highest unity-current-gain frequencies (f/sub T/) measured are 118 GHz for nMOSFET, and 67 GHz for pMOSFET. >
Potential National Economic Benefits of the Food Insecurity and Nutrition Incentives Program of the U.S. Agricultural Act of 2014

The use of nutrition incentives in conjunction with federal nutrition benefits is intended in part to improve the diet of low-income consumers. The new program created by the U.S. Agricultural Act of 2014 is similar to the nutrition incentives that have been operated by select nonprofits and cities since the early part of the 2010s. The nutrition incentives as specified in the act will match redemptions of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and be used for purchasing only fruits and vegetables. In addition to the potential to provide health benefits, the proposed Food Insecurity and Nutrition Incentive Program may also create economic benefits. Extrapolations of data from a grassroots organization (Wholesome Wave) suggest that the economic benefits of the federal program are an estimated US$58–US$174 million per year, or 922–2,767 jobs per year, depending on how the program is implemented. The effectiveness and impact of the program hinges on the capacity of participating retail outlets, the size of the matching nutrition incentive, and the types of outlets where the SNAP nutrition incentives can be redeemed.
Abstract 1100: Functional genomics to investigate the genetic determinants of cell death induced by oxidative stresses

Increased oxidative stress in the tumor microenvironments is a prominent stress that many tumor cells need to cope with during oncogenesis. The stress depletes intracellular glutathione, increases reactive oxygen species, and finally triggers cell death in tumors. Despite its importance during oncogenesis, the genetic determinants and the cell death mechanisms under oxidative stress remain poorly defined. Here, we applied a genome-wide siRNA screen to oxidative-stress-induced cell death. Candidate genes were identified if the silencing could rescue cell death under oxidative stresses. The identified candidate genes are prioritized by the magnitude of rescue and the consistency among different siRNAs that target the same gene. Selected top hits were further functionally validated using independent siRNAs and chemicals in multiple cancer cell types. To further understand the functional aspects of these genes, we also analyzed the transcriptional and metabolomic response to oxidative stresses. By these functional genomics approach, we found that: 1) The Integrated Stress Response (ISR) is provoked by oxidative stresses to mediate cell death. Therefore, inhibition of IRE1-splicing activity, which is one of the major branches of ISR pathway, could abolish oxidative-stress-induced cell death. 2) Surprisingly, inhibition of multiple component of mTORC1 signaling, including mTOR itself, could rescue oxidative-stress-induced cell death. While further investigation is still in progress, these preliminary findings unravel a unique molecular process in which oxidative stress mediate cell death and the adaptive mechanism by which tumor cells survive these stresses. Citation Format: Chien-Kuang C. Ding, Xiaohu Tang, So Young Kim, Jen-Tsan A. Chi. Functional genomics to investigate the genetic determinants of cell death induced by oxidative stresses. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 1100. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-1100
Hohfeld and the Theory of in Rem Rights: An Attempted Mediation

Wesley Hohfeld’s contributions to analytical jurisprudence are often viewed — approvingly or otherwise — as having contributed to the disintegration of traditional concepts defining our understanding of property. Most strikingly, his 1917 treatment of rights in rem appears to insist that any description of property in terms of a relationship between an owner and an owned thing is analytically fallacious. In this essay, I seek to explain why Hohfeld’s approach fails to appreciate and account for the cognitive and normative utility of the in rem/in personam distinction, and suggest a way of reconciling the traditional understanding of those terms with Hohfeld’s analytical vocabulary.
LDP of System Identification under Mixing Observation Noises

Up to this point, the observation noises are assumed to be uncorrelated. In this chapter, we demonstrate that a much larger class of noise processes can be treated.
Organ Transplant Recipients and Critical Care Seizures

Seizures are an unusual and unexpected post-transplant complication but may have multiple potential etiologies including systemic and central nervous system infections, ischemic infarctions, malignancy, metabolic disturbances, and antirejection medication neurotoxicity. Some of these etiologies are more or less unique to the transplant population and must be reversed in order to prevent recurrent seizures. As with any patient, the first course of action is to confirm there has been a seizure by either a compelling history or EEG recording. A single seizure may result in aspiration and other unwanted medical complications and a short course of treatment with levetiracetam is advised. If there has been new major structural brain injury, seizures may become recurrent or refractory despite abortive therapies. The significance, evaluation, and treatment of seizures in the transplant population are reviewed in this chapter.
Financing Information Technologies: Function and Fairness

Information technologies - intellectual property and data - will often be a business's most valuable assets. Thus, a business could easily grant a security interest in its copyrighted software or its proprietary customer database under Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code (which has recently undergone a significant revision). Yet, we understand only vaguely how to treat such security interests, especially as against third parties asserting rights in the same collateral. Because information technology assets are uniquely mobile and infinitely replicable - think of Napster - third parties will almost always have rights in these assets, setting the stage for staggeringly complex disputes. For example, if the third parties are other creditors or a bankruptcy trustee of the debtor, the security interest will have priority in the debtor's software and database if the secured party has perfected its security interest. Unfortunately, perfecting a security interest in intellectual property has become a notoriously complex and unpredictable process. Secured parties that finance intellectual property often have been (unhappily) surprised to learn that their attempts to perfect security interests in copyrights, for example, have been preempted by federal law, leaving them subordinate to the debtor's bankruptcy trustee. Different rules apply to other forms of intellectual property, leaving us with no discernible principle governing the perfection of security interests in intellectual property. If, instead, the third parties are purchasers or licensees of the software or database, the secured party will have priority unless certain special rules apply to limit the security interest. Unfortunately, these special rules probably will not apply to intellectual property or data, in which case the security interest will continue long after these forms of information have left the debtor's computer. In either case, a secured party would have the right, on a debtor's default, to "take" the collateral and dispose of it to satisfy the debtor's obligations, even though the third party may have no direct relationship with the secured party - or even the debtor. I propose a functional solution to these problems, although I use the term "function" in two different ways. First, a functional approach would recognize that intellectual property law and Article 9 serve different purposes, and should therefore peacefully co-exist. Thus, a number of decisions to the contrary should be reconsidered. Second, a functional approach would limit the rights of secured parties as against third-party purchasers and licensees of information technology assets. As information technology comes to dominate our economy, it will function like tangible collateral - e.g., inventory, equipment or consumer goods - in which a secured party would often have limited rights. I propose that, as information technologies come to function like tangible collateral, we consider corresponding limits on the rights of secured parties.
Functional Cardiac Recovery and Hematologic Response to Chemotherapy in Patients With Light-Chain Amyloidosis (from the Stanford University Amyloidosis Registry).

Cardiac involvement is common in patients with light-chain (AL) amyloidosis and portends a poor prognosis, although little is known about the changes in cardiac mechanics after chemotherapy. We sought to explore the relation between amyloidosis staging and baseline cardiac mechanics and to investigate short-term changes in cardiac mechanics after chemotherapy. We identified 41 consecutive patients from the Stanford Amyloid Center who had echocardiograms and free light-chain values before and after chemotherapy, along with 40 age- and gender-matched controls. Echocardiographic assessment included left ventricular global longitudinal strain, E/e' ratio, and left atrial (LA) stiffness. Hematologic response to chemotherapy was defined as ≥50% reduction in the difference between the involved and the uninvolved free light chain (dFLC). The mean age was 66.9 ± 8.4 years and 66% were men. Before chemotherapy, global longitudinal strain, E/e' ratio, and LA stiffness were impaired in patients with amyloidosis compared with controls, and the severity of impairment worsened with advanced staging. After chemotherapy, hematologic response was observed in 30 (73%) patients. There was a significant association between the change in dFLC and cardiac function (E/e' ratio: r = −0.43, p = 0.01; LA stiffness: r = −0.35, p = 0.05). There was no significant improvement in cardiac mechanics in patients without a hematologic response to chemotherapy. In conclusion, amyloidosis stage correlated with noninvasive measurements of cardiac mechanics, and improvement in dFLC correlated with cardiac improvement on short-term follow-up echocardiography.
Nuclear jailbreak: DNA escapes and inflames

Cytosolic DNA sensors detect fragmented or damaged DNA that escapes the nucleus during cellular senescence or cancer and induces inflammation.
Biomimetic Platelet‐Camouflaged Nanorobots for Binding and Isolation of Biological Threats

One emerging and exciting topic in robotics research is the design of micro-/nanoscale robots for biomedical operations. Unlike industrial robots that are developed primarily to automate routine and dangerous tasks, biomedical nanorobots are designed for complex, physiologically relevant environments, and tasks that involve unanticipated biological events. Here, a biologically interfaced nanorobot is reported, made of magnetic helical nanomotors cloaked with the plasma membrane of human platelets. The resulting biomimetic nanorobots possess a biological membrane coating consisting of diverse functional proteins associated with human platelets. Compared to uncoated nanomotors which experience severe biofouling effects and hence hindered propulsion in whole blood, the platelet-membrane-cloaked nanomotors disguise as human platelets and display efficient propulsion in blood over long time periods. The biointerfaced nanorobots display platelet-mimicking properties, including adhesion and binding to toxins and platelet-adhering pathogens, such as Shiga toxin and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. The locomotion capacity and platelet-mimicking biological function of the biomimetic nanomotors offer efficient binding and isolation of these biological threats. The dynamic biointerfacing platform enabled by platelet-membrane cloaked nanorobots thus holds considerable promise for diverse biomedical and biodefense applications.
Social Network Analysis of peer-specific safety support and ergonomic behaviors: An application to safe patient handling

This study applied Social Network Analysis (SNA) to test whether advice-seeking interactions among peers about safe patient handling correlate with a higher frequency of equipment use. Patient-care workers (n=38) at a community hospital in Oregon nominated peers they would consult for advice regarding safe patient handling. Results show a positive correlation between identifying more peers for safe patient handling advice and using equipment more frequently. Moreover, nurses with more reciprocal advice seeking nominations used safe patient handling equipment more frequently. However, employees who would be more consulted about safe patient handling by their peers did not use equipment more frequently than nurses with fewer nominations. Despite the small sample size, the magnitude of the adjusted regressions coefficients ranged between 3 to 4 standard deviations. These results suggest that having more or reciprocal sources of peer-based support may trigger ergonomic related behaviors such as frequent utilization of equipment.
Toward a postmaterialist psychology: Theory, research, and applications

Abstract The majority of mainstream psychologists still adopt a materialist stance toward nature. They believe that science is synonymous with materialism; further, they are convinced that the view that mind and consciousness are simply by-products of brain activity is an incontrovertible fact that has been demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt. This is an incomplete view of what humans are. In this article, we review two categories of empirical evidence that support a shift toward a postmaterialist psychology. The first category of evidence includes mental events that seem to occur outside the spatial confines of the brain, whereas the second category includes mental events that seem to occur when the brain has ceased to function. Taken together, the two bodies of empirical evidence examined here indicate that the idea that the brain creates mind and consciousness is both incomplete and flawed. In the Discussion section, we argue that the transmission hypothesis of the mind-brain relationship can account for all the evidence presented in this article. We also discuss the emerging postmaterialist paradigm and its potential implications for the evolution of psychology.
Training clinicians to deliver group CBT to manage anxiety in youth with ASD: Results of a multisite trial.

OBJECTIVE Few guidelines are available regarding optimal training models for practitioners delivering cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety in youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The present study systematically compared 3 instructional conditions for delivering the Facing Your Fears program (FYF) to children with ASD and anxiety. METHOD Thirty-four clinicians (Mage = 34 years; 94% women, 88% Caucasian) and an intent-to-treat sample of 91 children with ASD and anxiety (Mage = 11; 84% male 53% Caucasian) met eligibility criteria across 4 sites. A 3-group parallel design via a Latin square procedure was used to randomize 9 teams of clinicians to 1 of 3 training conditions: Manual, Workshop, Workshop-Plus. The effectiveness of instructional condition was assessed via implementation (CBT knowledge, treatment fidelity) and treatment outcomes (reductions in anxiety as measured by the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule-Parent (ADIS-P). RESULTS Clinicians in both Workshop conditions significantly increased CBT knowledge postworkshop, F(1, 18) = 19.8, p < .001. Excellent treatment fidelity was obtained across conditions (above 89%), although clinicians in the Workshop conditions obtained significantly higher fidelity ratings and delivered FYF with greater quality than the Manual condition. Children with ASD demonstrated significant reductions in anxiety symptoms for three of the four anxiety diagnoses, with no differences noted across instructional condition. Rates of improvement were lower than those obtained in a previous controlled trial. CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that although there may be some advantage to participating in a Workshop, clinicians in all conditions could deliver FYF with excellent fidelity and yield positive treatment outcomes. Lack of a no-treatment comparison group limits interpretation of findings. (PsycINFO Database Record
Brief history of US debt limits before 1939

Between 1776 and 1920, the US Congress designed more than 200 distinct securities and stated the maximum amount of each that the Treasury could sell. Between 1917 and 1939, Congress gradually delegated all decisions about designing US debt instruments to the Treasury. In 1939, Congress began imposing a limit on the par value of total federal debt outstanding. By summing Congressional borrowing authorizations outstanding each year for each bond, we construct a time series of implied federal debt limits before 1939.
Social contracts for real moral agents: a synthesis of public reason and public choice approaches to constitutional design

Citizens in contemporary democratic societies disagree deeply about the nature of the good life, and they disagree just as profoundly about justice. In building a social contract theory for diverse citizens, then, we cannot rely as heavily on the theory of justice as John Rawls did. I contend that Rawlsian liberals should instead focus on developing an account of constitutional choice that does not depend on agreement about justice. I develop such an account by drawing on the contractarian approach to constitutional choice pioneered by public choice theorists, especially James Buchanan. With some modifications, public choice can help identify mutually justifiable constitutional rules based on the extent to which these constitutional rules produce appropriate laws under normal conditions. This new, synthetic approach to constitutional choice also helps to explain the moral significance of contractarian agreement for the public choice theorist.
Diseño de un plan estratégico para las PYMES del sector de bares y expendio de bebidas alcohólicas de la localidad de chapinero, Bogotá, para incrementar su competitividad y perdurabilidad

The project presents a description of the processes of implementation of a strategic plan for the economic sector of bars, taking into account findings in the field and highlighting the best strategies of some establishments Also, some issues within the bars, in order to find the main sources of risk that may affect them in the search for sustainability and competitiveness, were analyzed.
The Arrhythmia patient in the CCU - Impact of echocardiography

Echocardiography is an essential tool in patients with cardiac arrhythmias, particularly in the critical care environment. It plays an important role in the etiological assessment, prognosis, and risk stratification of patients with arrhythmias. In this chapter, we discuss the key role of echocardiography in the arrhythmic patient in the coronary care unit.
Pitch Perception: Dissociating Frequency from Fundamental-Frequency Discrimination

High-frequency pure tones (>6 kHz), which alone do not produce salient melodic pitch information, provide melodic pitch information when they form part of a harmonic complex tone with a lower fundamental frequency (F0). We explored this phenomenon in normal-hearing listeners by measuring F0 difference limens (F0DLs) for harmonic complex tones and pure-tone frequency difference limens (FDLs) for each of the tones within the harmonic complexes. Two spectral regions were tested. The low- and high-frequency band-pass regions comprised harmonics 6–11 of a 280- or 1,400-Hz F0, respectively; thus, for the high-frequency region, audible frequencies present were all above 7 kHz. Frequency discrimination of inharmonic log-spaced tone complexes was also tested in control conditions. All tones were presented in a background of noise to limit the detection of distortion products. As found in previous studies, F0DLs in the low region were typically no better than the FDL for each of the constituent pure tones. In contrast, F0DLs for the high-region complex were considerably better than the FDLs found for most of the constituent (high-frequency) pure tones. The data were compared with models of optimal spectral integration of information, to assess the relative influence of peripheral and more central noise in limiting performance. The results demonstrate a dissociation in the way pitch information is integrated at low and high frequencies and provide new challenges and constraints in the search for the underlying neural mechanisms of pitch.
Cells of NG2 lineage increase in glomeruli of mice following podocyte depletion.

Under certain circumstances, podocytes can be partially replaced following their loss in disease. The inability of podocytes to proliferate suggests that replacement derives from other cell types. ...
Exploring preferences beyond the (cereal) box: ready-to-eat breakfast cereal buying behaviors

Ready-to-eat breakfast cereals vary widely in terms of nutrition and price. The diversity in cereal offerings makes it ideal for the study of preferences for individual nutrients and the potential ...
Improving Adsorptive Performance of CaO for High-Temperature CO2 Capture through Fe and Ga Doping

Calcium oxide is an efficient adsorbent for high-temperature CO2 capture process, however, it suffers from rapid deactivation and capacity loss after a few cycles as a result of particle sintering....
Long-wave Infrared Megafilaments in Air

We demonstrate self-channeling of a terawatt picosecond CO2 laser beam in air. A single centimeter-diameter megafilament guiding multi-Joule pulse over ~35m is observed. This self-guiding is described by a novel nonlinear propagation and ionization model.
The Association between Maternal Race and Ethnicity and Risk Factors for Primary Cesarean Delivery in Nulliparous Women.

Objective To understand whether maternal, perinatal, and systems-level factors can be identified to explain racial/ethnic disparities in cesarean delivery rates. Study Design This retrospective cohort study included nulliparous women with singleton gestations who delivered at a tertiary care center from 2015 to 2017. Maternal, perinatal, and systems-level factors were compared by race/ethnicity. Multilevel multivariable logistic regression was used to identify whether race/ethnicity was independently associated with cesarean. Effect modification was evaluated using interaction terms. Bivariable analyses and multinomial logistic regression were used to determine differences in indication for cesarean. Results Of 9,865 eligible women, 2,126 (21.5%) delivered via cesarean. The frequency of cesarean was lowest in non-Hispanic white women (19.2%) and highest in non-Hispanic black women (28.2%; p Conclusion Examined maternal, perinatal, and systems-level risk factors for cesarean delivery did not explain the racial/ethnic disparities observed in cesarean delivery rates. Increased cesarean delivery for nonreassuring fetal status contributed substantially to this disparity.
Biomedical applications of electrical stimulation

This review provides a comprehensive overview on the biomedical applications of electrical stimulation (EStim). EStim has a wide range of direct effects on both biomolecules and cells. These effects have been exploited to facilitate proliferation and functional development of engineered tissue constructs for regenerative medicine applications. They have also been tested or used in clinics for pain mitigation, muscle rehabilitation, the treatment of motor/consciousness disorders, wound healing, and drug delivery. However, the research on fundamental mechanism of cellular response to EStim has fell behind its applications, which has hindered the full exploitation of the clinical potential of EStim. Moreover, despite the positive outcome from the in vitro and animal studies testing the efficacy of EStim, existing clinical trials failed to establish strong, conclusive supports for the therapeutic efficacy of EStim for most of the clinical applications mentioned above. Two potential directions of future research to improve the clinical utility of EStim are presented, including the optimization and standardization of the stimulation protocol and the development of more tissue-matching devices.
Burnout, Engagement, and Dental Errors Among U.S. Dentists.

Background Errors can happen during patient care, and some result in harm to the patient. Work place stress has been well established in dentistry, but its relation with errors in the delivery of patient care is less understood. The authors evaluated the relationship between burnout, work engagement, and self-reported dental errors among American dentists. Methods From May to August 2016, a national sample of American Dental Association member dentists were sent a validated, electronic survey assessing their levels of burnout, work engagement, and dental errors. Results Of the 391 responding dentists, 46.1% reported concern that they had made a dental error in the last 6 months, 12.1% of the dentists were informed by dental staff that they may have committed an error in the last 6 months, 16% were concerned that a malpractice lawsuit would be filed against them, and 3.6% were actively involved in a malpractice lawsuit. In the adjusted analysis, multivariate logistic regression showed that dentists with either high burnout risk were more likely to report concern over a perceived error within the last 6 months. Conclusions The results suggest that dental provider burnout is potentially a key predictor of reporting perceived dental errors. It is imperative that the dental profession continue to study the effects of work-related stress, develop professional practices that decrease burnout, and reduce errors. Practical implications Efforts that minimize the potential for burnout may help reduce the occurrence of errors and improve the quality of care provided to dental patients.
Comparative effectiveness and cost-efficiency of surgical approaches for thymectomy.

Abstract Background We compared the clinical outcomes and cost-efficiency of surgical approaches (sternotomy-open, video assisted thoracoscopic surgery, and robotic assisted thoracic surgery) for thymectomy. Methods This is a retrospective review of 220 consecutive patients who underwent thymectomy between January 1, 2007, and January 31, 2017. Surgical approach was determined by the surgeon, but we only included cases that could be resected using any of the 3 approaches. Results Open approach was used in 69 patients, whereas minimally invasive technique was used in 151 (97, video assisted thoracoscopic surgery; 54, robotic assisted thoracic surgery). Open surgery was associated with greater total hospital cost ($22,847 ± $20,061 vs $14,504 ± $10,845, P Conclusion Minimally invasive techniques were equally efficacious compared with the open approach in the resection of the thymus. Additionally, their use was associated with decreased hospital duration of stay and reduced cost. Hence the use of minimally invasive approaches should be encouraged in the resection of thymus.
An analysis of a closed COPD online health community: identifying information needs and credibility of sources

Online health communities (OHCs) have witnessed incredible growth over the past few years. Studies have explored communities related to cancer, diabetes, and other chronic diseases. However, few studies, have examined online communities focused on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This study investigates COPD360social.com, an online forum for COPD patients, to answer the following research questions: what health information do forum members need; what health information sources do they prefer, and how credible is the information exchanged on the forum? We found that most of the participants' reasons for posting on this site were to look for emotional support. This study indicates that COPD patients have health information needs and a monitored social health online community that is available to patients 24/7 answers questions that arise at the time of need.
Differing Activity Profiles of the Stereoisomers of 2,3,5,6TMP-TQS, a Putative Silent Allosteric Modulator of α7 nAChR

Many synthetic compounds to which we attribute specific activities are produced as racemic mixtures of stereoisomers, and it may be that all the desired activity comes from a single enantiomer. We have previously shown this to be the case with the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor positive allosteric modulator (PAM) 3a,4,5,9b-Tetrahydro-4-(1-naphthalenyl)-3H-cyclopentan[c]quinoline-8-sulfonamide (TQS) and the α7 ago-PAM 4BP-TQS. Cis-trans-4-(2,3,5,6-tetramethylphenyl)-3a,4,5,9b-te-trahydro-3H-cyclopenta[c]quinoline-8-sulfonamide (2,3,5,6TMP-TQS), previously published as a "silent allosteric modulator" and an antagonist of α7 allosteric activation, shares the same scaffold with three chiral centers as the aforementioned compounds. We isolated the enantiomers of 2,3,5,6TMP-TQS and determined that the (-) isomer was a significantly better antagonist than the (+) isomer of the allosteric activation of both wild-type α7 and the nonorthosterically activatible C190A α7 mutant by the ago-PAM GAT107 (the active isomer of 4BP-TQS). In contrast, (+)2,3,5,6TMP-TQS proved to be an α7 PAM. (-)2,3,5,6TMP-TQS was shown to antagonize the allosteric activation of α7 by the structurally unrelated ago-PAM B-973B as well as the allosteric activation of the TQS-sensitive α4β2L15'M mutant. In silico docking of 2,3,5,6TMP-TQS in the putative allosteric activation binding site suggested a specific interaction of the (-) enantiomer with α7T106, and allosteric activation of α7T106 mutants was not inhibited by (-)2,3,5,6TMP-TQS, confirming the importance of this interaction and supporting the model of the allosteric binding site. Comparisons and contrasts between 2,3,5,6TMP-TQS isomers and active and inactive enantiomers of other TQS-related compounds identify the orientation of the cyclopentenyl ring to the plane of the core quinoline to be a crucial determinate of PAM activity. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Many synthetic ligands are in use as racemic preparations. We show that one enantiomer of the TQS analog Cis-trans-4-(2,3,5,6-tetramethylphenyl)-3a,4,5,9b-te-trahydro-3H-cyclopenta[c]quinoline-8-sulfonamide, originally reported to lack activity when used as a racemic preparation, is an α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor positive allosteric modulator (PAM). The other enantiomer is not a PAM, but it is an effective allosteric antagonist. In silico studies and structural comparisons identify essential elements of both the allosteric ligands and receptor binding sites important for these allosteric activities.
Orbital Guidance Using Higher-Order State Transition Tensors

This paper derives the equations necessary to use state transition tensors (STTs) in a spacecraft guidance problem. The derivation includes all necessary equations up to the fourth-order expansions...
Full length RAG2 expression enhances the DNA damage response in pre-B cells.

Abstract V(D)J recombination by the RAG1 and RAG2 protein complex in developing lymphocytes includes DNA double strand break (DSB) intermediates. RAG2 undergoes export from the nucleus and enrichment at the centrosome minutes following production of DSBs by genotoxic stress, suggesting that RAG2 participates in cellular responses to DSBs such as those generated during V(D)J recombination. To determine the effect of RAG2 expression on cell viability following DSB generation, we measured pre-B cells that expressed either full length (FL) wild-type RAG2, or a T490A mutant of RAG2 that has increased stability and fails to undergo nuclear export following generation of DSBs. Each RAG2 construct was labeled with GFP at the N-terminus. Compared to the T490A mutant, cells expressing FL RAG2 exhibited elevated apoptosis by 24 h following irradiation, and this coincided with a greater amount of Caspase 3 cleavage measured in cell lysates. Pre-B cells expressing either RAG2 protein exhibited similar increases in phospho-p53 levels following irradiation. Interestingly, FL RAG2-expressing cells exhibited elevated division relative to the T490A clone beginning ~24 h following irradiation, as well as an increased percentage of cells proceeding through mitosis, suggesting an improved rate of recovery following the initial burst in apoptosis. Altogether, these data show that FL RAG2, but not its stable nuclear export-defective T490A mutant, participates in pre-B cell decisions between apoptosis versus DNA repair and cell cycle progression following DNA damage.
A metagenomic view of novel microbial and metabolic diversity found within the deep terrestrial biosphere

ABSTRACT The deep terrestrial subsurface is a large and diverse microbial habitat and a vast repository of biomass. However, in relation to its size and physical heterogeneity we have limited understanding of taxonomic and metabolic diversity in this realm. Here we present a detailed metagenomic analysis of samples from the Deep Mine Microbial Observatory (DeMMO) spanning depths from the surface to 1.5 km deep in the crust. From these eight geochemically and spatially distinct fluid samples we reconstructed ∼600 metagenome assembled genomes (MAGs), representing 50 distinct phyla and including 18 candidate phyla. These novel clades include many members of the Patescibacteria superphylum and two new MAGs from candidate phylum OLB16, a phylum originally identified in DeMMO fluids and for which only one other MAG is currently available. We find that microbes spanning this expansive phylogenetic diversity and physical space are often capable of numerous dissimilatory energy metabolisms and are poised to take advantage of nutrients as they become available in relatively isolated fracture fluids. This metagenomic dataset is contextualized within a four-year geochemical and 16S rRNA time series, adding another invaluable piece to our knowledge of deep subsurface microbial ecology.