cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Suicidal behavior during economic hard times

Background:Most research on suicide is quantitative, and qualitative research is needed to reveal how individuals subjectively experience and account for suicidal behaviors.Aims:The aim of this stu...
Numerical Study of Tsunami Generated by Multiple Submarine Slope Failures in Resurrection Bay, Alaska, during the MW 9.2 1964 Earthquake

We use a viscous slide model of Jiang and LeBlond (1994) coupled with nonlinear shallow water equations to study tsunami waves in Resurrection Bay, in south-central Alaska. The town of Seward, located at the head of Resurrection Bay, was hit hard by both tectonic and local landslide-generated tsunami waves during the M w 9.2 1964 earthquake with an epicenter located about 150 km northeast of Seward. Recent studies have estimated the total volume of underwater slide material that moved in Resurrection Bay during the earthquake to be about 211 million m3.
Characterization of Two Glutamate Decarboxylase cDNA Clones from Arabidopsis

Two distinct cDNA clones encoding for the glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) isoenzymes GAD1 and GAD2 from Arabidopsis (L.) Heynh. were characterized. The open reading frames for GAD1 and GAD2 were expressed in Escherichia coli and the recombinant proteins were purified by affinity chromatography. Analysis of the recombinant proteins by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblot analysis suggest that GAD1 and GAD2 encode for 58- and 56-kD peptides, respectively. The enzymatic activities of the pure recombinant GAD1 and GAD2 proteins were stimulated 35- and 13-fold, respectively, by Ca 2+ /calmodulin but not by Ca 2+ or calmodulin alone. Southern-blot analysis of genomic DNA suggests that there is only one copy of each gene in Arabidopsis. The GAD1 transcript and a corresponding 58-kD peptide were detected in roots only. Conversely, the GAD2 transcript and a corresponding 56-kD peptide were detected in all organs tested. The specific activity, GAD2 transcript, and 56-kD peptide increased in leaves of plants treated with 10 mmNH 4 Cl, 5 mm NH 4 NO 3 , 5 mm glutamic acid, or 5 mm glutamine as the sole nitrogen source compared with samples from plants treated with 10 mm KNO 3 . The results from these experiments suggest that in leaves GAD activity is partially controlled by gene expression or RNA stability. Results from preliminary analyses of different tissues imply that these tendencies were not the same in flower stalks and flowers, suggesting that other factors may control GAD activity in these organs. The results from this investigation demonstrate that GAD activity in leaves is altered by different nitrogen treatments, suggesting that GAD2 may play a unique role in nitrogen metabolism.
Hypoxia-Inducible Transcription Factor-1α Triggers an Autocrine Survival Pathway During Embryonic Cardiac Outflow Tract Remodeling

The cardiac outflow tract (OFT) of birds and mammals undergoes complex remodeling in the transition to a dual circulation. We have previously suggested a role of myocardial hypoxia and hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1 in the apoptosis-dependent remodeling of the OFT. In the present study we transduced recombinant adenovirus mediated HIF-1α in embryonic chick OFT myocardium to test its role in OFT remodeling. HIF-1α reduced the prevalence of apoptosis in OFT cardiomyocytes at stages 25 and 30 as determined by lysosome accumulation and Caspase-3 activity. Associated conotruncal defects included mal-rotation of the aorta and excessive infundibular myocardium. HIF-1 targets induced in these gain-of-function experiments included vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and stromal cell-derived factor (SDF)-1. To test the role of VEGF in this context, an adenovirus expressing secreted Flk1 (VEGFR2) that binds and blocks VEGF signaling was targeted to the OFT myocardium. This caused increased cell death in the OFT myocardium at stages 25 and 30. Associated conotruncal heart defects included mal-rotation of the aorta, defects in the subpulmonic infundibulum associated with a small right ventricle, and increased OFT mesenchyme with failure of semi-lunar valve formation. We conclude that hypoxia signaling through HIF-1 and VEGF provides an autocrine survival signal in the developing cardiac OFT, and perturbation in this pathway causes OFT defects that model congenital human conotruncal heart defects.
Preferential Infection of Mature Dendritic Cells by Mouse Hepatitis Virus Strain JHM

Mouse hepatitis virus strain JHM (MHV-JHM) causes acute encephalitis and acute and chronic demyelinating diseases in mice. Dendritic cells (DCs) are key cells in the initiation of innate and adaptive immune responses, and infection of these cells could potentially contribute to a dysregulated immune response; consistent with this, recent results suggest that DCs are readily infected by another strain of mouse hepatitis virus, the A59 strain (MHV-A59). Herein, we show that the JHM strain also productively infected DCs. Moreover, mature DCs were at least 10 times more susceptible than immature DCs to infection with MHV-JHM. DC function was impaired after MHV-JHM infection, resulting in decreased stimulation of CD8 T cells in vitro. Preferential infection of mature DCs was not due to differential expression of the MHV-JHM receptor CEACAM-1a on mature or immature cells or to differences in apoptosis. Although we could not detect infected DCs in vivo, both CD8(+) and CD11b(+) splenic DCs were susceptible to infection with MHV-JHM directly ex vivo. This preferential infection of mature DCs may inhibit the development of an efficient immune response to the virus.
K-ary n-cube based off-chip communications architecture for high-speed packet processors

A k-ary n-cube interconnect architecture is proposed, as an off-chip communications architecture for line cards, to increase the throughput of the currently used memory system. The k-ary n-cube architecture allows multiple packet processing elements on a line card to access multiple memory modules. The main advantage of the proposed architecture is that it can sustain current line rates and higher while distributing the load among multiple memories. Moreover, the proposed interconnect can scale to adopt more memories and/or processors and as a result increasing the line card processing power. Our results portray that k-ary n-cube sustained higher incoming traffic load while keeping latency lower than its shared-bus competitor
Autosomal suppressor gene for fragile-X: An hypothesis

We suggest the existence of an autosomal suppressor gene, S, which is fairly common in the general population and acts to inhibit expression of the fra(X) gene, F. The suppression is effective in males who are hemizygous for F only if they are homozygous for S, while it is effective in females who are heterozygous for F if they are at least heterozygous for S. Thus, the fra(X) phenotype is not expressed in genotypes F-SS, FfSS, FfSs, while it is expressed in genotypes F-Ss, F-ss, Ffss. With a frequency of SS in the general population of approximately 20%, this hypothesis can explain the observed penetrance of about 80% in F- males and about 30% in Ff females. It can also explain the very low frequency of fra(X) expression in Ff females who are daughters or mothers of non-penetrant F- males, and a lower penetrance in siblings of non-penetrant F- males than in grandsons of these males. The model is in good quantitative agreement with other unique characteristics of fra(X) inheritance.
A Mathematical Model of the Effects of Screen Size on Zooarchaeological Relative Abundance Measures

Abstract Zooarchaeologists have long recognized that the use of different sizes of screen in excavation can result in varying degrees of bias in faunal samples. This paper presents a graphical, mathematical representation of the ways in which screen size choice can affect measures of taxonomic relative abundance. Data from the site of Mogollon Village in southwestern New Mexico show that the rank order of samples along a measure of relative abundance like the Artiodactyl Index can vary with screen size. This occurs because specimens of a given taxon can respond to changes in screen size in different ways in different provenience units, a fact which also severely limits the utility of “correction factor” methods for dealing with screen size bias. The model presented here and the Mogollon Village fauna have important implications for studies based on temporal or spatial trends in the abundances of large-bodied taxa relative to small-bodied taxa, especially in cases where large mesh sizes or no screens at all were used in excavation.
INFERRING PURGING FROM PEDIGREE DATA

The harmful effects of inbreeding can be reduced if deleterious recessive alleles were removed (purged) by selection against homozygotes in earlier generations. If only a few generations are involved, purging is due almost entirely to recessive alleles that reduce fitness to near zero. In this case the amount of purging and allele frequency change can be inferred approximately from pedigree data alone and are independent of the allele frequency. We examined pedigrees of 59,778 U.S. Jersey cows. Most of the pedigrees were for six generations, but a few went back slightly farther. Assuming recessive homozygotes have fitness 0, the reduction of total genetic load due to purging is estimated at 17%, but most of this is not expressed, being concealed by dominant alleles. Considering those alleles that are currently expressed due to inbreeding, the estimated amount of purging is such as to reduce the expressed load (inbreeding depression) in the current generation by 12.6%. That the reduction is not greater is due mainly to (1) generally low inbreeding levels because breeders in the past have tended to avoid consanguineous matings, and (2) there is essentially no information more than six generations back. The methods used here should be applicable to other populations for which there is pedigree information.
Against the Odds: Breastfeeding Experiences of Low Income Mothers

This qualitative study asked low income mothers about their experiences of breastfeeding care in the health system and about integrating breastfeeding into their daily lives. Focus group interviews were conducted with urban and rural nursing mothers who participated in the WIC Program and were supported by breastfeeding peer counselors. Mothers said that helpful breastfeeding care providers knew correct information, established supportive personal relationships, referred women to breastfeeding specialists for problems, showed enthusiasm for nursing, and facilitated breastfeeding through concrete actions during the prenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum periods. Unhelpful providers missed opportunities to discuss breastfeeding, gave misinformation, encouraged formula supplementation, provided perfunctory or routine breastfeeding care, and were hard to contact when problems arose. Women valued their breastfeeding peer counselors for responding promptly to distress calls, making home visits, being knowledgeable about breastfeeding, providing hands-on assistance, and acting personal and caring. Incorporating breastfeeding into daily activities was a challenge for many mothers. Ambivalence about the physical bond of nursing, personal modesty, and getting on with life at home, work, or school were identified as important issues. Listening to the thoughts and experiences of low income nursing mothers can help health workers to provide more culturally sensitive, effective breastfeeding care to this population.
Consultation-Liaison 1980-90 — The Hawaii Experience

For half a century liaison psychiatry has been promoted as the way to integrate psychiatry into the whole of medicine.1 Liaison psychiatry could humanize medicine as well as increase its effectiveness and efficiency. Despite numerous citations documenting the effectiveness of liaison psychiatry,2,3,4 resistance to the approach on the part of physicians, including psychiatrists, has hampered development and remains widespread.5 Nevertheless, spurred by initiatives from the National Institute of Mental Health, liaison psychiatry made remarkable progress in the 1970’s. By 1980 almost all psychiatric residency training programs included consultation-liaison (C-L) in their curriculum.
A cultural-existential approach to therapy: Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology of embodiment and its implications for practice

Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenological philosophy provides the basis for a form of cultural-existential therapy. Through an examination of Merleau-Ponty’s analysis of the phantom limb and anosognosia, we develop a cultural-existential approach to “psychopathology” and its treatment. In the course of this analysis, ego-syntonic labels are seen in the light of culture-syntonic considerations, depth analysis is married to breadth analysis, empathic understanding is re-understood through a dialectical mode of understanding, medical and psychological analyses are recast within a cultural analysis, and being is resituated within a flesh ontology. Whereas a cultural-existential psychotherapy may compassionately rally around a therapy of situated individuals, it also calls for mindful attention to a therapeutics of culture.
Different Management Options for Transplant Ureteral Obstructions within an Inguinal Hernia

Ureteral obstruction secondary to an inguinal hernia with transplant ureteral component is an extremely rare entity with only several case reports found in literature. In all previously reported cases, management of the obstruction involved temporary drainage with ureteral stenting or nephrostomy tube placements followed by delayed definitive repair. We present two case reports, here one being the first one managed by immediate definitive repair via ureteral reimplant and herniorrhaphy and a second case by delayed definitive repair after percutaneous nephrostomy tube placement. Both patients continued to do well postoperatively with normalization of renal function on follow-up.
Community effects in regulation of translation

Certain forms of translational regulation, and translation itself, rely on long-range interactions between proteins bound to the different ends of mRNAs. A widespread assumption is that such interactions occur only in cis, between the two ends of a single transcript. However, certain translational regulatory defects of the Drosophila oskar (osk) mRNA can be rescued in trans. We proposed that inter-transcript interactions, promoted by assembly of the mRNAs in particles, allow regulatory elements to act in trans. Here we confirm predictions of that model and show that disruption of PTB-dependent particle assembly inhibits rescue in trans. Communication between transcripts is not limited to different osk mRNAs, as regulation imposed by cis-acting elements embedded in the osk mRNA spreads to gurken mRNA. We conclude that community effects exist in translational regulation.
Pricing a Protest: Forecasting the Dynamics of Civil Unrest Activity in Social Media.

Online social media activity can often be a precursor to disruptive events such as protests, strikes, and “occupy” movements. We have observed that such civil unrest can galvanize supporters through social networks and help recruit activists to their cause. Understanding the dynamics of social network cascades and extrapolating their future growth will enable an analyst to detect or forecast major societal events. Existing work has primarily used structural and temporal properties of cascades to predict their future behavior. But factors like societal pressure, alignment of individual interests with broader causes, and perception of expected benefits also affect protest participation in social media. Here we develop an analysis framework using a differential game theoretic approach to characterize the cost of participating in a cascade, and demonstrate how we can combine such cost features with classical properties to forecast the future behavior of cascades. Using data from Twitter, we illustrate the effectiveness of our models on the “Brazilian Spring” and Venezuelan protests that occurred in June 2013 and November 2013, respectively. We demonstrate how our framework captures both qualitative and quantitative aspects of how these uprisings manifest through the lens of tweet volume on Twitter social media.
Cost-Effectiveness of Improvements in Diagnosis and Treatment Accessibility for Tuberculosis Control in India

SETTING Inaccurate diagnosis and inaccessibility of care undercut the effectiveness of high-quality anti-tuberculosis treatment and select for resistance. Rapid diagnostic systems, such as Xpert(®) MTB/RIF for tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis and drug susceptibility testing (DST), and programs that provide high-quality DOTS anti-tuberculosis treatment to patients in the unregulated private sector (public-private mix [PPM]), may help address these challenges, albeit at increased cost. OBJECTIVE/DESIGN We extended a microsimulation model of TB in India calibrated to demographic, epidemiologic, and care trends to evaluate 1) replacing DST with Xpert; 2) replacing microscopy and culture with Xpert to diagnose multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) and non-MDR-TB; 3) implementing nationwide PPM; and combinations of (3) with (1) or (2). RESULTS PPM (assuming costs of $38/person) and Xpert improved health and increase costs relative to the status quo. PPM alone or with Xpert cost <1 gross domestic product/capita per quality-adjusted life-year gained relative to the next best intervention, and dominated Xpert interventions excluding PPM. CONCLUSIONS While both PPM and Xpert are promising tools for combatting TB in India, PPM should be prioritized over Xpert, as private sector engagement is more cost-effective than Xpert alone and, if sufficient resources are available, would substantially increase the value of Xpert if both interventions are implemented together.
Real-Time Acoustic Transmission Imaging Using Diffuse Insonification

In recent years there has been considerable progress in the development of real-time acoustic transmission imaging systems. Part of the attractiveness of transmission imaging lies in its orthographic image presentation, which, in form, resembles that obtained with x-ray fluoroscopy. The images are often more familiar than those obtained using B-scan techniques and are therefore more readily interpretable. In addition, because the images are formed by the attenuation properties of tissues, they may contain new and diagnostically significant information.
Functional genomics analysis of free fatty acid production under continuous phosphate limiting conditions

Free fatty acids (FFA) are an attractive platform chemical that serves as a functional intermediate in metabolic pathways for producing oleochemicals. Many groups have established strains of Escherichia coli capable of producing various chain-length mixtures of FFA by heterologous expression of acyl-ACP thioesterases. For example, high levels of dodecanoic acid are produced by an E. coli strain expressing the Umbellularia californica FatB2 thioesterase, BTE. Prior studies achieved high dodecanoic acid yields and productivities under phosphate-limiting media conditions. In an effort to understand the metabolic and physiological changes that led to increased FFA production, the transcriptome of this strain was assessed as a function of nutrient limitation and growth rate. FFA generation under phosphate limitation led to consistent changes in transporter expression, osmoregulation, and central metabolism. Guided by these results, targeted knockouts led to a further ~11 % in yield in FFA.
Regulation of Focal Adhesion Kinase through a Direct Interaction with an Endogenous Inhibitor

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) plays a key role in integrin and growth factor signaling pathways. FAK-related non-kinase (FRNK) is an endogenous inhibitor of FAK that shares its primary structure with the C-terminal third of FAK. FAK S910 phosphorylation is known to regulate FAK protein–protein interactions, but the role of the equivalent site on FRNK (S217) is unknown. Here we determined that S217 is highly phosphorylated by ERK in cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cells. Blocking phosphorylation by mutation (S217A) greatly increased FRNK inhibitory potency, resulting in strong inhibition of FAK autophosphorylation at Y397 and induction of smooth muscle cell apoptosis. FRNK has been proposed to compete for FAK anchoring sites in focal adhesions, but we did not detect displacement of FAK by WT-FRNK or superinhibitory S217A-FRNK. Instead, we found FRNK interacted directly with FAK, and this interaction is markedly strengthened for the superinhibitory S217A-FRNK. The results suggest that FRNK limits growth and...
Analyst Workload and Information Production: Evidence from IPO Assignments

I examine how changes in analyst workload affect analyst information production. During periods when analysts are working on IPOs, the quality of their research declines for the non-IPO firms they cover at the same time. Consistent with increased workload reducing analyst information production, analysts' forecasts during these periods deviate less from their own prior forecasts and the forecasts of their peers. The reduction in research quality is particularly large among less important portfolio firms. Lastly, I provide evidence that reductions in research quality from IPO-assigned analysts has real effects: increases in analyst workload lead to increases in firm-level information asymmetry.
An Invitation to Rhetoric: A Generative Dialogue on Performance, Possibility, and Feminist Potentialities in Invitational Rhetoric:

This performative essay uses the anticipated 25th anniversary of Sonja Foss and Cindy Griffin’s essay, “Beyond Persuasion: A Proposal for an Invitational Rhetoric,” as a pivot point to explore the ...
Listening with imagination: Is music representational?

Le contraste entre la musique et les fictions litteraires et picturales est apparent. Cependant les experiences de l'auditeur sont riches en sensation imaginaire. Peut-on alors attribuer une part de fiction aux oeuvres musicales?
Faculty workload assessment: a case study.

Background Because of the increasing work demands posed by the new supervisory requirements of IL 372, coupled with budget constraints resulting from decreasing external grant funding and shrinking practice revenues, departments must weigh workplace needs against faculty resources. Following a period of faculty shortage, the Department of Family Medicine at East Carolina University expected to achieve balance in staffing its department's clinical services, teaching obligations, and scholarly activities once additional faculty were hired. While relief from work obligations was noted once new hires were in place, there remained inadequate faculty to meet all the identified demands of the department. Methods To deal with this dilemma, a new approach was created to assess workforce availability and workload demands. Instead of assuming faculty availability based on an average daily or monthly schedule, an actual assessment of faculty availability and workload demands was performed. The method calculated the actual availability and work demands using weeks per year as the unit of measure, i.e., I half day per week of precepting requires 5.2 faculty weeks per year, and an average full-time faculty member is available 45 work weeks per year when vacation, national holidays, and departmental/educational leave time is accounted for. By calculating total weeks of departmental work demands and comparing to faculty availability, a true number of faculty members needed by a department can be accurately determined. Results During the period in question at East Carolina University, a comparison of work demands and faculty availability revealed that the department needed 2.8 additional faculty to cover the existing work requirements. If time were provided for leadership/management, research, and other administrative activities, then the actual need was for 8.25 additional faculty members. Conclusions To meet the increasing time demands on faculty in academic medical centers, departments need to have an accurate accounting of both workforce availability and work demands. The faculty workload assessment model described in this report can be used to generate such an accounting.
Right Axillary Artery Conduit Is a Safe and Reliable Access for Implantation of Impella 5.0 Microaxial Pump.

Background Impella 5.0 is a powerful mechanical circulatory support device placed into the left ventricle of patients in cardiogenic shock not responding to pharmacologic support alone. This therapy can support patient hemodynamics from weeks to several months, and patients can potentially ambulate with the device implanted while awaiting destination therapy. Methods From July 2012 to September 2017, 22 Impella 5.0 devices (Abiomed Inc., Danvers, MA) were implanted via right axillary artery at our center. All devices were implanted under fluoroscopic and transesophageal echocardiographic guidance. Results Eighty-one percent of patients were male, and average age was 61 years (range 27–73). A 10- or 12-mm graft was used in 96% of the cases, most commonly Hemashield (Maquet, Rastatt, Germany; 46%) or Dacron (DuPont, Wilmington, DE; 23%). The graft was tunneled laterally in a subcutaneous plane in 91% of the cases. All attempts at right axillary artery conduit creation and device implantation were successful. The angle of end-to-side anastomosis was 45–60°. The average duration of therapy was 8.8 days (range 1–19). There were no brachial plexus injuries, patients with upper extremity ischemia, or bleeding requiring intervention in the postoperative period. One patient was coagulopathic and developed a hemorrhagic stroke. Concurrent use of mechanical circulatory support for the right heart was present in 27% of the cases. Twenty-seven percent of patients bridged successfully to ventricular assist devices, 18% recovered to have the device explanted, and 55% of patients died within 30 days of device implantation. Conclusions Right axillary artery conduit is a safe and reliable access for implantation of Impella 5.0. This technique appears to be associated with low complication rates when implanted with a standardized technique.
Analysis of Travel Time Distributions for Uncertainty Propagation in Channelized Porous Systems

In the context of stochastic two-phase flow in porous media, one is often interested in estimating the statistics of fluid saturations in the reservoir. In this work, we show how we can efficiently compute the probability distribution of water saturation in channelized porous systems by pursuing the methodology proposed in Ibrahima et al. (Transp Porous Media 109:(1):81–107, 2015; Comput Geosci 22:(1):389–412, 2018). One of the key metrics of the developed distribution method, called the frozen streamline (FROST) method, is the logarithm of time-of-flight (log-TOF). Therefore, we dedicate a significant portion of the paper to study the cumulative distribution function and probability density function of the log-TOF. We also demonstrate that a Gaussian mixture model can be applied for parametrization of the probability distribution of the log-TOF random field, which is expected to lead to significant computational speedup. We compare the results of the saturation statistics obtained from both the FROST method and exhaustive Monte Carlo (MC) simulations of coupled two-phase flow and transport (i.e., streamlines may change with time), and we show that the agreement between the two approaches is good and improves with grid refinement. Finally, we compare FROST with MC simulations that correspond to the exact assumptions used in FROST (i.e., the streamlines are time independent), and we demonstrate excellent agreement.
4-Acetoxy- and 4-Cyano-1,3-Dioxanes in Synthesis

Alkylations of 4-cyano-1,3-dioxanes (cyanohydrin acetonides) represent a highly practical approach to syn-1,3-diol synthesis. Herein we present a comprehensive summary of cyanohydrin acetonide chemistry, with particular emphasis on practical aspects of couplings, as well as their utility in natural product synthesis. Both 4-acetoxy-1,3-dioxanes and 4-lithio-1,3-dioxanes have emerged as interesting anti-1,3-diol synthons. The preparation and utility of these two synthons are described.
Preventive Psychiatry and World Problems

The basic goal of medicine is prevention. Dramatic and enormously helpful as is cure, for example by the antibiotics, the real triumph of medicine is in the virtual elimination of diseases — such as smallpox and typhoid. Prevention has been achieved by understanding the basic cause and combatting it.
The study of effect moderation in youth suicide-prevention studies

Suicide is now the second leading cause of death among persons between the ages of adolescents and emerging adults and rates have increased despite more funding and broader implementation of youth suicide-prevention programs. A systematic review was conducted focusing on identifying youth suicide-prevention studies within the United States. This paper reports on the methods utilized for understanding possible moderators of suicide-prevention program outcomes. We searched six databases from 1990 through August 2017 to identify studies of suicide-preventive interventions among those under age 26 years. Two independent team members screened search results and sequentially extracted information related to statistical methods of moderation analyses. 69 articles were included in the systematic review of which only 17 (24.6%) explored treatment effect heterogeneity using moderation analysis. The most commonly used analytic tool was regression with an interaction term. The moderators studied included demographic characteristics such as gender and ethnicity as well as individual characteristics such as traumatic stress exposure and multiple prior suicide attempts. With a greater emphasis from the federal government and funding agencies on precision prevention, understanding which prevention programs work for specific subgroups is essential. Only a small percentage of the reviewed articles assessed moderation effects. This is a substantial research gap driven by sample size or other limitations which have impeded the identification of intervention effect heterogeneity.
Sentencing and the iron cage: judges’ experiences with rationalization

ABSTRACTJudicial decision-making has significant consequences for individuals, families, local communities, and social institutions. Mandatory sentencing guidelines were originally created to contr...
Measurement of the shrinkage of natural and simulated lesions on root surfaces using CP-OCT.

Abstract Objectives Demineralized root dentin and cementum is made up of mostly collagen that shrinks significantly upon dehydration or drying with air. During remineralization mineral is deposited on the outside of the lesion creating a highly mineralized surface layer that inhibits diffusion, arrests the lesion and prevents shrinkage. Previous studies suggest that active root caries lesions manifest shrinkage, while arrested lesions no longer manifest shrinkage upon dehydration. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that the shrinkage of root caries lesions can be monitored during dehydration using an optical coherence tomography probe suitable for clinical use. Methods In this in vitro study the shrinkage of simulated and natural root caries lesions on extracted teeth was measured using a cross polarization optical coherence tomography (CP-OCT) system and a 3D printed appliance with an integrated air nozzle suitable for clinical use. Two methods were employed to assess shrinkage, changes in the position of the lesion surface and changes in the thickness of the lesion. Results CP-OCT was successful in measuring a significant (P Conclusions In this preclinical study, we have demonstrated that a CP-OCT handpiece modified for infection control with an attached air nozzle suitable for in vivo use can be used to monitor the shrinkage of root caries lesions. In addition, we have developed a new approach to measuring lesion shrinkage with OCT, namely monitoring changes in the lesion thickness as opposed to the position of the lesion surface, that does not require an initial reference position and is more easily implemented in vivo.
Polyetheretherketone Versus Titanium Cages for Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion: Meta-Analysis and Review of the Literature

Objective Lumbar fusion with implantation of interbody cage is a common procedure for treatment of lumbar degenerative disease. This study aims to compare the fusion and subsidence rates of titanium (Ti) versus polyetheretherketone (PEEK) interbody cages after posterior lumbar interbody fusion and investigate the effect of clinical and radiological outcomes following fusion on patient-reported outcomes. Methods A systematic search strategy of 4 electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane) was conducted using different MeSH (medical subject headings) terms until January 2020. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using fixed and random-effect models based upon the heterogeneity (I2) to estimate the association between interbody cages and the measured outcomes. Results A total of 1,094 patients from 11 studies were reviewed. The final analysis included 421 patients (38.5%) who had lumbar surgery using a Ti and/or a Ti-coated interbody cage and 673 patient (61.5%) who had lumbar surgery using a PEEK cage. Overall, PEEK interbody devices were associated with a significantly lower fusion rate compared with Ti interbody devices (OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.41-0.93; p = 0.02). There was no difference in subsidence rates between Ti and PEEK groups (OR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.54-1.52; p = 0.71). Also, there were no statistically significant differences in visual analogue scale (VAS)-low back pain (p = 0.14) and Japanese Orthopedic Association scale (p = 0.86) between the 2 groups. However, the PEEK group had lower odds of leg pain after surgery compared to the Ti group (OR [VAS-leg], 0.61; 95% CI, 0.28-0.94; p = 0.003). Conclusion Ti and Ti-coated PEEK cages used for posterior lumbar interbody fusion are associated with similar rates of subsidence, but a higher rate of fusion compared to PEEK interbody cages. Randomized controlled trials are needed to better assess the effect of cage materials and potential factors that could influence the outcomes of interbody lumbar fusion.
Impact of Sacubitril/Valsartan on Patient Outcomes in Heart Failure: Evidence to Date

With an estimated 6.2 million adults affected in the USA, heart failure remains a leading cause of morbidity, mortality, and health-care costs, despite the use of guideline-based medical therapies. The search for a more efficient therapy was rekindled when findings from the Prospective Comparison of Angiotensin Receptor-Neprilysin Inhibitor With Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitor to Determine Impact on Global Mortality and Morbidity in Heart Failure (PARADIGM-HF) trial demonstrated evidence for cardiovascular and mortality benefit of sacubitril/valsartan, a dual angiotensin receptor blocker and neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI), over enalapril (an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor) in patients with heart failure and reduced rjection fraction (HFrEF). Following the trial's compelling results, recommendations for the use of sacubitril/valsartan as a replacement for an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and/or angiotensin receptor blocker were incorporated into the 2016 American College of Cardiology (ACC), the American Heart Association (AHA), and the Heart Failure Society of America recommended (HFSA) guidelines for the management of heart failure. This review aims to gain insight into the benefits as well as limitations associated with the use of sacubitril/valsartan in the treatment of heart failure (HF) through exploration of various subgroup analyses of the PARADIGM-HF trial, subsequent retrospective analyses, and randomized controlled trials that followed this landmark trial.
A Social Network of Russian "Kompromat".

"Kompromat" (the Russian word for "compromising material") has been efficiently used to harass Russian political and business elites since the days of the USSR. Online crowdsourcing projects such as "RuCompromat" made it possible to catalog and analyze kompromat using quantitative techniques -- namely, social network analysis. In this paper, we constructed a social network of 11,000 Russian and foreign nationals affected by kompromat in Russia in 1991 -- 2020. The network has an excellent modular structure with 62 dense communities. One community contains prominent American officials, politicians, and entrepreneurs (including President Donald Trump) and appears to concern Russia's controversial interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential elections. Various network centrality measures identify seventeen most central kompromat figures, with President Vladimir Putin solidly at the top. We further reveal four types of communities dominated by entrepreneurs, politicians, bankers, and law enforcement officials ("siloviks"), the latter disjointed from the first three.
Gastric Cancer Disparities Among Asian American Subpopulations.

BACKGROUND/AIM Asian Americans (AA) are one of the largest and fastest growing minority groups in the United States consisting of 18 million people. This population is an ethnically diverse group that tends to be classified as one cohort resulting in hidden survival disparities among AA subgroups. PATIENTS AND METHODS The National Cancer Data Base was queried for patients of Korean, Japanese or Filipino ancestry with gastric adenocarcinoma or esophageal adenocarcinoma between 2004 and 2013. RESULTS A total of 28,213 patients met the inclusion criteria: 1,542 with gastric adenocarcinoma and 26,671 with esophageal adenocarcinoma. The Korean group with gastric cancer (0.42) showed improved 5-year survival over the Japanese (0.31) and Filipino (0.21; p<0.001) groups. CONCLUSION A significant difference in survival exists among AA subgroups signifying a need to acknowledge the heterogeneity of AA in future studies. Thus, individual-specific medicine with respect to race-related outcomes is extremely important.
Establishing an Advisory Centre on International Investment Law

This brief presentation presents reasons for why an Advisory Centre on International Investment Law is needed and then turns to the questions of beneficiaries; the services an Advisory Centre could provide; its governance; and, finally, the question of financing such a Centre.
Effects of ingredients and pre-heating on the printing quality and dimensional stability in 3D printing of cookie dough

Abstract This work aimed to investigate the effects of composition and the internal structure of cookie doughs on its printability and baking stability using an extrusion-based three-dimensional (3D) printer. Two types of fat (butter/shortening) and three types of flour (wheat/rice/tapioca) were used, and pre-heating was included in the dough preparation step. The mechanical, thermal, and structural properties of cookie dough were measured. The yield stress values of doughs were between 4.48 and 315.70 Pa. Results showed that pre-heating increased both the yield stress values and printing pressures significantly and the two parameters were positively correlated (r = 0.985). The power-law model parameters represent the internal structure; Af and z values were in between 2303 and 20067 Pa*s1/z and 5.35–13.27, respectively. The creep-recovery analysis indicates that the Burgers model behavior is essential for complex 3D shape deposition. FTIR analysis illustrated that the vibrational properties of dough samples were significantly affected by the fat and flour types.
Modeling the Binding Mechanism of Remdesivir, Favilavir, and Ribavirin to SARS-CoV-2 RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase

Recent efforts to repurpose drugs to combat COVID-19 have identified Remdesivir as a candidate. It acts on the RNA-dependent, RNA polymerase (RdRp) of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, a protein complex responsible for mediating replication of the virus's genome. However, its exact action mechanism, and that of other nucleotide analogue inhibitors, is not known. In this study, we examine at the molecular level the interaction of this drug and that of similar nucleotide analogue inhibitors, ribavirin and favilavir, by relying on atomistic molecular simulations and advanced sampling. By analyzing the binding free energies of these different drugs, it is found that all of them bind strongly at the active site. Surprisingly, however, ribavirin and favilavir do not bind the nucleotide on the complementary strand as effectively and seem to act by a different mechanism than remdesivir. Remdesivir exhibits similar binding interactions to the natural base adenine. Moreover, by analyzing remdesivir at downstream positions of the RNA, we also find that, consistent with a "delayed" termination mechanism, additional nucleotides can be incorporated after remdesivir is added, and its highly polar 1'-cyano group induces a set of conformational changes that can affect the normal RdRp complex function. By analyzing the fluctuations of residues that are altered by remdesivir binding, and comparing them to those induced by lethal point mutations, we find a possible secondary mechanism in which remdesivir destabilizes the protein complex and its interactions with the RNA strands.
Impact of adjuvant endocrine therapy in older patients with comorbidities and estrogen receptor-positive, node-negative breast cancer-A National Cancer Database analysis

BACKGROUND Data are lacking about the benefit of adjuvant endocrine therapy (ET) in older patients with multiple comorbidities. The authors sought to determine the effect of ET on the survival of older patients who had multiple comorbidities and estrogen receptor (ER)-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative, pathologic node-negative (pN0) breast cancer. METHODS Women aged ≥70 years in the National Cancer Database (2010-2014) with Charlson/Deyo comorbidity scores of 2 or 3 who had pathologic tumor (pT1)-pT3/pN0, ER-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer were divided into 2 cohorts: adjuvant ET and no ET. Propensity scores were used to match patients based on age, comorbidity score, facility type, pT classification, chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the effect of ET on overall survival (OS). RESULTS In the nonmatched cohort (n = 3716), 72.8% of patients received ET (n = 2705), and 27.2% did not (n = 1011). The patients who received ET were younger (mean age, 76 vs 79 years; P < .001) and had higher rates of breast conservation compared with those who did not receive ET (lumpectomy plus radiation: 43.4% vs 23.8%, respectively; P < .001). In the matched cohort (n = 1972), the median OS was higher in the ET group (79.2 vs 67.7 months; P < .0001). In the adjusted analysis, ET was associated with improved survival (hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.59-0.83). CONCLUSIONS In older patients who have pN0, ER-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer with comorbidities, adjuvant ET was associated with improved OS, which may have been overestimated given the confounders inherent in observational studies. To optimize outcomes in these patients, current standard recommendations should be considered stage-for-stage based on life expectancy and the level of tolerance to treatment.
The Effects of VR Use on Pain Experienced During a Tattoo Procedure: A Pilot Study.

One of the most socially impactful applications of virtual reality (VR) is its use as a non-pharmacological remedy for both acute and chronic pain. Yet, despite robust findings establishing the analgesic effects of VR, use cases almost exclusively involve (a) patients with acute/chronic pain, which are often difficult to access and vary widely in terms of pain location/severity, or (b) experimentally induced pain, which can have low lab-to-life generalizability. One understudied pain context that may reconcile these limitations is body modification, specifically tattoo procedures. Examining the use of VR during a tattoo offers several benefits to VR and pain research. First, tattoo recipients as a participant pool are more accessible. Second, tattoo pain is presumably more standardized and uniform as it is administered by a machine at a consistent force. Thus, to test these assumptions and expand the scope of VR applications in this domain, we present a mixed-methods investigation testing the effects of VR on pain experienced during a tattoo. Leveraging qualitative interviews with tattoo artists and customers, a 3-month on-site field experiment at a tattoo parlor was conducted. Customers’ self-reported pain ratings (N=16) were collected during 1-hour tattooing sessions and compared between a treatment (VR) and control group. As expected, VR significantly reduced pain ratings during the procedure, and increased pain resilience. By suggesting that the analgesic effects of VR extend to volitional pain during a tattoo, we argue that tattoo pain warrants attention by both VR content developers and researchers interested in studying how immersive content influences real-world pain perception. The study also yields specific guidelines to help designers create and deploy VR experiences for this context. Overall, the results suggest that tattoo sessions present a promising context worthy of further investigation across a variety of VR research programs.
Intrathecal Knockdown of Adenylyl Cyclase 1 Attenuates Morphine Tolerance and Withdrawal in Mice

Opioid tolerance and opioid induced hyperalgesia during repeated opioid administration and chronic pain are associated with upregulation of adenylyl cyclase activity. Therefore, we investigated if expression of components of the cyclic-AMP pathway were increased within in the nervous system tissues of morphine tolerant mice, and if inhibiting any of these changes could alleviate pain and/or tolerance in mouse models. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that a reduction in adenylyl cyclase 1 (AC1) activity would attenuate morphine tolerance and hypersensitivity, and inflammatory pain using murine models. Short-hairpin RNA (shRNA) gene knockdown of Adcy1 in the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia was accomplished using a lumbar injection of an associated adenovirus viral vector (AAV9-GFP-U6-m-Adcy1-shRNA) and negative controls (AAV9-GFP-U6-m-scrambl-shRNA). Behavioral testing such as open field testing, rotarod testing, burrowing, thermal and mechanical paw withdrawal latencies were tested after injection. Morphine tolerance (15mg/kg, sc, 5 days and 10-40mg/kg escalation over 4 days) and opioid-induced hypersenstivity were also assessed after inoculation. Lumbar intrathecal administration of a vector incorporating adeno-associated virus and short-hairpin RNA against Adcy1 did not affect baseline parameters such as open field testing, rotarod testing, and burrowing testing. Morphine tolerance and withdrawal were attenuated in Adcy1 shRNA mice compared to control vector mice. Chronic exposure to morphine leads to changes in mRNA expression of proteins involved in the cAMP signaling pathway in different areas of the nervous system. Gene knockdown of Adcy1 decreases morphine tolerance and opioid-induced hypersensitivity, which could form the basis for novel therapeutics in the future. This work was supported through K01 DA042902 to AHK and the Purdue University College of Pharmacy to VJW.